the dryad-第3章

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forests；　villages；　villas　appeared…　came　nearer…　vanished！

　　　　The　chestnut　tree　moved　forward；　and　the　Dryad　went　with　it。

Steam…engine　after　steam…engine　rushed　past；　sending　up　into　the　air

vapory　clouds；　that　formed　figures　which　told　of　Paris；　whence　they

came；　and　whither　the　Dryad　was　going。

　　　　Everything　around　knew　it；　and　must　know　whither　she　was　bound。　It

seemed　to　her　as　if　every　tree　she　passed　stretched　out　its　leaves

towards　her；　with　the　prayer…　〃Take　me　with　you！　take　me　with　you！〃

for　every　tree　enclosed　a　longing　Dryad。

　　　　What　changes　during　this　flight！　Houses　seemed　to　be　rising　out　of

the　earth…　more　and　more…　thicker　and　thicker。　The　chimneys　rose

like　flower…pots　ranged　side　by　side；　or　in　rows　one　above　the

other；　on　the　roofs。　Great　inscriptions　in　letters　a　yard　long；　and

figures　in　various　colors；　covering　the　walls　from　cornice　to

basement；　came　brightly　out。

　　　　〃Where　does　Paris　begin；　and　when　shall　I　be　there？〃　asked　the

Dryad。

　　　　The　crowd　of　people　grew；　the　tumult　and　the　bustle　increased；

carriage　followed　upon　carriage；　people　on　foot　and　people　on

horseback　were　mingled　together；　all　around　were　shops　on　shops；　music

and　song；　crying　and　talking。

　　　　The　Dryad；　in　her　tree；　was　now　in　the　midst　of　Paris。　The　great

heavy　wagon　all　at　once　stopped　on　a　little　square　planted　with　trees。

The　high　houses　around　had　all　of　them　balconies　to　the　windows；

from　which　the　inhabitants　looked　down　upon　the　young　fresh　chestnut

tree；　which　was　coming　to　be　planted　here　as　a　substitute　for　the　dead

tree　that　lay　stretched　on　the　ground。

　　　　The　passers…by　stood　still　and　smiled　in　admiration　of　its　pure

vernal　freshness。　The　older　trees；　whose　buds　were　still　closed；

whispered　with　their　waving　branches；　〃Welcome！　welcome！〃　The

fountain；　throwing　its　jet　of　water　high　up　in　the　air；　to　let　it　fall

again　in　the　wide　stone　basin；　told　the　wind　to　sprinkle　the　new…comer

with　pearly　drops；　as　if　it　wished　to　give　him　a　refreshing　draught　to

welcome　him。

　　　　The　Dryad　felt　how　her　tree　was　being　lifted　from　the　wagon　to

be　placed　in　the　spot　where　it　was　to　stand。　The　roots　were　covered

with　earth；　and　fresh　turf　was　laid　on　top。　Blooming　shrubs　and

flowers　in　pots　were　ranged　around；　and　thus　a　little　garden　arose

in　the　square。

　　　　The　tree　that　had　been　killed　by　the　fumes　of　gas；　the　steam　of

kitchens；　and　the　bad　air　of　the　city；　was　put　upon　the　wagon　and

driven　away。　The　passers…by　looked　on。　Children　and　old　men　sat　upon

the　bench；　and　looked　at　the　green　tree。　And　we　who　are　telling　this

story　stood　upon　a　balcony；　and　looked　down　upon　the　green　spring

sight　that　had　been　brought　in　from　the　fresh　country　air；　and　said；

what　the　old　clergyman　would　have　said；　〃Poor　Dryad！〃

　　　　〃I　am　happy！　I　am　happy！〃　the　Dryad　cried；　rejoicing；　〃and　yet　I

cannot　realize；　cannot　describe　what　I　feel。　Everything　is　as　I

fancied　it；　and　yet　as　I　did　not　fancy　it。〃

　　　　The　houses　stood　there；　so　lofty；　so　close！　The　sunlight　shone

on　only　one　of　the　walls；　and　that　one　was　stuck　over　with　bills　and

placards；　before　which　the　people　stood　still；　and　this　made　a　crowd。

　　　　Carriages　rushed　past；　carriages　rolled　past；　light　ones　and　heavy

ones　mingled　together。　Omnibuses；　those　over…crowded　moving　houses；

came　rattling　by；　horsemen　galloped　among　them；　even　carts　and

wagons　asserted　their　rights。

　　　　The　Dryad　asked　herself　if　these　high…grown　houses；　which　stood　so

close　around　her；　would　not　remove　and　take　other　shapes；　like　the

clouds　in　the　sky；　and　draw　aside；　so　that　she　might　cast　a　glance

into　Paris；　and　over　it。　Notre　Dame　must　show　itself；　the　Vendome

Column；　and　the　wondrous　building　which　had　called　and　was　still

calling　so　many　strangers　to　the　city。

　　　　But　the　houses　did　not　stir　from　their　places。　It　was　yet　day　when

the　lamps　were　lit。　The　gas…jets　gleamed　from　the　shops；　and　shone

even　into　the　branches　of　the　trees；　so　that　it　was　like　sunlight　in

