《安徒生童话英文版》第310章

　　' sighed I to myself, 'am I also to be a burden on theconscience of this poor woman? Am I then in my old days socompletely changed?' The woman offered me to the rich baker, but heknew the current money too well, and as soon as he received me hethrew me almost in the woman's face. She could get no bread for me,and I felt quite grieved to the heart that I should be cause of somuch trouble to another, and be treated as a cast-off coin. I who,in my young days, felt so joyful in the certainty of my own value, andknew so well that I bore a genuine stamp. I was as sorrowful now asa poor shilling can be when nobody will have him. The woman took mehome again with her, and looking at me very earnestly, she said,'No, I will not try to deceive any one with thee again. I will borea hole through thee, that everyone may know that thou art a falseand worthless thing; and yet, why should I do that? Very likely thouart a lucky shilling. A thought has just struck me that it is so,and I believe it. Yes, I will make a hole in the shilling,' saidshe, 'and run a string through it, and then give it to my neighbor'slittle one to hang round her neck, as a lucky shilling.' So shedrilled a hole through me.

　　"It is really not at all pleasant to have a hole bored throughone, but we can submit to a great deal when it is done with a goodintention. A string was drawn through the hole, and I became a kind ofmedal. They hung me round the neck of a little child, and the childlaughed at me and kissed me, and I rested for one whole night on thewarm, innocent breast of a child.

　　"In the morning the child's mother took me between her fingers,and had certain thoughts about me, which I very soon found out. First,she looked for a pair of scissors, and cut the string.

　　"'Lucky shilling!' said she, 'certainly this is what I mean totry.' Then she laid me in vinegar till I became quite green, and afterthat she filled up the hole with cement, rubbed me a little tobrighten me up, and went out in the twilight hour to the lotterycollector, to buy herself a ticket, with a shilling that shouldbring luck. How everything seemed to cause me trouble. The lotterycollector pressed me so hard that I thought I should crack. I had beencalled false, I had been thrown away,- that I knew; and there weremany shillings and coins with inscriptions and stamps of all kindslying about. I well knew how proud they were, so I avoided them fromvery shame. With the collector were several men who seemed to have agreat deal to do, so I fell unnoticed into a chest, among severalother coins.

　　"Whether the lottery ticket gained a prize, I know not; but this Iknow, that in a very few days after, I was recognized as a badshilling, and laid aside. Everything that happened seemed always toadd to my sorrow. Even if a man has a good character, it is of nouse for him to deny what is said of him, for he is not considered animpartial judge of himself.

　　"A year passed, and in this way I had been changed from hand tohand; always abused, always looked at with displeasure, and trusted byno one; but I trusted in myself, and had no confidence in the world.Yes, that was a very dark time.

　　"At length one day I was passed to a traveller, a foreigner, thevery same who had brought me away from home; and he was simple andtrue-hearted enough to take me for current coin. But would he alsoattempt to pass me? and should I again hear the outcry, 'False!good-for-nothing!' The traveller examined me attentively, 'I took theefor good coin,' said he; then suddenly a smile spread all over hisface. I have never seen such a smile on any other face as on his. 'Nowthis is singular,' said he, 'it is a coin from my own country; a good,true, shilling from home. Some one has bored a hole through it, andpeople have no doubt called it false. How curious that it shouldcome into my hands. I will take it home with me to my own house.'

　　'Joy thrilled through me when I heard this. I had been once morecalled a good, honest shilling, and I was to go back to my own home,where each and all would recognize me, and know that I was made ofgood silver, and bore a true, genuine stamp. I should have been gladin my joy to throw out sparks of fire, but it has never at any timebeen my nature to sparkle. Steel can do so, but not silver. I waswrapped up in fine, white paper, that I might not mix with the othercoins and be lost; and on special occasions, when people from my owncountry happened to be present, I was brought forward and spoken ofvery kindly. They said I was very interesting, and it was really quiteworth while to notice that those who are interesting have often nota single word to say for themselves.

　　"At length I reached home. All my cares were at an end. Joyagain overwhelmed me; for was I not good silver, and had I not agenuine stamp?