a24-第2章

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private　boxes；　and　all　the　timber　work　had　been　covered　with
coloured　paper。　A　little　iron　chandelier　hung　beneath　the　ceiling；　and
that　it　might　be　made　to　disappear　into　the　ceiling；　as　it　does　in
great　theatres；　when　the　ting…ting　of　the　prompter's　bell　is　heard；
a　great　inverted　tub　has　been　placed　just　above　it。

〃'Ting…ting！'　and　the　little　iron　chandelier　suddenly　rose　at
least　half　a　yard　and　disappeared　in　the　tub；　and　that　was　the　sign
that　the　play　was　going　to　begin。　A　young　nobleman　and　his　lady；　who　happened　to　be　passing　through　the　little　town；　were　present　at　the　performance；　and　consequently　the　house　was　crowded。　But　under　the　chandelier　was　a　vacant　space　like　a　little　crater：　not　a　single
soul　sat　there；　for　the　tallow　was　dropping；　drip；　drip！　I　saw
everything；　for　it　was　so　warm　in　there　that　every　loophole　had　been
opened。　The　male　and　female　servants　stood　outside；　peeping　through　the　chinks；　although　a　real　policeman　was　inside；　threatening　them　with　a　stick。　Close　by　the　orchestra　could　be　seen　the　noble　young　couple　in　two　old　arm…chairs；　which　were　usually　occupied　by　his　worship　the　mayor　and　his　lady；　but　these　latter　were　to…day　obliged　to　content　themselves　with　wooden　forms；　just　as　if　they　had　been　ordinary　citizens；　and　the　lady　observed　quietly　to　herself；　'One
sees；　now；　that　there　is　rank　above　rank；'　and　this　incident　gave　an
air　of　extra　festivity　to　the　whole　proceedings。　The　chandelier　gave
little　leaps；　the　crowd　got　their　knuckles　rapped；　and　I；　the　Moon；
was　present　at　the　performance　from　beginning　to　end。〃

FIFTH　EVENING
〃Yesterday；〃　began　the　Moon；　〃I　looked　down　upon　the　turmoil　of
Paris。　My　eye　penetrated　into　an　apartment　of　the　Louvre。　An　old
grandmother；　poorly　clad…　she　belonged　to　the　working　class…　was
following　one　of　the　under…servants　into　the　great　empty
throne…room；　for　this　was　the　apartment　she　wanted　to　see…　that　she
was　resolved　to　see；　it　had　cost　her　many　a　little　sacrifice；　and　many
a　coaxing　word；　to　penetrate　thus　far。　She　folded　her　thin　hands；
and　looked　round　with　an　air　of　reverence；　as　if　she　had　been　in　a
church。

〃'Here　it　was！'　she　said；　'here！'　and　she　approached　the　throne；
from　which　hung　the　rich　velvet　fringed　with　gold　lace。　'There；'　she
exclaimed；　'there！'　and　she　knelt　and　kissed　the　purple　carpet。　I
think　she　was　actually　weeping。

〃'But　it　was　not　this　very　velvet！'　observed　the　footman；　and　a
smile　played　about　his　mouth。　'True；　but　it　was　this　very　place；'
replied　the　woman；　'and　it　must　have　looked　just　like　this。　'It　looked
so；　and　yet　it　did　not；'　observed　the　man：　'the　windows　were　beaten
in；　and　the　doors　were　off　their　hinges；　and　there　was　blood　upon
the　floor。'　'But　for　all　that　you　can　say；　my　grandson　died　upon　the
throne　of　France。　Died！'　mournfully　repeated　the　old　woman。　I　do　not
think　another　word　was　spoken；　and　they　soon　quitted　the　hall。　The
evening　twilight　faded　and　my　light　shone　doubly　vivid　upon　the　rich
velvet　that　covered　the　throne　of　France。

〃Now　who　do　you　think　this　poor　woman　was？　Listen；　I　will　tell　you
a　story。

〃It　happened；　in　the　Revolution　of　July；　on　the　evening　of　the
most　brilliantly　victorious　day；　when　every　house　was　a　fortress；
every　window　a　breastwork。　The　people　stormed　the　Tuileries。　Even
women　and　children　were　to　be　found　among　the　combatants。　They
penetrated　into　the　apartments　and　halls　of　the　palace。　A　poor
half…grown　boy　in　a　ragged　blouse　fought　among　the　older　insurgents。
Mortally　wounded　with　several　bayonet　thrusts；　he　sank　down。　This
happened　in　the　throne…room。　They　laid　the　bleeding　youth　upon　the
throne　of　France；　wrapped　the　velvet　around　his　wounds；　and　his
blood　streamed　forth　upon　the　imperial　purple。　There　was　a　picture！
The　splendid　hall；　the　fighting　groups！　A　torn　flag　upon　the　ground；
the　tricolor　was　waving　above　the　bayonets；　and　on　the　throne　lay
the　poor　lad　with　the　pale　glorified　countenance；　his　eyes　turned
towards　the　sky；　his　limbs　writhing　in　the　death　agony；　his　breast
bare；　and　his　poor　tattered　clothing　half　hidden　by　the　rich　velvet
embroidered　with　silver　lilies。　At　the　boy's　cradle　a　prophecy　had
been　spoken：　'He　will　die　on　the　throne　of　France！'　The　mother's　heart
dreamt　of　a　second　Napoleon。

