按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
。 Hesaw but half the world around him； the other half he carried withhim in his inward thoughts； and this is the condition in which he leftNuremberg。 Not till he caught sight of the lofty mountains did theworld appear more free to him； his thoughts were attracted to outerobjects； and tears came into his eyes。 The Alps appeared to him likethe wings of earth folded together； unfolded； they would display thevariegated pictures of dark woods； foaming waters； spreading clouds；and masses of snow。 〃At the last day；〃 thought he； 〃the earth willunfold its great wings； and soar upwards to the skies； there toburst like a soap…bubble in the radiant glance of the Deity。 Oh；〃sighed he； 〃that the last day were e！〃
Silently he wandered on through the country of the Alps； whichseemed to him like a fruit garden； covered with soft turf。 From thewooden balconies of the houses the young lacemakers nodded as hepassed。 The summits of the mountains glowed in the red evening sunset；and the green lakes beneath the dark trees reflected the glow。 Then hethought of the sea coast by the bay Kjoge； with a longing in his heartthat was； however； without pain。 There； where the Rhine rolls onwardlike a great billow； and dissolves itself into snowflakes； whereglistening clouds are ever changing as if here was the place oftheir creation； while the rainbow flutters about them like amany…colored ribbon； there did Knud think of the water…mill atKjoge； with its rushing； foaming waters。 Gladly would he have remainedin the quiet Rhenish town； but there were too many elders andwillow…trees。
So he travelled onwards； over a grand； lofty chain of mountains；over rugged；… rocky precipices； and along roads that hung on themountain's side like a swallow's nest。 The waters foamed in the depthsbelow him。 The clouds lay beneath him。 He wandered on； treading uponAlpine roses； thistles； and snow； with the summer sun shining uponhim； till at length he bid farewell to the lands of the north。 Then hepassed on under the shade of blooming chestnut…trees； throughvineyards； and fields of Indian corn； till conscious that themountains were as a wall between him and his early recollections；and he wished it to be so。
Before him lay a large and splendid city； called Milan； and herehe found a German master who engaged him as a workman。 The masterand his wife； in whose workshop he was employed； were an old； piouscouple； and the two old people became quite fond of the quietjourneyman； who spoke but little； but worked more； and led a pious；Christian life； and even to himself it seemed as if God had removedthe heavy burden from his heart。 His greatest pleasure was to climb；now and then； to the roof of the noble church； which was built ofwhite marble。 The pointed towers； the decorated and open cloisters；the stately columns； the white statues which smiled upon him fromevery corner and porch and arch；… all； even the church itself；seemed to him to have been formed from the snow of his native land。Above him was the blue sky； below him； the city and the wide…spreadingplains of Lombardy； and towards the north； the lofty mountains；covered with perpetual snow。 And then he thought of the church ofKjoge； with its red； ivy…clad walls； but he had no longing to gothere； here； beyond the mountains； he would die and be buried。
Three years had passed away since he left his home； one year ofthat time he had dwelt at Milan。
One day his master took him into the town； not to the circus inwhich riders performed； but to the opera； a large building； itself asight well worth seeing。 The seven tiers of boxes； which reachedfrom the ground to a dizzy height； near the ceiling； were hung withrich； silken curtains； and in them were seated elegantly…dressedladies； with bouquets of flowers in their hands。 The gentlemen werealso in full dress； and many of them wore decorations of gold andsilver。 The place was so brilliantly lighted that it seemed likesunshine； and glorious music rolled through the building。 Everythinglooked more beautiful than in the theatre at Copenhagen； but thenJoanna had been there； and… could it be？ Yes… it was like magic；…she was here also： for； when the curtain rose； there stood Joanna；dressed in silk and gold； and with a golden crown upon her head。 Shesang； he thought； as only an angel could sing； and then she steppedforward to the front and smiled； as only Joanna could smile； andlooked directly at Knud。 Poor Knud！ he seized his master's hand； andcried out loud； 〃Joanna；〃 but no one heard him； excepting hismaster； for the music sounded above everything。
〃Yes； yes； it is Joanna；〃 said his master； and he drew forth aprinted bill； and pointed to her name； which was there in full。 Thenit was not a dream。 All the audience applauded her； and threwwreaths of flowers at her； and every time she went away they calledfor her again； so that she was always ing and going。 In thestreet the people crowded round her carriage； and drew it awaythemselves without the horses。 Knud was in the foremost row； andshouted as joyously as the rest； and when the carriage stoppedbefore a brilliantly lighted house； Knud placed himself close to thedoor of her carriage。 It flew open； and she stepped out； the lightfell upon her dear face； and he could see that she smiled as shethanked them； and appeared quite overe。 Knud looked straight in herface； and she looked at him； but she did not recognize him。 A man；with a glittering star on his breast； gave her his arm； and peoplesaid the two were engaged to be married。 Then Knud went home andpacked up his knapsack； he felt he must return to the home of hischildhood； to the elder…tree and the willow。 〃Ah； under thatwillow…tree！〃 A man may live a whole life in one single hour。
The old couple begged him to remain； but words were useless。 Invain they reminded him that winter was ing； and that the snow hadalready fallen on the mountains。 He said he could easily follow thetrack of the closely…moving carriages； for which a path must be keptclear； and with nothing but his knapsack on his back； and leaning onhis stick； he could step along briskly。 So he turned his steps tothe mountains； ascended one side and descended the other； stillgoing northward till his strength began to fail； and not a house orvillage could be seen。 The stars shone in the sky above him； anddown in the valley lights glittered like stars； as if another sky werebeneath him； but his head was dizzy and his feet stumbled； and he feltill。 The lights in the valley grew brighter and brighter； and morenumerous； and he could see them moving to and fro； and then heunderstood that there must be a village in the distance； so he exertedhis failing strength to reach it； and at length obtained shelter ina humble lodging。 He remained there that night and the whole of thefollowing day； for his body required rest and refreshment； and inthe valley there was rain and a thaw。 But early in the morning ofthe third day； a man came with an organ and played one of the melodiesof home； and after that Knud could remain there no longer； so hestarted again on his journey toward the north。 He travelled for manydays with hasty steps； as if he were trying to reach home before allwhom he remembered should die； but he spoke to no one of this longing。No one would have believed or understood this sorrow of his heart； thedeepest that can be felt by human nature。 Such grief is not for theworld； it is not entertaining even to friends； and poor Knud had nofriends； he was a stranger； wandering through strange lands to hishome in the north。
He was walking one evening through the public roads； the countryaround him was flatter； with fields and meadows； the air had afrosty feeling。 A willow…tree grew by the roadside； everythingreminded him of home。 He felt very tired； so he sat down under thetree； and very soon began to nod； then his eyes closed in sleep。 Yetstill he seemed conscious that the willow…tree was stretching itsbranches over him； in his dreaming state the tree appeared like astrong； old man… the 〃willow…father〃 himself； who had taken histired son up in his arms to carry him back to the land of home； to thegarden of his childhood； on the bleak open shores of Kjoge。 And thenhe dreamed that it was really the willow…tree itself from Kjoge； whichhad travelled