ib and little christina-第2章

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door…post；　and　then　shut　the　door　so　that　the　nut　cracked　directly。

But　there　was　not　much　kernel　to　be　seen；　it　was　what　we　should　call

hollow　or　worm…eaten；　and　looked　as　if　it　had　been　filled　with　tobacco

or　rich　black　earth。　〃It　is　just　what　I　expected！〃　exclaimed　Ib。

〃How　should　there　be　room　in　a　little　nut　like　this　for　the　best　thing

of　all？　Christina　will　find　her　two　nuts　just　the　same；　there　will

be　neither　fine　clothes　or　a　golden　carriage　in　them。〃

　　　　Winter　came；　and　the　new　year；　and　indeed　many　years　passed

away；　until　Ib　was　old　enough　to　be　confirmed；　and；　therefore；　he　went

during　a　whole　winter　to　the　clergyman　of　the　nearest　village　to　be

prepared。

　　　　One　day；　about　this　time；　the　boatman　paid　a　visit　to　Ib's

parents；　and　told　them　that　Christina　was　going　to　service；　and　that

she　had　been　remarkably　fortunate　in　obtaining　a　good　place；　with　most

respectable　people。　〃Only　think；〃　he　said；　〃She　is　going　to　the　rich

innkeeper's；　at　the　hotel　in　Herning；　many　miles　west　from　here。　She

is　to　assist　the　landlady　in　the　housekeeping；　and；　if　afterwards

she　behaves　well　and　remains　to　be　confirmed；　the　people　will　treat

her　as　their　own　daughter。〃

　　　　So　Ib　and　Christina　took　leave　of　each　other。　People　already

called　them　〃the　betrothed；〃　and　at　parting　the　girl　showed　Ib　the　two

nuts；　which　she　had　taken　care　of　ever　since　the　time　that　they　lost

themselves　in　the　wood；　and　she　told　him　also　that　the　little　wooden

shoes　he　once　carved　for　her　when　he　was　a　boy；　and　gave　her　as　a

present；　had　been　carefully　kept　in　a　drawer　ever　since。　And　so　they

parted。

　　　　After　Ib's　confirmation；　he　remained　at　home　with　his　mother；

for　he　had　become　a　clever　shoemaker；　and　in　summer　managed　the　farm

for　her　quite　alone。　His　father　had　been　dead　some　time；　and　his

mother　kept　no　farm　servants。　Sometimes；　but　very　seldom；　he　heard

of　Christina；　through　a　postillion　or　eel…seller　who　was　passing。

But　she　was　well　off　with　the　rich　innkeeper；　and　after　being

confirmed　she　wrote　a　letter　to　her　father；　in　which　was　a　kind

message　to　Ib　and　his　mother。　In　this　letter；　she　mentioned　that　her

master　and　mistress　had　made　her　a　present　of　a　beautiful　new　dress；

and　some　nice　under…clothes。　This　was；　of　course；　pleasant　news。

　　　　One　day；　in　the　following　spring；　there　came　a　knock　at　the　door

of　the　house　where　Ib's　old　mother　lived；　and　when　they　opened　it；

lo　and　behold；　in　stepped　the　boatman　and　Christina。　She　had　come　to

pay　them　a　visit；　and　to　spend　the　day。　A　carriage　had　to　come　from

the　Herning　hotel　to　the　next　village；　and　she　had　taken　the

opportunity　to　see　her　friends　once　more。　She　looked　as　elegant　as　a

real　lady；　and　wore　a　pretty　dress；　beautifully　made　on　purpose　for

her。　There　she　stood；　in　full　dress；　while　Ib　wore　only　his　working

clothes。　He　could　not　utter　a　word；　he　could　only　seize　her　hand　and

hold　it　fast　in　his　own；　but　he　felt　too　happy　and　glad　to　open　his

lips。　Christina；　however；　was　quite　at　her　ease；　she　talked　and

talked；　and　kissed　him　in　the　most　friendly　manner。　Even　afterwards；

when　they　were　left　alone；　and　she　asked；　〃Did　you　know　me　again；　Ib？〃

he　still　stood　holding　her　hand；　and　said　at　last；　〃You　are　become

quite　a　grand　lady；　Christina；　and　I　am　only　a　rough　working　man；

but　I　have　often　thought　of　you　and　of　old　times。〃　Then　they

wandered　up　the　great　ridge；　and　looked　across　the　stream　to　the

