what the moon saw-第9章

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　　　　〃The　air　was　calm；〃　said　the　Moon；　〃the　water　was　transparent　as

the　purest　ether　through　which　I　was　gliding；　and　deep　below　the

surface　I　could　see　the　strange　plants　that　stretched　up　their　long

arms　towards　me　like　the　gigantic　trees　of　the　forest。　The　fishes　swam

to　and　fro　above　their　tops。　High　in　the　air　a　flight　of　wild　swans

were　winging　their　way；　one　of　which　sank　lower　and　lower；　with

wearied　pinions；　his　eyes　following　the　airy　caravan；　that　melted

farther　and　farther　into　the　distance。　With　outspread　wings　he　sank

slowly；　as　a　soap　bubble　sinks　in　the　still　air；　till　he　touched　the

water。　At　length　his　head　lay　back　between　his　wings；　and　silently

he　lay　there；　like　a　white　lotus　flower　upon　the　quiet　lake。　And　a

gentle　wind　arose；　and　crisped　the　quiet　surface；　which　gleamed　like

the　clouds　that　poured　along　in　great　broad　waves；　and　the　swan　raised

his　head；　and　the　glowing　water　splashed　like　blue　fire　over　his

breast　and　back。　The　morning　dawn　illuminated　the　red　clouds；　the　swan

rose　strengthened；　and　flew　towards　the　rising　sun；　towards　the　bluish

coast　whither　the　caravan　had　gone；　but　he　flew　alone；　with　a

longing　in　his　breast。　Lonely　he　flew　over　the　blue　swelling　billows。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TWENTY…EIGHTH　EVENING



　　　　〃I　will　give　you　another　picture　of　Sweden；〃　said　the　Moon。　〃Among

dark　pine　woods；　near　the　melancholy　banks　of　the　Stoxen；　lies　the　old

convent　church　of　Wreta。　My　rays　glided　through　the　grating　into　the

roomy　vaults；　where　kings　sleep　tranquilly　in　great　stone　coffins。

On　the　wall；　above　the　grave　of　each；　is　placed　the　emblem　of

earthly　grandeur；　a　kingly　crown；　but　it　is　made　only　of　wood；　painted

and　gilt；　and　is　hung　on　a　wooden　peg　driven　into　the　wall。　The

worms　have　gnawed　the　gilded　wood；　the　spider　has　spun　her　web　from

the　crown　down　to　the　sand；　like　a　mourning　banner；　frail　and

transient　as　the　grief　of　mortals。　How　quietly　they　sleep！　I　can

remember　them　quite　plainly。　I　still　see　the　bold　smile　on　their　lips；

that　so　strongly　and　plainly　expressed　joy　or　grief。　When　the

steamboat　winds　along　like　a　magic　snail　over　the　lakes；　a　stranger

often　comes　to　the　church；　and　visits　the　burial　vault；　he　asks　the

names　of　the　kings；　and　they　have　a　dead　and　forgotten　sound。　He

glances　with　a　smile　at　the　worm…eaten　crowns；　and　if　he　happens　to　be

a　pious；　thoughtful　man；　something　of　melancholy　mingles　with　the

smile。　Slumber　on；　ye　dead　ones！　The　Moon　thinks　of　you；　the　Moon　at

night　sends　down　his　rays　into　your　silent　kingdom；　over　which　hangs

the　crown　of　pine　wood。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TWENTY…NINTH　EVENING



　　　　〃Close　by　the　high…road；〃　said　the　Moon；　〃is　an　inn；　and

opposite　to　it　is　a　great　waggon…shed；　whose　straw　roof　was　just　being

re…thatched。　I　looked　down　between　the　bare　rafters　and　through　the

open　loft　into　the　comfortless　space　below。　The　turkey…cock　slept　on

the　beam；　and　the　saddle　rested　in　the　empty　crib。　In　the　middle　of

the　shed　stood　a　travelling　carriage；　the　proprietor　was　inside；

fast　asleep；　while　the　horses　were　being　watered。　The　coachman

stretched　himself；　though　I　am　very　sure　that　he　had　been　most

comfortably　asleep　half　the　last　stage。　The　door　of　the　servants'　room

stood　open；　and　the　bed　looked　as　if　it　had　been　turned　over　and　over；

the　candle　stood　on　the　floor；　and　had　burnt　deep　down　into　the

socket。　The　wind　blew　cold　through　the　shed：　it　was　nearer　to　the　dawn

than　to　midnight。　In　the　wooden　frame　on　the　ground　slept　a　wandering

family　of　musicians。　The　father　and　mother　seemed　to　be　dreaming　of

the　burning　liquor　that　remained　in　the　bottle。　The　little　pale

daughter　was　dreaming　too；　for　her　eyes　were　wet　with　tears。　The　harp

stood　at　their　heads；　and　the　dog　lay　stretched　at　their　feet。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THIRTIETH　EVENING



　　　　〃It　was　in　a　little　provincial　town；〃　the　Moon　said；　〃it　certainly

happened　last　year；　but　that　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　matter。　I

saw　it　quite　plainly。　To…day　I　read　about　it　in　the　papers；　but

there　it　was　not　half　so　clearly　expressed。　In　the　taproom　of　the

little　inn　sat　the　bear　leader；　eating　his　supper；　the　bear　was　tied

up　outside；　behind　the　wood　pile…　poor　Bruin；　who　did　nobody　any　harm；

though　he　looked　grim　enough。　Up　in　the　garret　three　little　children

were　playing　by　the　light　of　my　beams；　the　eldest　was　perhaps　six

years　old；　the　youngest　certainly　not　more　than　two。　'Tramp；　tramp'…

somebody　was　coming　upstairs：　who　might　it　be？　The　door　was　thrust

open…　it　was　Bruin；　the　great；　shaggy　Bruin！　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　f