a17-第3部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


present　that's　of　no　use　to　me…　a　travelling　druggist's　shop…　a
whole　cupboard…full　of　poetry　in　bottles。　Grandmother　told　me　where
the　cupboard　was　to　be　placed；　and　there　it's　standing　still。　Just
look！　You've　your　seven　four…leaved　shamrocks　in　your　pocket；　one　of　which　is　a　six…leaved　one；　and　so　you　will　be　able　to　see　it。〃

And　really　in　the　midst　of　the　moor　lay　something　like　a　great
knotted　block　of　alder；　and　that　was　the　old　grandmother's　cupboard。
The　Moor…woman　said　that　this　was　always　open　to　her　and　to　every
one　in　the　land；　if　they　only　knew　where　the　cupboard　stood。　It
could　be　opened　either　at　the　front　or　at　the　back；　and　at　every
side　and　corner…　a　perfect　work　of　art；　and　yet　only　an　old　alder
stump　in　appearance。　The　poets　of　all　lands；　and　especially　those　of
our　own　country；　had　been　arranged　here；　the　spirit　of　them　had　been
extracted；　refined；　criticised　and　renovated；　and　then　stored　up　in
bottles。　With　what　may　be　called　great　aptitude；　if　it　was　not
genius　the　grandmother　had　taken　as　it　were　the　flavor　of　this　and
of　that　poet；　and　had　added　a　little　devilry；　and　then　corked　up　the
bottles　for　use　during　all　future　times。

〃Pray　let　me　see；〃　said　the　man。

〃Yes；　but　there　are　more　important　things　to　hear；〃　replied　the
Moor…woman。

〃But　now　we　are　at　the　cupboard！〃　said　the　man。　And　he　looked
in。　〃Here　are　bottles　of　all　sizes。　What　is　in　this　one？　and　what　in
that　one　yonder？〃

〃Here　is　what　they　call　may…balm；〃　replied　the　woman。　〃I　have
not　tried　it　myself。　But　I　have　not　yet　told　you　the　'more
important'　thing　you　were　to　hear。　THE　WILL…O'…THE…WISP'S　IN　THE　TOWN！

That's　of　much　more　consequence　than　poetry　and　stories。　I　ought；
indeed；　to　hold　my　tongue；　but　there　must　be　a　necessity…　a　fate…　a
something　that　sticks　in　my　throat；　and　that　wants　to　come　out。　Take
care；　you　mortals！〃

〃I　don't　understand　a　word　of　all　this！〃　cried　the　man。
〃Be　kind　enough　to　seat　yourself　on　that　cupboard；〃　she
retorted；　〃but　take　care　you　don't　fall　through　and　break　the　bottles…
you　know　what's　inside　of　them。　I　must　tell　of　the　great　event。　It
occurred　no　longer　ago　than　the　day　before　yesterday。　It　did　not
happen　earlier。　It　has　now　three　hundred　and　sixty…three　days　to　run
about。　I　suppose　you　know　how　many　days　there　are　in　a　year？〃
And　this　is　what　the　Moor…woman　told：

〃There　was　a　great　commotion　yesterday　out　here　in　the　marsh！
There　was　a　christening　feast！　A　little　Will…o'…the…Wisp　was　born
here…　in　fact；　twelve　of　them　were　born　all　together；　and　they　have
permission；　if　they　choose　to　use　it；　to　go　abroad　among　men；　and　to
move　about　and　command　among　them；　just　as　if　they　were　born
mortals。　That　was　a　great　event　in　the　marsh；　and　accordingly　all
the　Will…o'…the…Wisps；　male　and　female；　went　dancing　like　little
lights　across　the　moor。　There　are　some　of　them　of　the　dog　species；　but　those　are　not　worth　mentioning。　I　sat　there　on　the　cupboard；　and　had　all　the　twelve　little　new…born　Will…o'…the…Wisps　upon　my　lap。　
They　shone　like　glow…worms；　they　already　began　to　hop；　and　increased　in　size　every　moment；　so　that　before　a　quarter　of　an　hour　had　elapsed；　each　of　them　looked　just　as　large　as　his　father　or　his　uncle。　Now；　it's　an　old…established　regulation　and　favor；　that　when　the　moon　stands　just　as　it　did　yesterday；　and　the　wind　blows　just　as　it　blew　then；　it　is　allowed　and　accorded　to　all　Will…o'…the…Wisps…　that　is；　to　all　those　who　are　born　at　that　minute　of　time…　to　become　mortals；
and　individually　to　exert　their　power　for　the　space　of　one　year。