heath；　where　the　little　hills　were　covered　with　the　flowering　broom。

Ib　said　nothing；　but　before　the　time　came　for　them　to　part；　it

became　quite　clear　to　him　that　Christina　must　be　his　wife：　had　they

not　even　in　childhood　been　called　the　betrothed？　To　him　it　seemed　as

if　they　were　really　engaged　to　each　other；　although　not　a　word　had

been　spoken　on　the　subject。　They　had　only　a　few　more　hours　to　remain

together；　for　Christina　was　obliged　to　return　that　evening　to　the

neighboring　village；　to　be　ready　for　the　carriage　which　was　to　start

the　next　morning　early　for　Herning。　Ib　and　her　father　accompanied

her　to　the　village。　It　was　a　fine　moonlight　evening；　and　when　they

arrived；　Ib　stood　holding　Christina's　hand　in　his；　as　if　he　could

not　let　her　go。　His　eyes　brightened；　and　the　words　he　uttered　came

with　hesitation　from　his　lips；　but　from　the　deepest　recesses　of　his

heart：　〃Christina；　if　you　have　not　become　too　grand；　and　if　you　can　be

contented　to　live　in　my　mother's　house　as　my　wife；　we　will　be

married　some　day。　But　we　can　wait　for　a　while。〃

　　　　〃Oh　yes；〃　she　replied；　〃Let　us　wait　a　little　longer；　Ib。　I　can

trust　you；　for　I　believe　that　I　do　love　you。　But　let　me　think　it

over。〃　Then　he　kissed　her　lips；　and　so　they　parted。

　　　　On　the　way　home；　Ib　told　the　boatman　that　he　and　Christina　were　as

good　as　engaged　to　each　other；　and　the　boatman　found　out　that　he　had

always　expected　it　would　be　so；　and　went　home　with　Ib　that　evening；

and　remained　the　night　in　the　farmhouse；　but　nothing　further　was

said　of　the　engagement。　During　the　next　year；　two　letters　passed

between　Ib　and　Christina。　They　were　signed；　〃Faithful　till　death；〃　but

at　the　end　of　that　time；　one　day　the　boatman　came　over　to　see　Ib；　with

a　kind　greeting　from　Christina。　He　had　something　else　to　say；　which

made　him　hesitate　in　a　strange　manner。　At　last　it　came　out　that

Christina；　who　had　grown　a　very　pretty　girl；　was　more　lucky　than　ever。

She　was　courted　and　admired　by　every　one；　but　her　master's　son；　who

had　been　home　on　a　visit；　was　so　much　pleased　with　Christina　that　he

wished　to　marry　her。　He　had　a　very　good　situation　in　an　office　at

Copenhagen；　and　as　she　had　also　taken　a　liking　for　him；　his　parents

were　not　unwilling　to　consent。　But　Christina；　in　her　heart；　often

thought　of　Ib；　and　knew　how　much　he　thought　of　her；　so　she　felt

inclined　to　refuse　this　good　fortune；　added　the　boatman。　At　first　Ib

said　not　a　word；　but　he　became　as　white　as　the　wall；　and　shook　his

head　gently；　and　then　he　spoke；…　〃Christina　must　not　refuse　this

good　fortune。〃

　　　　〃Then　will　you　write　a　few　words　to　her？〃　said　the　boatman。

　　　　Ib　sat　down　to　write；　but　he　could　not　get　on　at　all。　The　words

were　not　what　he　wished　to　say；　so　he　tore　up　the　page。　The

following　morning；　however；　a　letter　lay　ready　to　be　sent　to

Christina；　and　the　following　is　what　he　wrote：…

　　　　〃The　letter　written　by　you　to　your　father　I　have　read；　and　see

from　it　that　you　are　prosperous　in　everything；　and　that　still　better

fortune　is　in　store　for　you。　Ask　your　own　heart；　Christina；　and

think　over　carefully　what　awaits　you　if　you　take　me　for　your

husband；　for　I　possess　very　little　in　the　world。　Do　not　think　of　me　or

of　my　position；　think　only　of　your　own　welfare。　You　are　bound　to　me　by

no　promises；　and　if　in　your　heart　you　have　given　me　one；　I　release　you

from　it。　May　every　blessing　and　happiness　be　poured　out　upon　you；

Christina。　Heaven　will　give　me　the　heart's　consolation。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ever　your　sincere　friend；　IB。〃



