第 1 节
作者:爱之冰点      更新:2021-02-20 17:40      字数:5559
  FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
  THE ANGEL
  by Hans Christian Andersen
  〃WHENEVER a good child dies; an angel of God comes down from
  heaven; takes the dead child in his arms; spreads out his great
  white wings; and flies with him over all the places which the child
  had loved during his life。 Then he gathers a large handful of flowers;
  which he carries up to the Almighty; that they may bloom more brightly
  in heaven than they do on earth。 And the Almighty presses the
  flowers to His heart; but He kisses the flower that pleases Him
  best; and it receives a voice; and is able to join the song of the
  chorus of bliss。〃
  These words were spoken by an angel of God; as he carried a dead
  child up to heaven; and the child listened as if in a dream。 Then they
  passed over well…known spots; where the little one had often played;
  and through beautiful gardens full of lovely flowers。
  〃Which of these shall we take with us to heaven to be transplanted
  there?〃 asked the angel。
  Close by grew a slender; beautiful; rose…bush; but some wicked
  hand had broken the stem; and the half…opened rosebuds hung faded
  and withered on the trailing branches。
  〃Poor rose…bush!〃 said the child; 〃let us take it with us to
  heaven; that it may bloom above in God's garden。〃
  The angel took up the rose…bush; then he kissed the child; and the
  little one half opened his eyes。 The angel gathered also some
  beautiful flowers; as well as a few humble buttercups and
  heart's…ease。
  〃Now we have flowers enough;〃 said the child; but the angel only
  nodded; he did not fly upward to heaven。
  It was night; and quite still in the great town。 Here they
  remained; and the angel hovered over a small; narrow street; in
  which lay a large heap of straw; ashes; and sweepings from the
  houses of people who had removed。 There lay fragments of plates;
  pieces of plaster; rags; old hats; and other rubbish not pleasant to
  see。 Amidst all this confusion; the angel pointed to the pieces of a
  broken flower…pot; and to a lump of earth which had fallen out of
  it。 The earth had been kept from falling to pieces by the roots of a
  withered field…flower; which had been thrown amongst the rubbish。
  〃We will take this with us;〃 said the angel; 〃I will tell you
  why as we fly along。〃
  And as they flew the angel related the history。
  〃Down in that narrow lane; in a low cellar; lived a poor sick boy;
  he had been afflicted from his childhood; and even in his best days he
  could just manage to walk up and down the room on crutches once or
  twice; but no more。 During some days in summer; the sunbeams would lie
  on the floor of the cellar for about half an hour。 In this spot the
  poor sick boy would sit warming himself in the sunshine; and
  watching the red blood through his delicate fingers as he held them
  before his face。 Then he would say he had been out; yet he knew
  nothing of the green forest in its spring verdure; till a neighbor's
  son brought him a green bough from a beech…tree。 This he would place
  over his head; and fancy that he was in the beech…wood while the sun
  shone; and the birds carolled gayly。 One spring day the neighbor's boy
  brought him some field…flowers; and among them was one to which the
  root still adhered。 This he carefully planted in a flower…pot; and
  placed in a window…seat near his bed。 And the flower had been
  planted by a fortunate hand; for it grew; put forth fresh shoots;
  and blossomed every year。 It became a splendid flower…garden to the
  sick boy; and his little treasure upon earth。 He watered it; and
  cherished it; and took care it should have the benefit of every
  sunbeam that found its way into the cellar; from the earliest
  morning ray to the evening sunset。 The flower entwined itself even
  in his dreams… for him it bloomed; for him spread its perfume。 And
  it gladdened his eyes; and to the flower he turned; even in death;
  when the Lord called him。 He has been one year with God。 During that
  time the flower has stood in the window; withered and forgotten;
  till at length cast out among the sweepings into the street; on the
  day of the lodgers' removal。 And this poor flower; withered and
  faded as it is; we have added to our nosegay; because it gave more
  real joy than the most beautiful flower in the garden of a queen。〃
  〃But how do you know all this?〃 asked the child whom the angel was
  carrying to heaven。
  〃I know it;〃 said the angel; 〃because I myself was the poor sick
  boy who walked upon crutches; and I know my own flower well。〃
  Then the child opened his eyes and looked into the glorious
  happy face of the angel; and at the same moment they found
  themselves in that heavenly home where all is happiness and joy。 And
  God pressed the dead child to His heart; and wings were given him so
  that he could fly with the angel; hand in hand。 Then the Almighty
  pressed all the flowers to His heart; but He kissed the withered
  field…flower; and it received a voice。 Then it joined in the song of
  the angels; who surrounded the throne; some near; and others in a
  distant circle; but all equally happy。 They all joined in the chorus
  of praise; both great and small;… the good; happy child; and the
  poor field…flower; that once lay withered and cast away on a heap of
  rubbish in a narrow; dark street。
  THE END
  。