the story of the wind-第2章

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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