a16-第4章

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beautiful　that　the　court　bowed　low　in　her　presence。　Then　the　king
declared　his　intention　of　making　her　his　bride；　but　the　archbishop
shook　his　head；　and　whispered　that　the　fair　young　maiden　was　only　a
witch　who　had　blinded　the　king's　eyes　and　bewitched　his　heart。　But　the　king　would　not　listen　to　this；　he　ordered　the　music　to　sound；　the
daintiest　dishes　to　be　served；　and　the　loveliest　maidens　to　dance。
After…wards　he　led　her　through　fragrant　gardens　and　lofty　halls；　but
not　a　smile　appeared　on　her　lips　or　sparkled　in　her　eyes。　She　looked
the　very　picture　of　grief。　Then　the　king　opened　the　door　of　a　little
chamber　in　which　she。　was　to　sleep；　it　was　adorned　with　rich　green
tapestry；　and　resembled　the　cave　in　which　he　had　found　her。　On　the
floor　lay　the　bundle　of　flax　which　she　had　spun　from　the　nettles；
and　under　the　ceiling　hung　the　coat　she　had　made。　These　things　had
been　brought　away　from　the　cave　as　curiosities　by　one　of　the　huntsmen。

〃Here　you　can　dream　yourself　back　again　in　the　old　home　in　the
cave；〃　said　the　king；　〃here　is　the　work　with　which　you　employed
yourself。　It　will　amuse　you　now　in　the　midst　of　all　this　splendor　to
think　of　that　time。〃

When　Eliza　saw　all　these　things　which　lay　so　near　her　heart；　a
smile　played　around　her　mouth；　and　the　crimson　blood　rushed　to　her
cheeks。　She　thought　of　her　brothers；　and　their　release　made　her　so
joyful　that　she　kissed　the　king's　hand。　Then　he　pressed　her　to　his
heart。　Very　soon　the　joyous　church　bells　announced　the　marriage　feast；　and　that　the　beautiful　dumb　girl　out　of　the　wood　was　to　be　made　the　queen　of　the　country。　Then　the　archbishop　whispered　wicked　words　in　the　king's　ear；　but　they　did　not　sink　into　his　heart。　
The　marriage　was　still　to　take　place；　and　the　archbishop　himself　had　to　place　the　crown　on　the　bride's　head；　in　his　wicked　spite；　he　pressed　the　narrow　circlet　so　tightly　on　her　forehead　that　it　caused　her　pain。　But　a　heavier　weight　encircled　her　heart…　sorrow　for　her　brothers。　She　felt　not　bodily　pain。　Her　mouth　was　closed；　a　single　word　would　cost　the　lives　of　her　brothers。　But　she　loved　the　kind；　handsome　king；　who　did　everything　to　make　her　happy　more　and　more　each　day；　she　loved　him　with　all　her　heart；　and　her　eyes　beamed　with　the　love　she　dared　not　speak。　Oh！　if　she　had　only　been　able　to　confide　in　him　and　tell　him　of　her　grief。　But　dumb　she　must　remain　till　her　task　was　finished。

Therefore　at　night　she　crept　away　into　her　little　chamber；　which　had
been　decked　out　to　look　like　the　cave；　and　quickly　wove　one　coat　after　another。　But　when　she　began　the　seventh　she　found　she　had　no　more　flax。　She　knew　that　the　nettles　she　wanted　to　use　grew　in　the
churchyard；　and　that　she　must　pluck　them　herself。　How　should　she　get　out　there？　〃Oh；　what　is　the　pain　in　my　fingers　to　the　torment　which　my　heart　endures？〃　said　she。　〃I　must　venture；　I　shall　not　be　denied
help　from　heaven。〃　Then　with　a　trembling　heart；　as　if　she　were　about
to　perform　a　wicked　deed；　she　crept　into　the　garden　in　the　broad
moonlight；　and　passed　through　the　narrow　walks　and　the　deserted
streets；　till　she　reached　the　churchyard。　Then　she　saw　on　one　of　the
broad　tombstones　a　group　of　ghouls。　These　hideous　creatures　took　off　their　rags；　as　if　they　intended　to　bathe；　and　then　clawing　open　the
fresh　graves　with　their　long；　skinny　fingers；　pulled　out　the　dead
bodies　and　ate　the　flesh！　Eliza　had　to　pass　close　by　them；　and　they
fixed　their　wicked　glances　upon　her；　but　she　prayed　silently；　gathered
the　burning　nettles；　and　carried　them　home　with　her　to　the　castle。　One
person　only　had　seen　her；　and　that　was　the　archbishop…　he　was　awake
while　everybody　was　asleep。　Now　he　thought　his　opinion　was　evidently　correct。　All　was　not　right　with　the　queen。　She　was　a　witch；　and　had　bewitched　the　king　and　all　the　people。　Secretly　he　told　the　king　what　he　had　seen　and　what　he　feared；　and　as　the　hard　words　came　from　his　tongue；　the　carved　images　of　the　saints　shook　their　heads　as　if　they　would　say。　〃It　is　not　so。　Eliza　is　innocent。〃

