the devoted friend-第2章

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mentioned　it！　　It　is　quite　remarkable　how　one　good　action　always

breeds　another。　　I　have　given　you　my　wheelbarrow；　and　now　you　are

going　to　give　me　your　plank。　　Of　course；　the　wheelbarrow　is　worth

far　more　than　the　plank；　but　true；　friendship　never　notices　things

like　that。　　Pray　get　it　at　once；　and　I　will　set　to　work　at　my　barn

this　very　day。'



〃'Certainly；'　cried　little　Hans；　and　he　ran　into　the　shed　and

dragged　the　plank　out。



〃'It　is　not　a　very　big　plank；'　said　the　Miller；　looking　at　it；　'and

I　am　afraid　that　after　I　have　mended　my　barn…roof　there　won't　be

any　left　for　you　to　mend　the　wheelbarrow　with；　but；　of　course；　that

is　not　my　fault。　　And　now；　as　I　have　given　you　my　wheelbarrow；　I　am

sure　you　would　like　to　give　me　some　flowers　in　return。　　Here　is　the

basket；　and　mind　you　fill　it　quite　full。'



〃'Quite　full？'　said　little　Hans；　rather　sorrowfully；　for　it　was

really　a　very　big　basket；　and　he　knew　that　if　he　filled　it　he　would

have　no　flowers　left　for　the　market　and　he　was　very　anxious　to　get

his　silver　buttons　back。



〃'Well；　really；'　answered　the　Miller；　'as　I　have　given　you　my

wheelbarrow；　I　don't　think　that　it　is　much　to　ask　you　for　a　few

flowers。　　I　may　be　wrong；　but　I　should　have　thought　that

friendship；　true　friendship；　was　quite　free　from　selfishness　of　any

kind。'



〃'My　dear　friend；　my　best　friend；'　cried　little　Hans；　'you　are

welcome　to　all　the　flowers　in　my　garden。　　I　would　much　sooner　have

your　good　opinion　than　my　silver　buttons；　any　day'；　and　he　ran　and

plucked　all　his　pretty　primroses；　and　filled　the　Miller's　basket。



〃'Good…bye；　little　Hans；'　said　the　Miller；　as　he　went　up　the　hill

with　the　plank　on　his　shoulder；　and　the　big　basket　in　his　hand。



〃'Good…bye；'　said　little　Hans；　and　he　began　to　dig　away　quite

merrily；　he　was　so　pleased　about　the　wheelbarrow。



〃The　next　day　he　was　nailing　up　some　honeysuckle　against　the　porch；

when　he　heard　the　Miller's　voice　calling　to　him　from　the　road。　　So

he　jumped　off　the　ladder；　and　ran　down　the　garden；　and　looked　over

the　wall。



〃There　was　the　Miller　with　a　large　sack　of　flour　on　his　back。



〃'Dear　little　Hans；'　said　the　Miller；　'would　you　mind　carrying　this

sack　of　flour　for　me　to　market？'



〃'Oh；　I　am　so　sorry；'　said　Hans；　'but　I　am　really　very　busy　to…day。

I　have　got　all　my　creepers　to　nail　up；　and　all　my　flowers　to　water；

and　all　my　grass　to　roll。'



〃'Well；　really；'　said　the　Miller；　'I　think　that；　considering　that　I

am　going　to　give　you　my　wheelbarrow；　it　is　rather　unfriendly　of　you

to　refuse。'



〃'Oh；　don't　say　that；'　cried　little　Hans；　'I　wouldn't　be　unfriendly

for　the　whole　world'；　and　he　ran　in　for　his　cap；　and　trudged　off

with　the　big　sack　on　his　shoulders。



〃It　was　a　very　hot　day；　and　the　road　was　terribly　dusty；　and　before

Hans　had　reached　the　sixth　milestone　he　was　so　tired　that　he　had　to

sit　down　and　rest。　　However；　he　went　on　bravely；　and　as　last　he

reached　the　market。　　After　he　had　waited　there　some　time；　he　sold

the　sack　of　flour　for　a　very　good　price；　and　then　he　returned　home

at　once；　for　he　was　afraid　that　if　he　stopped　too　late　he　might

meet　some　robbers　on　the　way。



〃'It　has　certainly　been　a　hard　day；'　said　little　Hans　to　himself　as

he　was　going　to　bed；　'but　I　am　glad　I　did　not　refuse　the　Miller；

for　he　is　my　best　friend；　and；　besides；　he　is　going　to　give　me　his

wheelbarrow。'



