《安徒生童话英文版》第322章

　　tell me about little Kay!" said Gerda, "was he amongstthe crowd?"

　　"Stop a bit, we are just coming to him. It was on the third day,there came marching cheerfully along to the palace a little personage,without horses or carriage, his eyes sparkling like yours; he hadbeautiful long hair, but his clothes were very poor."

　　"That was Kay!" said Gerda joyfully. "Oh, then I have foundhim;" and she clapped her hands.

　　"He had a little knapsack on his back," added the crow.

　　"No, it must have been his sledge," said Gerda; "for he wentaway with it."

　　"It may have been so," said the crow; "I did not look at it veryclosely. But I know from my tame sweetheart that he passed through thepalace gates, saw the guards in their silver uniform, and the servantsin their liveries of gold on the stairs, but he was not in the leastembarrassed. 'It must be very tiresome to stand on the stairs,' hesaid. 'I prefer to go in." The rooms were blazing with light.Councillors and ambassadors walked about with bare feet, carryinggolden vessels; it was enough to make any one feel serious. Hisboots creaked loudly as he walked, and yet he was not at all uneasy."

　　"It must be Kay," said Gerda, "I know he had new boots on, Ihave heard them creak in grandmother's room."

　　"They really did creak," said the crow, "yet he went boldly upto the princess herself, who was sitting on a pearl as large as aspinning wheel, and all the ladies of the court were present withtheir maids, and all the cavaliers with their servants; and each ofthe maids had another maid to wait upon her, and the cavaliers'servants had their own servants, as well as a page each. They allstood in circles round the princess, and the nearer they stood tothe door, the prouder they looked. The servants' pages, who alwayswore slippers, could hardly be looked at, they held themselves up soproudly by the door."

　　"It must be quite awful," said little Gerda, "but did Kay winthe princess?"

　　"If I had not been a crow," said he, "I would have married hermyself, although I am engaged. He spoke just as well as I do, when Ispeak the crows' language, so I heard from my tame sweetheart. Hewas quite free and agreeable and said he had not come to woo theprincess, but to hear her wisdom; and he was as pleased with her asshe was with him."

　　"Oh, certainly that was Kay," said Gerda, "he was so clever; hecould work mental arithmetic and fractions. Oh, will you take me tothe palace?"

　　"It is very easy to ask that," replied the crow, "but how are weto manage it? However, I will speak about it to my tame sweetheart,and ask her advice; for I must tell you it will be very difficult togain permission for a little girl like you to enter the palace."

　　"Oh, yes; but I shall gain permission easily," said Gerda, "forwhen Kay hears that I am here, he will come out and fetch me inimmediately."

　　"Wait for me here by the palings," said the crow, wagging his headas he flew away.

　　It was late in the evening before the crow returned. "Caw, caw,"he said, she sends you greeting, and here is a little roll which shetook from the kitchen for you; there is plenty of bread there, and shethinks you must be hungry. It is not possible for you to enter thepalace by the front entrance. The guards in silver uniform and theservants in gold livery would not allow it. But do not cry, we willmanage to get you in; my sweetheart knows a little back-staircase thatleads to the sleeping apartments, and she knows where to find thekey."

　　Then they went into the garden through the great avenue, where theleaves were falling one after another, and they could see the light inthe palace being put out in the same manner. And the crow led littleGerda to the back door, which stood ajar. Oh!