But　the　archbishop　interpreted　it　in　another　way；　he　believed　that
they　witnessed　against　her；　and　were　shaking　their　heads　at　her
wickedness。　Two　large　tears　rolled　down　the　king's　cheeks；　and　he　went　home　with　doubt　in　his　heart；　and　at　night　he　pretended　to　sleep；
but　there　came　no　real　sleep　to　his　eyes；　for　he　saw　Eliza　get　up
every　night　and　disappear　in　her　own　chamber。　From　day　to　day　his　brow　became　darker；　and　Eliza　saw　it　and　did　not　understand　the　reason；　but　it　alarmed　her　and　made　her　heart　tremble　for　her　brothers。　Her　hot　tears　glittered　like　pearls　on　the　regal　velvet　and　diamonds；　while　all　who　saw　her　were　wishing　they　could　be　queens。　
In　the　mean　time　she　had　almost　finished　her　task；　only　one　coat　of　mail　was　wanting；　but　she　had　no　flax　left；　and　not　a　single　nettle。　Once　more　only；　and　for　the　last　time；　must　she　venture　to　the　churchyard　and　pluck　a　few　handfuls。　She　thought　with　terror　of　the　solitary　walk；　and　of　the　horrible　ghouls；　but　her　will　was　firm；　as　well　as　her　trust　in　Providence。　Eliza　went；　and　the　king　and　the　archbishop　followed　her。　They　saw　her　vanish　through　the　wicket　gate　into　the　churchyard；　and　when　they　came　nearer　they　saw　the　ghouls　sitting　on　the　tombstone；　as　Eliza　had　seen　them；　and　the　king　turned　away　his　head；　for　he　thought　she　was　with　them…　she　whose　head　had　rested　on　his　breast　that　very　evening。　〃The　people　must　condemn　her；〃　said　he；　and　she　was　very　quickly　condemned　by　every　one　to　suffer　death　by　fire。　Away　from　the　gorgeous　regal　halls　was　she　led　to　a　dark；　dreary　cell；　where　the　wind　whistled　through　the　iron　bars。　Instead　of　the　velvet　and　silk　dresses；　they　gave　her　the　coats　of　mail　which　she　had　woven　to　cover　her；　and　the　bundle　of　nettles　for　a　pillow；　but　nothing　they　could　give　her　would　have　pleased　her　more。　She　continued　her　task　with　joy；　and　prayed　for　help；　while　the　street…boys　sang　jeering　songs　about　her；　and　not　a　soul　comforted　her　with　a　kind　word。　Towards　evening；　she　heard　at　the　grating　the　flutter　of　a　swan's　wing；　it　was　her　youngest　brother…　he　had　found　his　sister；　and　she　sobbed　for　joy；　although　she　knew　that　very　likely　this　would　be　the　last　night　she　would　have　to　live。　But　still　she　could　hope；　for　her　task　was　almost　finished；　and　her　brothers　were　come。　Then　the　archbishop　arrived；　to　be　with　her　during　her　last　hours；　as　he　had　promised　the　king。　But　she　shook　her　head；　and　begged　him；　by　looks　and　gestures；　not　to　stay；　for　in　this　night　she　knew　she　must　finish　her　task；　otherwise　all　her　pain　and　tears　and　sleepless　nights　would　have　been　suffered　in　vain。　The　archbishop　withdrew；　uttering　bitter　words　against　her；　but　poor　Eliza　knew　that　she　was　innocent；　and　diligently　continued　her　work。

The　little　mice　ran　about　the　floor；　they　dragged　the　nettles　to
her　feet；　to　help　as　well　as　they　could；　and　the　thrush　sat　outside
the　grating　of　the　window；　and　sang　to　her　the　whole　night　long；　as
sweetly　as　possible；　to　keep　up　her　spirits。

It　was　still　twilight；　and　at　least　an　hour　before　sunrise；　when
the　eleven　brothers　stood　at　the　castle　gate；　and　demanded　to　be
brought　before　the　king。　They　were　told　it　could　not　be；　it　was　yet
almost　night；　and　as　the　king　slept　they　dared　not　disturb　him。　They
threatened；　they　entreated。　Then　the　guard　appeared；　and　even　the　king　himself；　inquiring　what　all　the　noise　meant。　At　this　moment　the　sun　rose。　The　eleven　brothers　were　seen　no　more；　but　eleven　wild　swans　flew　away　over　the　castle。

And　now　all　the　people　came　streaming　forth　from　the　gates　of
the　city；　to　see　the　witch　burnt。　An　old　horse　drew　the　cart　on
which　she　sat。　They　had　dressed　her　in　a　garment　of　coarse
sackcloth。　Her　lovely　hair　hung　loose　on　her　shoulders；　her　cheeks
were　deadly　pale；　her　lips　moved　silently；　while　her　fingers　still
worked　at　the　green　flax。　Even　on　the　way　to　death；　she　would　not　give　up　her　task。　The　ten　coats　of　mail　lay　at　her　feet；　she　was　working　hard　at　the　eleventh；　while　the　mob　jeered　her　and　said；　〃See　the　witch；　how　she　mutters！　She　has　no　hymn…book　in　her　hand。　She　sits　there　with　her　ugly　sorcery。　Let　us　tear　it　in　a　thousand　pieces。〃

And　then　they　pressed　towards　her；　and　would　have　destroyed　the