〃The　Will…o'…the…Wisp　may　run　about　in　the　country　and　through　the
world；　if　it　is　not　afraid　of　falling　into　the　sea；　or　of　being
blown　out　by　a　heavy　storm。　It　can　enter　into　a　person　and　speak　for
him；　and　make　all　the　movements　it　pleases。　The　Will…o'…the…Wisp　may　take　whatever　form　he　likes；　of　man　or　woman；　and　can　act　in　their　spirit　and　in　their　disguise　in　such　a　way　that　he　can　effect　whatever　he　wishes　to　do。　But　he　must　manage；　in　the　course　of　the　year；　to　lead　three　hundred　and　sixty…five　people　into　a　bad　way；　and　in　a　grand　style；　too。　To　lead　them　away　from　the　right　and　the　truth；
and　then　he　reaches　the　highest　point。　Such　a　Will…o'…the…Wisp　can
attain　to　the　honor　of　being　a　runner　before　the　devil's　state
coach；　and　then　he'll　wear　clothes　of　fiery　yellow；　and　breathe
forth　flames　out　of　his　throat。　That's　enough　to　make　a　simple
Will…o'…the…Wisp　smack　his　lips。　But　there's　some　danger　in　this；
and　a　great　deal　of　work　for　a　Will…o'…the…Wisp　who　aspires　to　play　so　distinguished　a　part。　If　the　eyes　of　the　man　are　opened　to　what　he　is；　and　if　the　man　can　then　blow　him　away；　it's　all　over　with　him；　and
he　must　come　back　into　the　marsh；　or　if；　before　the　year　is　up；　the
Will…o'…the…Wisp　is　seized　with　a　longing　to　see　his　family；　and　so
returns　to　it　and　gives　the　matter　up；　it　is　over　with　him　likewise；
and　he　can　no　longer　burn　clear；　and　soon　becomes　extinguished；　and
cannot　be　lit　up　again；　and　when　the　year　has　elapsed；　and　he　has
not　led　three　hundred　and　sixty…five　people　away　from　the　truth　and
from　all　that　is　grand　and　noble；　he　is　condemned　to　be　imprisoned
in　decayed　wood；　and　to　lie　glimmering　there；　without　being　able　to
move；　and　that's　the　most　terrible　punishment　that　can　be　inflicted　on
a　lively　Will…o'…the…Wisp。

〃Now；　all　this　I　know；　and　all　this　I　told　to　the　twelve　little
Will…o'…the…Wisps　whom　I　had　on　my　lap；　and　who　seemed　quite　crazy　with　joy。

〃I　told　them　that　the　safest　and　most　convenient　course　was　to
give　up　the　honor；　and　do　nothing　at　all；　but　the　little　flames
would　not　agree　to　this；　and　already　fancied　themselves　clad　in
fiery　yellow　clothes；　breathing　flames　from　their　throats。

〃'Stay　with　us；'　said　some　of　the　older　ones。

〃'Carry　on　your　sport　with　mortals；'　said　the　others。
〃'The　mortals　are　drying　up　our　meadows；　they've　taken　to
draining。　What　will　our　successors　do？'

〃'We　want　to　flame；　we　will　flame…　flame！'　cried　the　new…born
Will…o'the…Wisps。

〃And　thus　the　affair　was　settled。

〃And　now　a　ball　was　given；　a　minute　long；　it　could　not　well　be
shorter。　The　little　elf…maidens　whirled　round　three　times　with　the
rest；　that　they　might　not　appear　proud；　but　they　preferred　dancing
with　one　another。

〃And　now　the　sponsors'　gifts　were　presented；　and　presents　were
thrown　them。　These　presents　flew　like　pebbles　across　the　sea…water。
Each　of　the　elf…maidens　gave　a　little　piece　of　her　veil。

〃'Take　that；'　they　said；　'and　then　you'll　know　the　higher　dance；
the　most　difficult　turns　and　twists…　that　is　to　say；　if　you　should
find　them　necessary。　You'll　know　the　proper　deportment；　and　then　you　can　show　yourself　in　the　very　pick　of　society。'

〃The　night　raven　taught　each　of　the　young　Will…o'…the…Wisps　to
say；　'Goo…goo…good；'　and　to　say　it　in　the　right　place；　and　that's　a
great　gift　which　brings　its　own　reward。

〃The　owl　and　the　stork…　but　they　said　it　was　not　worth　mentioning；
and　so　we　won't　mention　it。

〃King　Waldemar's　wild　chase　was　just　then　rushing　over　the　moor；
and　when　the　great　lords　heard　of　the　festivities　that　were　going
on；　they　sent　a　couple　of　handsome　dogs；　which　hunt　on　the　spoor　of