〃Early　the　next　morning　the　Miller　came　down　to　get　the　money　for

his　sack　of　flour；　but　little　Hans　was　so　tired　that　he　was　still

in　bed。



〃'Upon　my　word；'　said　the　Miller；　'you　are　very　lazy。　　Really；

considering　that　I　am　going　to　give　you　my　wheelbarrow；　I　think　you

might　work　harder。　　Idleness　is　a　great　sin；　and　I　certainly　don't

like　any　of　my　friends　to　be　idle　or　sluggish。　　You　must　not　mind

my　speaking　quite　plainly　to　you。　　Of　course　I　should　not　dream　of

doing　so　if　I　were　not　your　friend。　　But　what　is　the　good　of

friendship　if　one　cannot　say　exactly　what　one　means？　　Anybody　can

say　charming　things　and　try　to　please　and　to　flatter；　but　a　true

friend　always　says　unpleasant　things；　and　does　not　mind　giving

pain。　　Indeed；　if　he　is　a　really　true　friend　he　prefers　it；　for　he

knows　that　then　he　is　doing　good。'



〃'I　am　very　sorry；'　said　little　Hans；　rubbing　his　eyes　and　pulling

off　his　night…cap；　'but　I　was　so　tired　that　I　thought　I　would　lie

in　bed　for　a　little　time；　and　listen　to　the　birds　singing。　　Do　you

know　that　I　always　work　better　after　hearing　the　birds　sing？'



〃'Well；　I　am　glad　of　that；'　said　the　Miller；　clapping　little　Hans

on　the　back；　'for　I　want　you　to　come　up　to　the　mill　as　soon　as　you

are　dressed；　and　mend　my　barn…roof　for　me。'



〃Poor　little　Hans　was　very　anxious　to　go　and　work　in　his　garden；

for　his　flowers　had　not　been　watered　for　two　days；　but　he　did　not

like　to　refuse　the　Miller；　as　he　was　such　a　good　friend　to　him。



〃'Do　you　think　it　would　be　unfriendly　of　me　if　I　said　I　was　busy？'

he　inquired　in　a　shy　and　timid　voice。



〃'Well；　really；'　answered　the　Miller；　'I　do　not　think　it　is　much　to

ask　of　you；　considering　that　I　am　going　to　give　you　my　wheelbarrow；

but　of　course　if　you　refuse　I　will　go　and　do　it　myself。'



〃'Oh！　on　no　account；'　cried　little　Hans　and　he　jumped　out　of　bed；

and　dressed　himself；　and　went　up　to　the　barn。



〃He　worked　there　all　day　long；　till　sunset；　and　at　sunset　the

Miller　came　to　see　how　he　was　getting　on。



〃'Have　you　mended　the　hole　in　the　roof　yet；　little　Hans？'　cried　the

Miller　in　a　cheery　voice。



〃'It　is　quite　mended；'　answered　little　Hans；　coming　down　the

ladder。



〃'Ah'！　said　the　Miller；　'there　is　no　work　so　delightful　as　the　work

one　does　for　others。'



〃'It　is　certainly　a　great　privilege　to　hear　you　talk；'　answered

little　Hans；　sitting　down；　and　wiping　his　forehead；　'a　very　great

privilege。　　But　I　am　afraid　I　shall　never　have　such　beautiful　ideas

as　you　have。'



〃'Oh！　they　will　come　to　you；'　said　the　Miller；　'but　you　must　take

more　pains。　　At　present　you　have　only　the　practice　of　friendship；

some　day　you　will　have　the　theory　also。'



〃'Do　you　really　think　I　shall？'　asked　little　Hans。



〃'I　have　no　doubt　of　it；'　answered　the　Miller；　'but　now　that　you

have　mended　the　roof；　you　had　better　go　home　and　rest；　for　I　want

you　to　drive　my　sheep　to　the　mountain　to…morrow。'



〃Poor　little　Hans　was　afraid　to　say　anything　to　this；　and　early　the

next　morning　the　Miller　brought　his　sheep　round　to　the　cottage；　and

Hans　started　off　with　them　to　the　mountain。　　It　took　him　the　whole

day　to　get　there　and　back；　and　when　he　returned　he　was　so　tired

that　he　went　off　to　sleep　in　his　chair；　and　did　not　wake　up　till　it

was　broad　daylight。



〃'What　a　delightful　time　I　shall　have　in　my　garden；'　he　said；　and

he　went　to　work　at　once。



〃But　somehow　he　was　never　able　to　look　after　his　flowers　at　all；

for　his　friend　the　Miller　was　always　coming　round　and　sending　him

off　on　long　errands；　or　getting　him　to　help　at　the　mill。　　Little

Hans　was　very　much　distressed　at　times；　as　he　was　afraid　his

flowers　would　think　he　had　forgotten　them；　but　he　consoled　himself

by　the　reflection　that　the　Miller　was　his　best　friend。　　'Besides；'

he　used　to　say；　'he　is　going　to　give　me　his　wheelbarrow；　and　that

is　an　act　of　pure　generosity。'



