the devoted friend-第1章

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THE　DEVOTED　FRIEND







One　morning　the　old　Water…rat　put　his　head　out　of　his　hole。　　He　had

bright　beady　eyes　and　stiff　grey　whiskers　and　his　tail　was　like　a

long　bit　of　black　india…rubber。　　The　little　ducks　were　swimming

about　in　the　pond；　looking　just　like　a　lot　of　yellow　canaries；　and

their　mother；　who　was　pure　white　with　real　red　legs；　was　trying　to

teach　them　how　to　stand　on　their　heads　in　the　water。



〃You　will　never　be　in　the　best　society　unless　you　can　stand　on　your

heads；〃　she　kept　saying　to　them；　and　every　now　and　then　she　showed

them　how　it　was　done。　　But　the　little　ducks　paid　no　attention　to

her。　　They　were　so　young　that　they　did　not　know　what　an　advantage

it　is　to　be　in　society　at　all。



〃What　disobedient　children！〃　cried　the　old　Water…rat；　〃they　really

deserve　to　be　drowned。〃



〃Nothing　of　the　kind；〃　answered　the　Duck；　〃every　one　must　make　a

beginning；　and　parents　cannot　be　too　patient。〃



〃Ah！　I　know　nothing　about　the　feelings　of　parents；〃　said　the　Water…

rat；　〃I　am　not　a　family　man。　　In　fact；　I　have　never　been　married；

and　I　never　intend　to　be。　　Love　is　all　very　well　in　its　way；　but

friendship　is　much　higher。　　Indeed；　I　know　of　nothing　in　the　world

that　is　either　nobler　or　rarer　than　a　devoted　friendship。〃



〃And　what；　pray；　is　your　idea　of　the　duties　of　a　devoted　friend？〃

asked　a　Green　Linnet；　who　was　sitting　in　a　willow…tree　hard　by；　and

had　overheard　the　conversation。



〃Yes；　that　is　just　what　I　want　to　know；〃　said　the　Duck；　and　she

swam　away　to　the　end　of　the　pond；　and　stood　upon　her　head；　in　order

to　give　her　children　a　good　example。



〃What　a　silly　question！〃　cried　the　Water…rat。　　〃I　should　expect　my

devoted　friend　to　be　devoted　to　me；　of　course。〃



〃And　what　would　you　do　in　return？〃　said　the　little　bird；　swinging

upon　a　silver　spray；　and　flapping　his　tiny　wings。



〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　answered　the　Water…rat。



〃Let　me　tell　you　a　story　on　the　subject；〃　said　the　Linnet。



〃Is　the　story　about　me？〃　asked　the　Water…rat。　　〃If　so；　I　will

listen　to　it；　for　I　am　extremely　fond　of　fiction。〃



〃It　is　applicable　to　you；〃　answered　the　Linnet；　and　he　flew　down；

and　alighting　upon　the　bank；　he　told　the　story　of　The　Devoted

Friend。



〃Once　upon　a　time；〃　said　the　Linnet；　〃there　was　an　honest　little

fellow　named　Hans。〃



〃Was　he　very　distinguished？〃　asked　the　Water…rat。



〃No；〃　answered　the　Linnet；　〃I　don't　think　he　was　distinguished　at

all；　except　for　his　kind　heart；　and　his　funny　round　good…humoured

face。　　He　lived　in　a　tiny　cottage　all　by　himself；　and　every　day　he

worked　in　his　garden。　　In　all　the　country…side　there　was　no　garden

so　lovely　as　his。　　Sweet…william　grew　there；　and　Gilly…flowers；　and

Shepherds'…purses；　and　Fair…maids　of　France。　　There　were　damask

Roses；　and　yellow　Roses；　lilac　Crocuses；　and　gold；　purple　Violets

and　white。　　Columbine　and　Ladysmock；　Marjoram　and　Wild　Basil；　the

Cowslip　and　the　Flower…de…luce；　the　Daffodil　and　the　Clove…Pink

bloomed　or　blossomed　in　their　proper　order　as　the　months　went　by；

one　flower　taking　another　flower's　place；　so　that　there　were　always

beautiful　things　to　look　at；　and　pleasant　odours　to　smell。



〃Little　Hans　had　a　great　many　friends；　but　the　most　devoted　friend

of　all　was　big　Hugh　the　Miller。　　Indeed；　so　devoted　was　the　rich

Miller　to　little　Hans；　that　be　would　never　go　by　his　garden　without

leaning　over　the　wall　and　plucking　a　large　nosegay；　or　a　handful　of

sweet　herbs；　or　filling　his　pockets　with　plums　and　cherries　if　it

was　the　fruit　season。



〃'Real　friends　should　have　everything　in　common；'　the　Miller　used

to　say；　and　little　Hans　nodded　and　smiled；　and　felt　very　proud　of

having　a　friend　with　such　noble　ideas。



〃Sometimes；　indeed；　the　neighbours　thought　it　strange　that　the　rich

Miller　never　gave　little　Hans　anything　in　return；　though　he　had　a

hundred　sacks　of　flour　stored　away　in　his　mill；　and　six　milch　cows；

