《安徒生童话英文版》第252章

　　Forsaken andforgotten, in a garden by a hedge in a field, and close to a publicroad. There it stands, unsheltered, plundered, and broken. Itcertainly has not yet withered; but in the course of years thenumber of blossoms from time to time will grow less, and at last itwas cease altogether to bear fruit; and then its history will beover."

　　Such were Anthony's thoughts as he stood under the tree, andduring many a long night as he lay in his lonely chamber in the woodenhouse in Hauschen Street, Copenhagen, in the foreign land to which therich merchant of Bremen, his employer, had sent him on conditionthat he should never marry. "Marry! ha, ha!" and he laughed bitterlyto himself at the thought.

　　Winter one year set in early, and it was freezing hard. Without, asnowstorm made every one remain at home who could do so. Thus ithappened that Anthony's neighbors, who lived opposite to him, didnot notice that his house remained unopened for two days, and thathe had not showed himself during that time, for who would go out insuch weather unless he were obliged to do so. They were gray, gloomydays, and in the house whose windows were not glass, twilight and darknights reigned in turns. During these two days old Anthony had notleft his bed, he had not the strength to do so. The bitter weather hadfor some time affected his limbs. There lay the old bachelor, forsakenby all, and unable to help himself. He could scarcely reach thewater jug that he had placed by his bed, and the last drop was gone.It was not fever, nor sickness, but old age, that had laid him low. Inthe little corner, where his bed lay, he was over-shadowed as itwere by perpetual night. A little spider, which he could however notsee, busily and cheerfully spun its web above him, so that thereshould be a kind of little banner waving over the old man, when hiseyes closed. The time passed slowly and painfully. He had no tearsto shed, and he felt no pain; no thought of Molly came into hismind. He felt as if the world was now nothing to him, as if he werelying beyond it, with no one to think of him. Now and then he feltslight sensations of hunger and thirst; but no one came to him, no onetended him. He thought of all those who had once suffered fromstarvation, of Saint Elizabeth, who once wandered on the earth, thesaint of his home and his childhood, the noble Duchess of Thuringia,that highly esteemed lady who visited the poorest villages, bringinghope and relief to the sick inmates. The recollection of her piousdeeds was as light to the soul of poor Anthony. He thought of her asshe went about speaking words of comfort, binding up the wounds of theafflicted and feeding the hungry, although often blamed for it byher stern husband. He remembered a story told of her, that on oneoccasion, when she was carrying a basket full of wine andprovisions, her husband, who had watched her footsteps, steppedforward and asked her angrily what she carried in her basket,whereupon, with fear and trembling, she answered, "Roses, which I haveplucked from the garden." Then he tore away the cloth which coveredthe basket, and what could equal the surprise of the pious woman, tofind that by a miracle, everything in her basket- the wine, the bread-had all been changed into roses.

　　In this way the memory of the kind lady dwelt in the calm mindof Anthony. She was as a living reality in his little dwelling inthe Danish land. He uncovered his face that he might look into hergentle eyes, while everything around him changed from its look ofpoverty and want, to a bright rose tint. The fragrance of roses spreadthrough the room, mingled with the sweet smell of apples. He saw thebranches of an apple-tree spreading above him. It was the tree whichhe and Molly had planted together. The fragrant leaves of the treefell upon him and cooled his burning brow; upon his parched lipsthey seemed like refreshing bread and wine; and as they rested onhis breast, a peaceful calm stole over him, and he felt inclined tosleep. "I shall sleep now," he whispered to himself. "Sleep will do megood. In the morning I shall be upon my feet again, strong and well.Glorious!