　　　　This　letter　was　sent；　and　Christina　received　it　in　due　time。　In

the　course　of　the　following　November；　her　banns　were　published　in

the　church　on　the　heath；　and　also　in　Copenhagen；　where　the

bridegroom　lived。　She　was　taken　to　Copenhagen　under　the　protection

of　her　future　mother…in…law；　because　the　bridegroom　could　not　spare

time　from　his　numerous　occupations　for　a　journey　so　far　into

Jutland。　On　the　journey；　Christina　met　her　father　at　one　of　the

villages　through　which　they　passed；　and　here　he　took　leave　of　her。

Very　little　was　said　about　the　matter　to　Ib；　and　he　did　not　refer　to

it；　his　mother；　however；　noticed　that　he　had　grown　very　silent　and

pensive。　Thinking　as　he　did　of　old　times；　no　wonder　the　three　nuts

came　into　his　mind　which　the　gypsy　woman　had　given　him　when　a　child；

and　of　the　two　which　he　had　given　to　Christina。　These　wishing　nuts；

after　all；　had　proved　true　fortune…tellers。　One　had　contained　a　gilded

carriage　and　noble　horses；　and　the　other　beautiful　clothes；　all　of

these　Christina　would　now　have　in　her　new　home　at　Copenhagen。　Her　part

had　come　true。　And　for　him　the　nut　had　contained　only　black　earth。　The

gypsy　woman　had　said　it　was　the　best　for　him。　Perhaps　it　was；　and　this

also　would　be　fulfilled。　He　understood　the　gypsy　woman's　meaning

now。　The　black　earth…　the　dark　grave…　was　the　best　thing　for　him　now。

　　　　Again　years　passed　away；　not　many；　but　they　seemed　long　years　to

Ib。　The　old　innkeeper　and　his　wife　died　one　after　the　other；　and　the

whole　of　their　property；　many　thousand　dollars；　was　inherited　by　their

son。　Christina　could　have　the　golden　carriage　now；　and　plenty　of

fine　clothes。　During　the　two　long　years　which　followed；　no　letter　came

from　Christina　to　her　father；　and　when　at　last　her　father　received　one

from　her；　it　did　not　speak　of　prosperity　or　happiness。　Poor　Christina！

Neither　she　nor　her　husband　understood　how　to　economize　or　save；　and

the　riches　brought　no　blessing　with　them；　because　they　had　not　asked

for　it。

　　　　Years　passed；　and　for　many　summers　the　heath　was　covered　with

bloom；　in　winter　the　snow　rested　upon　it；　and　the　rough　winds　blew

across　the　ridge　under　which　stood　Ib's　sheltered　home。　One　spring　day

the　sun　shone　brightly；　and　he　was　guiding　the　plough　across　his

field。　The　ploughshare　struck　against　something　which　he　fancied　was　a

firestone；　and　then　he　saw　glittering　in　the　earth　a　splinter　of

shining　metal　which　the　plough　had　cut　from　something　which　gleamed

brightly　in　the　furrow。　He　searched；　and　found　a　large　golden　armlet

of　superior　workmanship；　and　it　was　evident　that　the　plough　had

disturbed　a　Hun's　grave。　He　searched　further；　and　found　more

valuable　treasures；　which　Ib　showed　to　the　clergyman；　who　explained

their　value　to　him。　Then　he　went　to　the　magistrate；　who　informed　the

president　of　the　museum　of　the　discovery；　and　advised　Ib　to　take　the

treasures　himself　to　the　president。

　　　　〃You　have　found　in　the　earth　the　best　thing　you　could　find；〃

said　the　magistrate。

　　　　〃The　best　thing；〃　thought　Ib；　〃the　very　best　thing　for　me；…　and

found　in　the　earth！　Well；　if　it　really　is　so；　then　the　gypsy　woman　was

right　in　her　prophecy。〃

　　　　So　Ib　went　in　the　ferry…boat　from　Aarhus　to　Copenhagen。　To　him　who

had　only　sailed　once　or　twice　on　the　river　near　his　own　home；　this

seemed　like　a　voyage　on　the　ocean；　and　at　length　he　arrived　at

Copenhagen。　The　value　of　the　gold　he　had　found　was　paid　to　him；　it　was

a　large　sum…　six　hundred　dollars。　Then　Ib　of　the　heath　went　out；　and

wandered　about　in　the　great　city。

　　　　On　the　evening　before　the　day　he　had　settled　to　return　with　the

captain　of　the　passage…boat；　Ib　lost　himself　in　the　streets；　and

took　quite　a　different　turning　to　the　one　he　wished　to　follow。　He

wandered　on　till　he　found　himself　in　a　poor　street　of　the　suburb

called　Christian's　Haven。　Not　a　creature　could　be　seen。　At　last　a　very

little　girl　came　out　of　one　of　the　wretched…looking　houses；　and　Ib

asked　her　to　tell　him　the　way　to　the　street　he　wanted；　she　looked　up

timidly　at　him；　and　began　to　cry　bitterly。　He　asked　her　what　was　the

matter；　but　what　she　said　he　could　not　understand。　So　he　went　a