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第2章

the story of the wind-第2章

小说: the story of the wind 字数: 每页4000字

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coast;〃 continued the Wind; 〃great flocks of crows and ravens; dark

and black as they usually are; came and alighted on the lonely;

deserted ship。 Then they croaked in harsh accents of the forest that

now existed no more; of the many pretty birds' nests destroyed and the

little ones left without a home; and all for the sake of that great

bit of lumber; that proud ship; that never sailed forth。 I made the

snowflakes whirl till the snow lay like a great lake round the ship;

and drifted over it。 I let it hear my voice; that it might know what

the storm has to say。 Certainly I did my part towards teaching it

seamanship。

    〃That winter passed away; and another winter and summer both

passed; as they are still passing away; even as I pass away。 The

snow drifts onwards; the apple…blossoms are scattered; the leaves

fall;… everything passes away; and men are passing away too。 But the

great man's daughters are still young; and little Ida is a rose as

fair to look upon as on the day when the shipbuilder first saw her。

I often tumbled her long; brown hair; while she stood in the garden by

the apple…tree; musing; and not heeding how I strewed the blossoms

on her hair; and dishevelled it; or sometimes; while she stood

gazing at the red sun and the golden sky through the opening

branches of the dark; thick foliage of the garden trees。 Her sister

Joanna was bright and slender as a lily; she had a tall and lofty

carriage and figure; though; like her mother; rather stiff in back。

She was very fond of walking through the great hall; where hung the

portraits of her ancestors。 The women were represented in dresses of

velvet and silk; with tiny little hats; embroidered with pearls; on

their braided hair。 They were all handsome women。 The gentlemen

appeared clad in steel; or in rich cloaks lined with squirrel's fur;

they wore little ruffs; and swords at their sides。 Where would

Joanna's place be on that wall some day? and how would he look;… her

noble lord and husband? This is what she thought of; and often spoke

of in a low voice to herself。 I heard it as I swept into the long

hall; and turned round to come out again。 Anna Dorothea; the pale

hyacinth; a child of fourteen; was quiet and thoughtful; her large;

deep; blue eyes had a dreamy look; but a childlike smile still

played round her mouth。 I was not able to blow it away; neither did

I wish to do so。 We have met in the garden; in the hollow lane; in the

field and meadow; where she gathered herbs and flowers which she

knew would be useful to her father in preparing the drugs and mixtures

he was always concocting。 Waldemar Daa was arrogant and proud; but

he was also a learned man; and knew a great deal。 It was no secret;

and many opinions were expressed on what he did。 In his fireplace

there was a fire; even in summer time。 He would lock himself in his

room; and for days the fire would be kept burning; but he did not talk

much of what he was doing。 The secret powers of nature are generally

discovered in solitude; and did he not soon expect to find out the art

of making the greatest of all good things… the art of making gold?

So he fondly hoped; therefore the chimney smoked and the fire crackled

so constantly。 Yes; I was there too;〃 said the Wind。 〃'Leave it

alone;' I sang down the chimney; 'leave it alone; it will all end in

smoke; air; coals; and ashes; and you will burn your fingers。' But

Waldemar Daa did not leave it alone; and all he possessed vanished

like smoke blown by me。 The splendid black horses; where are they?

What became of the cows in the field; the old gold and silver

vessels in cupboards and chests; and even the house and home itself?

It was easy to melt all these away in the gold…making crucible; and

yet obtain no gold。 And so it was。 Empty are the barns and

store…rooms; the cellars and cupboards; the servants decreased in

number; and the mice multiplied。 First one window became broken; and

then another; so that I could get in at other places besides the door。

'Where the chimney smokes; the meal is being cooked;' says the

proverb; but here a chimney smoked that devoured all the meals for the

sake of gold。 I blew round the courtyard;〃 said the Wind; 〃like a

watchman blowing his home; but no watchman was there。 I twirled the

weather…cock round on the summit of the tower; and it creaked like the

snoring of a warder; but no warder was there; nothing but mice and

rats。 Poverty laid the table…cloth; poverty sat in the wardrobe and in

the larder。 The door fell off its hinges; cracks and fissures made

their appearance everywhere; so that I could go in and out at

pleasure; and that is how I know all about it。 Amid smoke and ashes;

sorrow; and sleepless nights; the hair and beard of the master of

the house turned gray; and deep furrows showed themselves around his

temples; his skin turned pale and yellow; while his eyes still

looked eagerly for gold; the longed…for gold; and the result of his

labor was debt instead of gain。 I blew the smoke and ashes into his

face and beard; I moaned through the broken window…panes; and the

yawning clefts in the walls; I blew into the chests and drawers

belonging to his daughters; wherein lay the clothes that had become

faded and threadbare; from being worn over and over again。 Such a song

had not been sung; at the children's cradle as I sung now。 The

lordly life had changed to a life of penury。 I was the only one who

rejoiced aloud in that castle;〃 said the Wind。 〃At last I snowed

them up; and they say snow keeps people warm。 It was good for them;

for they had no wood; and the forest; from which they might have

obtained it; had been cut down。 The frost was very bitter; and I

rushed through loop…holes and passages; over gables and roofs with

keen and cutting swiftness。 The three high…born daughters were lying

in bed because of the cold; and their father crouching beneath his

leather coverlet。 Nothing to eat; nothing to burn; no fire on the

hearth! Here was a life for high…born people! 'Give it up; give it

up!' But my Lord Daa would not do that。 'After winter; spring will

come;' he said; 'after want; good times。 We must not lose patience; we

must learn to wait。 Now my horses and lands are all mortgaged; it is

indeed high time; but gold will come at last… at Easter。'

    〃I heard him as he thus spoke; he was looking at a spider's web;

and he continued; 'Thou cunning little weaver; thou dost teach me

perseverance。 Let any one tear thy web; and thou wilt begin again

and repair it。 Let it be entirely destroyed; thou wilt resolutely

begin to make another till it is completed。 So ought we to do; if we

wish to succeed at last。'

    〃It was the morning of Easter…day。 The bells sounded from the

neighboring church; and the sun seemed to rejoice in the sky。 The

master of the castle had watched through the night; in feverish

excitement; and had been melting and cooling; distilling and mixing。 I

heard him sighing like a soul in despair; I heard him praying; and I

noticed how he held his breath。 The lamp burnt out; but he did not

observe it。 I blew up the fire in the coals on the hearth; and it

threw a red glow on his ghastly white face; lighting it up with a

glare; while his sunken eyes looked out wildly from their cavernous

depths; and appeared to grow larger and more prominent; as if they

would burst from their sockets。 'Look at the alchymic glass;' he

cried; 'something glows in the crucible; pure and heavy。' He lifted it

with a trembling hand; and exclaimed in a voice of agitation; 'Gold!

gold!' He was quite giddy; I could have blown him down;〃 said the

Wind; 〃but I only fanned the glowing coals; and accompanied him

through the door to the room where his daughter sat shivering。 His

coat was powdered with ashes; and there were ashes in his beard and in

his tangled hair。 He stood erect; and held high in the air the brittle

glass that contained his costly treasure。 'Found! found! Gold!

gold!' he shouted; again holding the glass aloft; that it might

flash in the sunshine; but his hand trembled; and the alchymic glass

fell from it; clattering

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