《安徒生童话英文版》第57章

　　asked Ida. "It is such a distance!"

　　"Oh yes," said the student 'whenever they like, for they canfly. Have you not seen those beautiful red, white. and yellowbutterflies, that look like flowers? They were flowers once. They haveflown off their stalks into the air, and flap their leaves as ifthey were little wings to make them fly. Then, if they behave well,they obtain permission to fly about during the day, instead of beingobliged to sit still on their stems at home, and so in time theirleaves become real wings. It may be, however, that the flowers inthe Botanical Gardens have never been to the king's palace, and,therefore, they know nothing of the merry doings at night, whichtake place there. I will tell you what to do, and the botanicalprofessor, who lives close by here, will be so surprised. You know himvery well, do you not? Well, next time you go into his garden, youmust tell one of the flowers that there is going to be a grand ball atthe castle, then that flower will tell all the others, and they willfly away to the castle as soon as possible. And when the professorwalks into his garden, there will not be a single flower left. Howhe will wonder what has become of them!"

　　"But how can one flower tell another? Flowers cannot speak?"

　　"No, certainly not," replied the student; "but they can makesigns. Have you not often seen that when the wind blows they nod atone another, and rustle all their green leaves?"

　　"Can the professor understand the signs?" asked Ida.

　　"Yes, to be sure he can. He went one morning into his garden,and saw a stinging nettle making signs with its leaves to abeautiful red carnation. It was saying, 'You are so pretty, I like youvery much.' But the professor did not approve of such nonsense, sohe clapped his hands on the nettle to stop it. Then the leaves,which are its fingers, stung him so sharply that he has never venturedto touch a nettle since."

　　"Oh how funny!" said Ida, and she laughed.

　　"How can anyone put such notions into a child's head?" said atiresome lawyer, who had come to pay a visit, and sat on the sofa.He did not like the student, and would grumble when he saw him cuttingout droll or amusing pictures. Sometimes it would be a man hangingon a gibbet and holding a heart in his hand as if he had been stealinghearts. Sometimes it was an old witch riding through the air on abroom and carrying her husband on her nose. But the lawyer did notlike such jokes, and he would say as he had just said, "How can anyoneput such nonsense into a child's head! what absurd fancies there are!"

　　But to little Ida, all these stories which the student told herabout the flowers, seemed very droll, and she thought over them agreat deal. The flowers did hang their heads, because they had beendancing all night, and were very tired, and most likely they were ill.Then she took them into the room where a number of toys lay on apretty little table, and the whole of the table drawer besides wasfull of beautiful things. Her doll Sophy lay in the doll's bed asleep,and little Ida said to her, "You must really get up Sophy, and becontent to lie in the drawer to-night; the poor flowers are ill, andthey must lie in your bed, then perhaps they will get well again."So she took the doll out, who looked quite cross, and said not asingle word, for she was angry at being turned out of her bed. Idaplaced the flowers in the doll's bed, and drew the quilt over them.Then she told them to lie quite still and be good, while she made sometea for them, so that they might be quite well and able to get upthe next morning. And she drew the curtains close round the littlebed, so that the sun might not shine in their eyes. During the wholeevening she could not help thinking of what the student had toldher. And before she went to bed herself, she was obliged to peepbehind the curtains into the garden where all her mother's beautifulflowers grew, hyacinths and tulips, and many others. Then shewhispered to them quite softly, "I know you are going to a ballto-night." But the flowers appeared as if they did not understand, andnot a leaf moved; still Ida felt quite sure she knew all about it. Shelay awake a long time after she was in bed, thinking how pretty itmust be to see all the beautiful flowers dancing in the king's garden."I wonder if my flowers have really been there," she said toherself, and then she fell asleep. In the night she awoke; she hadbeen dreaming of the flowers and of the student, as well as of thetiresome lawyer who found fault with him. It was quite still inIda's bedroom; the night-lamp burnt on the table, and her father andmother were asleep. "I wonder if my flowers are still lying in Sophy'sbed," she thought to herself; "how much I should like to know." Sheraised herself a little, and glanced at the door of the room where allher flowers and playthings lay; it was partly open, and as shelistened, it seemed as if some one in the room was playing thepiano, but softly and more prettily than she had ever before heard it."Now all the flowers are certainly dancing in there," she thought, "ohhow much I should like to see them," but she did not dare move forfear of disturbing her father and mother. "If they would only comein here," she thought; but they did not come, and the musiccontinued to play so beautifully, and was so pretty, that she couldresist no longer. She crept out of her little bed, went softly tothe door and looked into the room. Oh what a splendid sight therewas to be sure!