summer。　The　stars　above　made　their　appearance；　the　same　to　which　the

Dryad　had　looked　up　in　her　home。　She　thought　she　felt　a　clear　pure

stream　of　air　which　went　forth　from　them。　She　felt　herself　lifted　up

and　strengthened；　and　felt　an　increased　power　of　seeing　through

every　leaf　and　through　every　fibre　of　the　root。　Amid　all　the　noise　and

the　turmoil；　the　colors　and　the　lights；　she　knew　herself　watched　by

mild　eyes。

　　　　From　the　side　streets　sounded　the　merry　notes　of　fiddles　and

wind　instruments。　Up！　to　the　dance；　to　the　dance！　to　jollity　and

pleasure！　that　was　their　invitation。　Such　music　it　was；　that　horses；

carriages；　trees；　and　houses　would　have　danced；　if　they　had　known　how。

The　charm　of　intoxicating　delight　filled　the　bosom　of　the　Dryad。

　　　　〃How　glorious；　how　splendid　it　is！〃　she　cried；　rejoicingly。　〃Now　I

am　in　Paris！〃

　　　　The　next　day　that　dawned；　the　next　night　that　fell；　offered　the

same　spectacle；　similar　bustle；　similar　life；　changing；　indeed；　yet

always　the　same；　and　thus　it　went　on　through　the　sequence　of　days。

　　　　〃Now　I　know　every　tree；　every　flower　on　the　square　here！　I　know

every　house；　every　balcony；　every　shop　in　this　narrow　cut…off

corner；　where　I　am　denied　the　sight　of　this　great　mighty　city。　Where

are　the　arches　of　triumph；　the　Boulevards；　the　wondrous　building　of

the　world？　I　see　nothing　of　all　this。　As　if　shut　up　in　a　cage；　I　stand

among　the　high　houses；　which　I　now　know　by　heart；　with　their

inscriptions；　signs；　and　placards；　all　the　painted　confectionery；　that

is　no　longer　to　my　taste。　Where　are　all　the　things　of　which　I　heard；

for　which　I　longed；　and　for　whose　sake　I　wanted　to　come　hither？　what

have　I　seized；　found；　won？　I　feel　the　same　longing　I　felt　before；　I

feel　that　there　is　a　life　I　should　wish　to　grasp　and　to　experience。

I　must　go　out　into　the　ranks　of　living　men；　and　mingle　among　them。　I

must　fly　about　like　a　bird。　I　must　see　and　feel；　and　become　human

altogether。　I　must　enjoy　the　one　half…day；　instead　of　vegetating　for

years　in　every…day　sameness　and　weariness；　in　which　I　become　ill；

and　at　last　sink　and　disappear　like　the　dew　on　the　meadows。　I　will

gleam　like　the　cloud；　gleam　in　the　sunshine　of　life；　look　out　over　the

whole　like　the　cloud；　and　pass　away　like　it；　no　one　knoweth　whither。〃

　　　　Thus　sighed　the　Dryad；　and　she　prayed：

　　　　〃Take　from　me　the　years　that　were　destined　for　me；　and　give　me　but

half　of　the　life　of　the　ephemeral　fly！　Deliver　me　from　my　prison！　Give

me　human　life；　human　happiness；　only　a　short　span；　only　the　one　night；

if　it　cannot　be　otherwise；　and　then　punish　me　for　my　wish　to　live；

my　longing　for　life！　Strike　me　out　of　thy　list。　Let　my　shell；　the

fresh　young　tree；　wither；　or　be　hewn　down；　and　burnt　to　ashes；　and

scattered　to　all　the　winds！〃

　　　　A　rustling　went　through　the　leaves　of　the　tree；　there　was　a

trembling　in　each　of　the　leaves；　it　seemed　as　if　fire　streamed　through

it。　A　gust　of　wind　shook　its　green　crown；　and　from　the　midst　of　that

crown　a　female　figure　came　forth。　In　the　same　moment　she　was　sitting

beneath　the　brightly…illuminated　leafy　branches；　young　and　beautiful

to　behold；　like　poor　Mary；　to　whom　the　clergyman　had　said；　〃The

great　city　will　be　thy　destruction。〃

　　　　The　Dryad　sat　at　the　foot　of　the　tree…　at　her　house　door；　which

she　had　locked；　and　whose　key　had　thrown　away。　So　young！　so　fair！

The　stars　saw　her；　and　blinked　at　her。　The　gas…lamps　saw　her；　and

gleamed　and　beckoned　to　her。　How　delicate　she　was；　and　yet　how

blooming！…　a　child；　and　yet　a　grown　maiden！　Her　dress　was　fine　as

silk；　green　as　the　freshly…opened　leaves　on　the　crown　of　the　tree；

in　her　nut…brown　hair　clung　a　half…opened　chestnut　blossom。　She　looked

like　the　Goddess　of　Spring。

　　　　For　one　short　minute　she　sat　motionless；　then　she　sprang　up；

and；　light　as　a　gazelle；　she　hurried　away。　She　ran　and　sprang　like　the

reflection　from　the　mirror　that；　carried　by　the　sunshine；　is　cast；　now

here；　now　there。　Could　any　one　have　followed　her　with　his　eyes；　he

would　have　seen　how　marvellously　her　dress　and　her　form　changed；

according　to　the　nature　of　the　house　or　the　place　whose　l