〃My　beams　have　kissed　the　wreath　of　immortelles　on　his　grave；
and　this　night　they　kissed　the　forehead　of　the　old　grandame；　while
in　a　dream　the　picture　floated　before　her　which　thou　mayest　draw…
the　poor　boy　on　the　throne　of　France。〃

SIXTH　EVENING
〃I've　been　in　Upsala；〃　said　the　Moon：　〃I　looked　down　upon　the
great　plain　covered　with　coarse　grass；　and　upon　the　barren　fields。　I
mirrored　my　face　in　the　Tyris　river；　while　the　steamboat　drove　the
fish　into　the　rushes。　Beneath　me　floated　the　waves；　throwing　long
shadows　on　the　so…called　graves　of　Odin；　Thor；　and　Friga。　In　the
scanty　turf　that　covers　the　hill…side　names　have　been　cut。　There　is　no
monument　here；　no　memorial　on　which　the　traveller　can　have　his　name
carved；　no　rocky　wall　on　whose　surface　he　can　get　it　painted；　so
visitors　have　the　turf　cut　away　for　that　purpose。　The　naked　earth
peers　through　in　the　form　of　great　letters　and　names；　these　form　a
network　over　the　whole　hill。　Here　is　an　immortality；　which　lasts
till　the　fresh　turf　grows！

〃Up　on　the　hill　stood　a　man；　a　poet。　He　emptied　the　mead　horn　with
the　broad　silver　rim；　and　murmured　a　name。　He　begged　the　winds　not
to　betray　him；　but　I　heard　the　name。　I　knew　it。　A　count's　coronet
sparkles　above　it；　and　therefore　he　did　not　speak　it　out。　I　smiled；
for　I　knew　that　a　poet's　crown　adorns　his　own　name。　The　nobility　of
Eleanora　d'Este　is　attached　to　the　name　of　Tasso。　And　I　also　know
where　the　Rose　of　Beauty　blooms！〃

Thus　spake　the　Moon；　and　a　cloud　came　between　us。　May　no　cloud
separate　the　poet　from　the　rose！

SEVENTH　EVENING
〃Along　the　margin　of　the　shore　stretches　a　forest　of　firs　and
beeches；　and　fresh　and　fragrant　is　this　wood；　hundreds　of　nightingales
visit　it　every　spring。　Close　beside　it　is　the　sea；　the　ever…changing
sea；　and　between　the　two　is　placed　the　broad　high…road。　One　carriage
after　another　rolls　over　it；　but　I　did　not　follow　them；　for　my　eye
loves　best　to　rest　upon　one　point。　A　Hun's　Grave　lies　there；　and　the
sloe　and　blackthorn　grow　luxuriantly　among　the　stones。　Here　is　true
poetry　in　nature。

〃And　how　do　you　think　men　appreciate　this　poetry？　I　will　tell
you　what　I　heard　there　last　evening　and　during　the　night。
〃First；　two　rich　landed　proprietors　came　driving　by。　'Those　are
glorious　trees！'　said　the　first。　'Certainly；　there　are　ten　loads　of
firewood　in　each；'　observed　the　other：　'it　will　be　a　hard　winter；
and　last　year　we　got　fourteen　dollars　a　load'…　and　they　were　gone。
'The　road　here　is　wretched；'　observed　another　man　who　drove　past。
'That's　the　fault　of　those　horrible　trees；'　replied　his　neighbour；
'there　is　no　free　current　of　air；　the　wind　can　only　come　from　the
sea'…　and　they　were　gone。　The　stage　coach　went　rattling　past。　All
the　passengers　were　asleep　at　this　beautiful　spot。　The　postillion　blew
his　horn；　but　he　only　thought；　'I　can　play　capitally。　It　sounds　well
here。　I　wonder　if　those　in　there　like　it？'…　and　the　stage　coach
vanished。　Then　two　young　fellows　came　gallopping　up　on　horseback。
There's　youth　and　spirit　in　the　blood　here！　thought　I；　and；　indeed；
they　looked　with　a　smile　at　the　moss…grown　hill　and　thick　forest。　'I
should　not　dislike　a　walk　here　with　the　miller's　Christine；'　said　one…
and　they　flew　past。

〃The　flowers　scented　the　air；　every　breath　of　air　was　hushed；　it
seemed　as　if　the　sea　were　a　part　of　the　sky　that　stretched　above　the
deep　valley。　A　carriage　rolled　by。　Six　people　were　sitting　in　it。　Four
of　them　were　asleep；　the　fifth　was　thinking　of　his　new　summer　coat；
which　would　suit　him　admirably；　the　sixth　turned　to　the　coachman　and
asked　him　if　there　were　anything　remarkable　connected　with　yonder　heap　of　stones。　'No；'　replied　the　coachman；　'it's　only　a　heap　of　stones；　but　the　trees　are　remarkable。'　'How　so？'　'Why　I'll　tell　you　how　they　are　very　remarkable。　You　see；　in　winter；　when　the　snow　lies　very　deep；　and　has　hidden　the　whole　road　so　that　nothing　is　to　be　seen；　those　trees　serve　me　for　a　land