and　a　large　flock　of　woolly　sheep；　but　Hans　never　troubled　his　head

about　these　things；　and　nothing　gave　him　greater　pleasure　than　to

listen　to　all　the　wonderful　things　the　Miller　used　to　say　about　the

unselfishness　of　true　friendship。



〃So　little　Hans　worked　away　in　his　garden。　　During　the　spring；　the

summer；　and　the　autumn　he　was　very　happy；　but　when　the　winter　came；

and　he　had　no　fruit　or　flowers　to　bring　to　the　market；　he　suffered

a　good　deal　from　cold　and　hunger；　and　often　had　to　go　to　bed

without　any　supper　but　a　few　dried　pears　or　some　hard　nuts。　　In　the

winter；　also；　he　was　extremely　lonely；　as　the　Miller　never　came　to

see　him　then。



〃'There　is　no　good　in　my　going　to　see　little　Hans　as　long　as　the

snow　lasts；'　the　Miller　used　to　say　to　his　wife；　'for　when　people

are　in　trouble　they　should　be　left　alone；　and　not　be　bothered　by

visitors。　　That　at　least　is　my　idea　about　friendship；　and　I　am　sure

I　am　right。　　So　I　shall　wait　till　the　spring　comes；　and　then　I

shall　pay　him　a　visit；　and　he　will　be　able　to　give　me　a　large

basket　of　primroses　and　that　will　make　him　so　happy。'



〃'You　are　certainly　very　thoughtful　about　others；'　answered　the

Wife；　as　she　sat　in　her　comfortable　armchair　by　the　big　pinewood

fire；　'very　thoughtful　indeed。　　It　is　quite　a　treat　to　hear　you

talk　about　friendship。　　I　am　sure　the　clergyman　himself　could　not

say　such　beautiful　things　as　you　do；　though　he　does　live　in　a

three…storied　house；　and　wear　a　gold　ring　on　his　little　finger。'



〃'But　could　we　not　ask　little　Hans　up　here？'　said　the　Miller's

youngest　son。　　'If　poor　Hans　is　in　trouble　I　will　give　him　half　my

porridge；　and　show　him　my　white　rabbits。'



〃'What　a　silly　boy　you　are'！　cried　the　Miller；　'I　really　don't　know

what　is　the　use　of　sending　you　to　school。　　You　seem　not　to　learn

anything。　　Why；　if　little　Hans　came　up　here；　and　saw　our　warm　fire；

and　our　good　supper；　and　our　great　cask　of　red　wine；　he　might　get

envious；　and　envy　is　a　most　terrible　thing；　and　would　spoil

anybody's　nature。　　I　certainly　will　not　allow　Hans'　nature　to　be

spoiled。　　I　am　his　best　friend；　and　I　will　always　watch　over　him；

and　see　that　he　is　not　led　into　any　temptations。　　Besides；　if　Hans

came　here；　he　might　ask　me　to　let　him　have　some　flour　on　credit；

and　that　I　could　not　do。　　Flour　is　one　thing；　and　friendship　is

another；　and　they　should　not　be　confused。　　Why；　the　words　are　spelt

differently；　and　mean　quite　different　things。　　Everybody　can　see

that。'



〃'How　well　you　talk'！　said　the　Miller's　Wife；　pouring　herself　out　a

large　glass　of　warm　ale；　'really　I　feel　quite　drowsy。　　It　is　just

like　being　in　church。'



〃'Lots　of　people　act　well；'　answered　the　Miller；　'but　very　few

people　talk　well；　which　shows　that　talking　is　much　the　more

difficult　thing　of　the　two；　and　much　the　finer　thing　also'；　and　he

looked　sternly　across　the　table　at　his　little　son；　who　felt　so

ashamed　of　himself　that　he　hung　his　head　down；　and　grew　quite

scarlet；　and　began　to　cry　into　his　tea。　　However；　he　was　so　young

that　you　must　excuse　him。〃



〃Is　that　the　end　of　the　story？〃　asked　the　Water…rat。



〃Certainly　not；〃　answered　the　Linnet；　〃that　is　the　beginning。〃



〃Then　you　are　quite　behind　the　age；〃　said　the　Water…rat。　　〃Every

good　story…teller　nowadays　starts　with　the　end；　and　then　goes　on　to

the　beginning；　and　concludes　with　the　middle。　　That　is　the　new

method。　　I　heard　all　about　it　the　other　day　from　a　critic　who　was

walking　round　the　pond　with　a　young　man。　　He　spoke　of　the　matter　at

great　length；　and　I　am　sure　he　must　have　been　right；　for　he　had

blue　spectacles　and　a　bald　head；　and　whenever　the　young　man　made

any　remark；　he　always　answered　'Pooh！'　　But　pray　go　on　with　your

story。　　I　like　the　Miller　immensely。　　I　have　all　kinds　of　beautiful

sentiments　myself；　so　there　is　a　great　sympathy　between　us。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　Linnet；　hopping　now　on　one　leg　and　now　on　the

other；　〃as　soon　as　the　winter　was　over；　and　the　primroses　began　to

open　their　pale　yellow　stars；　the　Miller　said　to　his　wife