《安徒生童话英文版》第75章

　　There's so much to put up, and the first scene begins with'Water to the front of the wings.'" That is to say, the water had tocome forward so far. But when, on the other hand, the same interiorscene remained through five acts, he used to pronounce it asensible, well-written play, a resting play, which performed itself,without putting up scenes.

　　In earlier times, by which name our aunt used to designatethirty years ago, she and the before-mentioned Herr Sivertsen had beenyounger. At that time he had already been connected with themachinery, and was, as she said, her benefactor. It used to be thecustom in those days that in the evening performances in the onlytheatre the town possessed, spectators were admitted to the partcalled the "flies," over the stage, and every machinist had one or twoplaces to give away. Often the flies were quite full of goodcompany; it was said that generals' wives and privy councillors' wiveshad been up there. It was quite interesting to look down behind thescenes, and to see how the people walked to and fro on the stagewhen the curtain was down.

　　Our aunt had been there several times, as well when there was atragedy as when there was a ballet; for the pieces in which there werethe greatest number of characters on the stage were the mostinteresting to see from the flies. One sat pretty much in the darkup there, and most people took their supper up with them. Once threeapples and a great piece of bread and butter and sausage fell downright into the dungeon of Ugolino, where that unhappy man was to bestarved to death; and there was great laughter among the audience. Thesausage was one of the weightiest reasons why the worthy managementrefused in future to have any spectators up in the flies.

　　"But I was there seven-and-thirty times," said our aunt, "and Ishall always remember Mr. Sivertsen for that."

　　On the very last evening when the flies were still open to thepublic, the "Judgment of Solomon" was performed, as our auntremembered very well. She had, through the influence of herbenefactor, Herr Sivertsen, procured a free admission for the AgentFabs, although he did not deserve it in the least, for he was alwayscutting his jokes about the theatre and teasing our aunt; but shehad procured him a free admission to the flies, for all that. Hewanted to look at this player-stuff from the other side.

　　"Those were his own words, and they were just like him," saidour aunt.

　　He looked down from above on the 'Judgment of Solomon," and fellasleep over it. One would have thought that he had come from adinner where many toasts had been given. He went to sleep, and waslocked in. And there he sat through the dark night in the flies, andwhen he woke, he told a story, but our aunt would not believe it.

　　"The 'Judgment of Solomon' was over," he said, "and all the peoplehad gone away, up stairs and down stairs; but now the real play began,the after-piece, which was the best of all," said the agent. "Thenlife came into the affair. It was not the 'Judgment of Solomon' thatwas performed; no, a real court of judgment was held upon thestage." And Agent Fabs had the impudence to try and make our auntbelieve all this. That was the thanks she got for having got him aplace in the flies.

　　What did the agent say? Why, it was curious enough to hear, butthere was malice and satire in it.

　　"It looked dark enough up there," said the agent; "but then themagic business began- a great performance, 'The Judgment in theTheatre.' The box-keepers were at their posts, and every spectator hadto show his ghostly pass-book, that it might be decided if he was tobe admitted with hands loose or bound, and with or without a muzzle.Grand people who came too late, when the performance had begun, andyoung people, who could not always watch the time, were tied upoutside, and had list slippers put on their feet, with which they wereallowed to go in before the beginning of the next act, and they hadmuzzles too. And then the 'Judgment on the Stage' began."

　　"All malice, and not a bit of truth in it," said our aunt.

　　The painter, who wanted to get to Paradise, had to go up astaircase which he had himself painted, but which no man couldmount. That was to expiate his sins against perspective. All theplants and buildings, which the property-man had placed, with infinitepains, in countries to which they did not belong, the poor fellowwas obliged to put in their right places before cockcrow, if he wantedto get into Paradise. Let Herr Fabs see how he would get in himself;but what he said of the performers, tragedians and comedians,singers and dancers, that was the most rascally of all. Mr. Fabs,indeed!