the little lame prince-第31章

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Meanwhile　the　husband　waited　for　his　wife's　return；　but　at　last　he　felt　so　very　thirsty　that　he　said；　〃I　must　go　myself　down　into　the　cellar　and　see　what　is　keeping　our　Alice。〃　As　soon　as　he　entered　the　cellar；　there　he　found　the　four　sitting　and　crying　together；　and　when　he　heard　the　reason；　he　also　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　what　a　clever　Alice　we　have！〃　and　sat　down　to　cry　with　the　whole　strength　of　his　lungs。

All　this　time　the　bridegroom　above　sat　waiting；　but　when　nobody　returned；　he　thought　they　must　be　waiting　for　him；　and　so　he　went　down　to　see　what　was　the　matter。　When　he　entered；　there　sat　the　five　crying　and　groaning；　each　one　in　a　louder　key　than　his　neighbor。

〃What　misfortune　has　happened？〃　he　asked。

〃Ah；　dear　Hans！〃　cried　Alice；　〃if　you　and　I　should　marry　one　another；　and　have　a　child；　and　he　grew　up；　and　we；　perhaps；　send　him　down　to　this　cellar　to　tap　the　beer；　the　hatchet　which　has　been　left　sticking　up　there　may　fall　on　his　head；　and　so　kill　him；　and　do　you　not　think　this　is　enough　to　weep　about？〃

〃Now；〃　said　Hans；　〃more　prudence　than　this　is　not　necessary　for　my　housekeeping；　because　you　are　such　a　clever　Alice；　I　will　have　you　for　my　wife。〃　And；　taking　her　hand；　he　led　her　home；　and　celebrated　the　wedding　directly。

After　they　had　been　married　a　little　while；　Hans；　said　one　morning；　〃Wife；　I　will　go　out　to　work　and　earn　some　money；　do　you　go　into　the　field　and　gather　some　corn　wherewith　to　make　bread。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　〃I　will　do　so；　dear　Hans。〃　And　when　he　was　gone；　she　cooked　herself　a　nice　mess　of　pottage　to　take　with　her。　As　she　came　to　the　field；　she　said　to　herself；　〃What　shall　I　do？　Shall　I　cut　first；　or　eat　first？　Aye；　I　will　eat　first！〃　Then　she　ate　up　the　contents　of　her　pot；　and　when　it　was　finished；　she　thought　to　herself；　〃Now；　shall　I　reap　first　or　sleep　first？　Well；　I　think　I　will　have　a　nap！〃　and　so　she　laid　herself　down　among　the　corn；　and　went　to　sleep。

Meanwhile　Hans　returned　home；　but　Alice　did　not　come；　and　so　he　said；　〃Oh；　what　a　prudent　Alice　I　have！　She　is　so　industrious　that　she　does　not　even　come　home　to　eat　anything。〃　By　and　by；　however；　evening　came　on；　and　still　she　did　not　return；　so　Hans　went　out　to　see　how　much　she　had　reaped；　but；　behold；　nothing　at　all；　and　there　lay　Alice　fast　asleep　among　the　corn！　So　home　he　ran　very　fast；　and　brought　a　net　with　little　bells　hanging　on　it；　which　he　threw　over　her　head　while　she　still　slept　on。　When　he　had　done　this；　he　went　back　again　and　shut　to　the　house　door；　and；　seating　himself　on　his　stool；　began　working　very　industriously。

At　last；　when　it　was　nearly　dark；　the　clever　Alice　awoke；　and　as　soon　as　she　stood　up；　the　net　fell　all　over　her　hair；　and　the　bells　jingled　at　every　step　she　took。　This　quite　frightened　her；　and　she　began　to　doubt　whether　she　were　really　Clever　Alice；　and　said　to　herself；　〃Am　I　she；　or　am　I　not？〃　This　was　a　question　she　could　not　answer；　and　she　stood　still　a　long　while　considering　about　it。　At　last　she　thought　she　would　go　home　and　ask　whether　she　was　really　herself　supposing　somebody　would　be　able　to　tell　her。

When　she　came　up　to　the　house　door　it　was　shut；　so　she　tapped　at　the　window；　and　asked；　〃Hans；　is　Alice　within？〃　〃Yes；〃　he　replied；　〃she　is。〃　At　which　answer　she　became　really　terrified；　and　exclaiming；　〃Ah；　heaven；　then　I　am　not　Alice！〃　she　ran　up　to　another　house；　intending　to　ask　the　same　question。　But　as　soon　as　the　folks　within　heard　the　jingling　of　the　bells　in　her　net；　they　refused　to　open　their　doors；　and　nobody　would　receive　her。　So　she　ran　straight　away　from　the　village；　and　no　one　has　ever　seen　her　since。




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