〃So　little　Hans　worked　away　for　the　Miller；　and　the　Miller　said　all

kinds　of　beautiful　things　about　friendship；　which　Hans　took　down　in

a　note…book；　and　used　to　read　over　at　night；　for　he　was　a　very　good

scholar。



〃Now　it　happened　that　one　evening　little　Hans　was　sitting　by　his

fireside　when　a　loud　rap　came　at　the　door。　　It　was　a　very　wild

night；　and　the　wind　was　blowing　and　roaring　round　the　house　so

terribly　that　at　first　he　thought　it　was　merely　the　storm。　　But　a

second　rap　came；　and　then　a　third；　louder　than　any　of　the　others。



〃'It　is　some　poor　traveller；'　said　little　Hans　to　himself；　and　he

ran　to　the　door。



〃There　stood　the　Miller　with　a　lantern　in　one　hand　and　a　big　stick

in　the　other。



〃'Dear　little　Hans；'　cried　the　Miller；　'I　am　in　great　trouble。　　My

little　boy　has　fallen　off　a　ladder　and　hurt　himself；　and　I　am　going

for　the　Doctor。　　But　he　lives　so　far　away；　and　it　is　such　a　bad

night；　that　it　has　just　occurred　to　me　that　it　would　be　much　better

if　you　went　instead　of　me。　　You　know　I　am　going　to　give　you　my

wheelbarrow；　and　so；　it　is　only　fair　that　you　should　do　something

for　me　in　return。'



〃'Certainly；'　cried　little　Hans；　'I　take　it　quite　as　a　compliment

your　coming　to　me；　and　I　will　start　off　at　once。　　But　you　must　lend

me　your　lantern；　as　the　night　is　so　dark　that　I　am　afraid　I　might

fall　into　the　ditch。'



〃'I　am　very　sorry；'　answered　the　Miller；　'but　it　is　my　new　lantern；

and　it　would　be　a　great　loss　to　me　if　anything　happened　to　it。'



〃'Well；　never　mind；　I　will　do　without　it；'　cried　little　Hans；　and

he　took　down　his　great　fur　coat；　and　his　warm　scarlet　cap；　and　tied

a　muffler　round　his　throat；　and　started　off。



〃What　a　dreadful　storm　it　was！　　The　night　was　so　black　that　little

Hans　could　hardly　see；　and　the　wind　was　so　strong　that　he　could

scarcely　stand。　　However；　he　was　very　courageous；　and　after　he　had

been　walking　about　three　hours；　he　arrived　at　the　Doctor's　house；

and　knocked　at　the　door。



〃'Who　is　there？'　cried　the　Doctor；　putting　his　head　out　of　his

bedroom　window。



〃'Little　Hans；　Doctor。'



〃'What　do　you　want；　little　Hans？'



〃'The　Miller's　son　has　fallen　from　a　ladder；　and　has　hurt　himself；

and　the　Miller　wants　you　to　come　at　once。'



〃'All　right！'　said　the　Doctor；　and　he　ordered　his　horse；　and　his

big　boots；　and　his　lantern；　and　came　downstairs；　and　rode　off　in

the　direction　of　the　Miller's　house；　little　Hans　trudging　behind

him。



〃But　the　storm　grew　worse　and　worse；　and　the　rain　fell　in　torrents；

and　little　Hans　could　not　see　where　he　was　going；　or　keep　up　with

the　horse。　　At　last　he　lost　his　way；　and　wandered　off　on　the　moor；

which　was　a　very　dangerous　place；　as　it　was　full　of　deep　holes；　and

there　poor　little　Hans　was　drowned。　　His　body　was　found　the　next

day　by　some　goatherds；　floating　in　a　great　pool　of　water；　and　was

brought　back　by　them　to　the　cottage。



〃Everybody　went　to　little　Hans'　funeral；　as　he　was　so　popular；　and

the　Miller　was　the　chief　mourner。



〃'As　I　was　his　best　friend；'　said　the　Miller；　'it　is　only　fair　that

I　should　have　the　best　place'；　so　he　walked　at　the　head　of　the

procession　in　a　long　black　cloak；　and　every　now　and　then　he　wiped

his　eyes　with　a　big　pocket…handkerchief。



〃'Little　Hans　is　certainly　a　great　loss　to　every　one；'　said　the

Blacksmith；　when　the　funeral　was　over；　and　they　were　all　seated

comfortably　in　the　inn；　drinking　spiced　wine　and　eating　sweet

cakes。



〃'A　great　loss　to　me　at　any　rate；'　answered　the　Miller；　'why；　I　had

as　good　as　given　him　my　wheelbarrow；　and　now　I　really　don't　know

what　to　do　with　it。　　It　i