a24-第7章

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　He　had　got　tired　of　waiting　down　in　the　courtyard；　and　had　found　his　way　to　the　stairs。

I　saw　it　all；〃　said　the　Moon。　〃The　children　were　very　much
frightened　at　first　at　the　great　shaggy　animal；　each　of　them　crept
into　a　corner；　but　he　found　them　all　out；　and　smelt　at　them；　but　did
them　no　harm。　'This　must　be　a　great　dog；'　they　said；　and　began　to
stroke　him。　He　lay　down　upon　the　ground；　the　youngest　boy　clambered　on　his　back；　and　bending　down　a　little　head　of　golden　curls；　played　at　hiding　in　the　beast's　shaggy　skin。　Presently　the　eldest　boy　took　his　drum；　and　beat　upon　it　till　it　rattled　again；　the　bear　rose　upon　his　hind　legs；　and　began　to　dance。　It　was　a　charming　sight　to　behold。　Each　boy　now　took　his　gun；　and　the　bear　was　obliged　to　have　one　too；　and　he　held　it　up　quite　properly。　Here　was　a　capital　playmate　they　had　found；　and　they　began　marching…　one；　two；　one；　two。
〃Suddenly　some　one　came　to　the　door；　which　opened；　and　the
mother　of　the　children　appeared。　You　should　have　seen　her　in　her
dumb　terror；　with　her　face　as　white　as　chalk；　her　mouth　half　open；　and
her　eyes　fixed　in　a　horrified　stare。　But　the　youngest　boy　nodded　to
her　in　great　glee；　and　called　out　in　his　infantile　prattle；　'We're
playing　at　soldiers。'　And　then　the　bear　leader　came　running　up。〃

THIRTY…FIRST　EVENING
The　wind　blew　stormy　and　cold；　the　clouds　flew　hurriedly　past；
only　for　a　moment　now　and　then　did　the　Moon　become　visible。　He　said；　〃I　looked　down　from　the　silent　sky　upon　the　driving　clouds；　and　saw　the　great　shadows　chasing　each　other　across　the　earth。　I　looked　upon　a　prison。　A　closed　carriage　stood　before　it；　a　prisoner　was　to　be
carried　away。　My　rays　pierced　through　the　grated　window　towards　the　wall；　the　prisoner　was　scratching　a　few　lines　upon　it；　as　a　parting
token；　but　he　did　not　write　words；　but　a　melody；　the　outpouring　of　his
heart。　The　door　was　opened；　and　he　was　led　forth；　and　fixed　his　eyes
upon　my　round　disc。　Clouds　passed　between　us；　as　if　he　were　not　to　see　his　face；　nor　I　his。　He　stepped　into　the　carriage；　the　door　was
closed；　the　whip　cracked；　and　the　horses　gallopped　off　into　the
thick　forest；　whither　my　rays　were　not　able　to　follow　him；　but　as　I
glanced　through　the　grated　window；　my　rays　glided　over　the　notes；
his　last　farewell　engraved　on　the　prison　wall…　where　words　fail；
sounds　can　often　speak。　My　rays　could　only　light　up　isolated　notes；　so　the　greater　part　of　what　was　written　there　will　ever　remain　dark　to
me。　Was　it　the　death…hymn　he　wrote　there？　Were　these　the　glad　notes　of　joy？　Did　he　drive　away　to　meet　death；　or　hasten　to　the　embraces　of　his　beloved？　The　rays　of　the　Moon　do　not　read　all　that　is　written　by
mortals。〃

THIRTY…SECOND　EVENING
〃I　love　the　children；〃　said　the　Moon；　〃especially　the　quite　little
ones…　they　are　so　droll。　Sometimes　I　peep　into　the　room；　between　the
curtain　and　the　window　frame；　when　they　are　not　thinking　of　me。　It
gives　me　pleasure　to　see　them　dressing　and　undressing。　First；　the
little　round　naked　shoulder　comes　creeping　out　of　the　frock；　then
the　arm；　or　I　see　how　the　stocking　is　drawn　off；　and　a　plump　little
white　leg　makes　its　appearance；　and　a　white　little　foot　that　is　fit　to
be　kissed；　and　I　kiss　it　too。

〃But　about　what　I　was　going　to　tell　you。　This　evening　I　looked
through　a　window；　before　which　no　curtain　was　drawn；　for　nobody
lives　opposite。　I　saw　a　whole　troop　of　little　ones；　all　of　one　family；
and　among　them　was　a　little　sister。　She　is　only　four　years　old；　but
can　say　her　prayers　as　well　as　any　of　the　rest。　The　mother　sits　by　her
bed　every　evening；　and　hears　her　say　her　prayers；　and　then　she　has　a
kiss；　and　the　mother　sits　by　the　bed　till　the　little　one　has　gone　to
sleep；　which　generally　happens　as　soon　as　ever　she　can　close　her　eyes。

〃This　evening　the　two　elder　children　were　a　little　boisterous。　One
of　them　hopped　about　on　one　leg　in　his　long　white　nightgown；　and　the
other　stood　on　a　chair　surrounded　by　the　clothes　of　all　the
children；　and　declared　he　was　acting　Grecian　statues。　The　third　and
fourth　laid　the　clean　linen　carefully　in　the　box；　for　that　is　a
thing　that　has　to　be　done；　and　the　mother　sat　by　the　bed　of　the
youngest；　and　announced　to　all　the　rest　that　they　were　to　be　quiet；
for　little　sister　was　going　to　say　her　prayers。

〃I　looked　in；　over　the　lamp；　into　the　little　maiden's　bed；　where
she　lay　under　the　neat　white　coverlet；　her　hands　folded　demurely　and
her　little　face　quite　grave　and　serious。　She　was　praying　the　Lord's
prayer　aloud。　But　her　mother　interrupted　her　in　the　middle　of　her
prayer。　'How　is　it；'　she　asked；　'that　when　you　have　prayed　for　daily
bread；　you　always　add　something　I　cannot　understand？　You　must　tell
me　what　that　is。'　The　little　one　lay　silent；　and　looked　at　her
mother　in　embarrassment。　'What　is　it　you　say　after　our　daily　bread？'
'Dear　mother；　don't　be　angry：　I　only　said；　and　plenty　of　butter　on
it。'〃
THE　END

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Written　By　Anderson