the girl who trod on the loaf-第2章

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quite　strange；　and　she　would　gladly　have　wept　herself；　and　it　added　to

her　torment　to　find　she　could　not　do　so。　And　while　she　thus　suffered

in　a　place　where　nothing　changed；　years　passed　away　on　earth；　and

she　heard　her　name　less　frequently　mentioned。　But　one　day　a　sigh

reached　her　ear；　and　the　words；　〃Inge！　Inge！　what　a　grief　thou　hast

been　to　me！　I　said　it　would　be　so。〃　It　was　the　last　sigh　of　her

dying　mother。

　　　　After　this；　Inge　heard　her　kind　mistress　say；　〃Ah；　poor　Inge！

shall　I　ever　see　thee　again？　Perhaps　I　may；　for　we　know　not　what　may

happen　in　the　future。〃　But　Inge　knew　right　well　that　her　mistress

would　never　come　to　that　dreadful　place。

　　　　Time…passed…　a　long　bitter　time…　then　Inge　heard　her　name

pronounced　once　more；　and　saw　what　seemed　two　bright　stars　shining

above　her。　They　were　two　gentle　eyes　closing　on　earth。　Many　years

had　passed　since　the　little　girl　had　lamented　and　wept　about　〃poor

Inge。〃　That　child　was　now　an　old　woman；　whom　God　was　taking　to

Himself。　In　the　last　hour　of　existence　the　events　of　a　whole　life

often　appear　before　us；　and　this　hour　the　old　woman　remembered　how；

when　a　child；　she　had　shed　tears　over　the　story　of　Inge；　and　she

prayed　for　her　now。　As　the　eyes　of　the　old　woman　closed　to　earth；

the　eyes　of　the　soul　opened　upon　the　hidden　things　of　eternity；　and

then　she；　in　whose　last　thoughts　Inge　had　been　so　vividly　present；　saw

how　deeply　the　poor　girl　had　sunk。　She　burst　into　tears　at　the

sight；　and　in　heaven；　as　she　had　done　when　a　little　child　on　earth；

she　wept　and　prayed　for　poor　Inge。　Her　tears　and　her　prayers　echoed

through　the　dark　void　that　surrounded　the　tormented　captive　soul；

and　the　unexpected　mercy　was　obtained　for　it　through　an　angel's　tears。

As　in　thought　Inge　seemed　to　act　over　again　every　sin　she　had

committed　on　earth；　she　trembled；　and　tears　she　had　never　yet　been

able　to　weep　rushed　to　her　eyes。　It　seemed　impossible　that　the　gates

of　mercy　could　ever　be　opened　to　her；　but　while　she　acknowledged

this　in　deep　penitence；　a　beam　of　radiant　light　shot　suddenly　into　the

depths　upon　her。　More　powerful　than　the　sunbeam　that　dissolves　the　man

of　snow　which　the　children　have　raised；　more　quickly　than　the

snowflake　melts　and　becomes　a　drop　of　water　on　the　warm　lips　of　a

child；　was　the　stony　form　of　Inge　changed；　and　as　a　little　bird　she

soared；　with　the　speed　of　lightning；　upward　to　the　world　of　mortals。　A

bird　that　felt　timid　and　shy　to　all　things　around　it；　that　seemed　to

shrink　with　shame　from　meeting　any　living　creature；　and　hurriedly

sought　to　conceal　itself　in　a　dark　corner　of　an　old　ruined　wall；　there

it　sat　cowering　and　unable　to　utter　a　sound；　for　it　was　voiceless。　Yet

how　quickly　the　little　bird　discovered　the　beauty　of　everything　around

it。　The　sweet；　fresh　air；　the　soft　radiance　of　the　moon；　as　its

light　spread　over　the　earth；　the　fragrance　which　exhaled　from　bush　and

tree；　made　it　feel　happy　as　it　sat　there　clothed　in　its　fresh；

bright　plumage。　All　creation　seemed　to　speak　of　beneficence　and

love。　The　bird　wanted　to　give　utterance　to　thoughts　that　stirred　in

his　breast；　as　the　cuckoo　and　the　nightingale　in　the　spring；　but　it

could　not。　Yet　in　heaven　can　be　heard　the　song　of　praise；　even　from

a　worm；　and　the　notes　trembling　in　the　breast　of　the　bird　were　as

audible　to　Heaven　even　as　the　psalms　of　David　before　they　had

fashioned　themselves　into　words　and　song。

　　　　Christmas…time　drew　near；　and　a　peasant　who　dwelt　close　by　the　old

wall　stuck　up　a　pole　with　some　ears　of　corn　fastened　to　the　top；

that　the　birds　of　heaven　might　have　feast；　and　rejoice　in　the　happy；

blessed　time。　And　on　Christmas　morning　the　sun　arose　and　shone　upon

the　ears　of　corn；　which　were　quickly　surrounded　by　a　number　of

twittering　birds。　Then；　from　a　hole　in　the　wall；　gushed　forth　in

song　the　swelling　thoughts　of　the　bird　as　he　issued　from　his　hiding

place　to　perform　his　first　good　deed　on　earth；…　and　in　heaven　it　was

well　known　who　that　bird　was。

　　　　The　winter　was　very　hard；　the　ponds　were　covered　with　ice；　and

there　was　very　little　food　for　either　the　beasts　of　the　field　or　the

birds　of　the　air。　Our　little　bird　flew　away　into　the　public　roads；　and

found　here　and　there；　in　the　ruts　of　the　sledges；　a　grain　of　corn；　and

at　the　halting　places　some　crumbs。　Of　these　he　ate　only　a　few；　but

he　called　around　him　the　other　birds　and　the　hungry　sparrows；　that

they　too　might　have　food。　He　flew　into　the　towns；　and　looked　about；

and　wherever　a　kind　hand　had　strewed　bread　on　the　window…sill　for

the　birds；　he　only　ate　a　single　crumb　himself；　and　gave　all　the　rest

to　the　rest　of　the　other　birds。　In　the　course　of　the　winter　the　bird

had　in　this　way　collected　many　crumbs　and　given　them　to　other　birds；

till　they　equalled　the　weight　of　the　loaf　on　which　Inge　had　trod　to

keep　her　shoes　clean；　and　when　the　last　bread…crumb　had　been　found　and

given；　the　gray　wings　of　the　bird　became　white；　and　spread

themselves　out　for　flight。

　　　　〃See；　yonder　is　a　sea…gull！〃　cried　the　children；　when　they　saw　the

white　bird；　as　it　dived　into　the　sea；　and　rose　again　into　the　clear

sunlight；　white　and　glittering。　But　no　one　could　tell　whither　it

went　then　although　some　declared　it　flew　straight　to　the　sun。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。