《快乐王子童话集(英文版)》第11章

〃"It　is　certainly　a　great　privilege　to　hear　you　talk；"　answered　little　Hans；　
sitting　down；　and　wiping　his　forehead；　"a　very　great　privilege。　But　I　am　
afraid　I　shall　never　have　such　beautiful　ideas　as　you　have。"　
〃"Oh！　they　will　e　to　you；"　said　the　Miller；　"but　you　must　take　more　
pains。　At　present　you　have　only　the　practice　of　friendship；　some　day　you　
will　have　the　theory　also。"　
〃"Do　you　really　think　I　shall？"　asked　little　Hans。　
〃"I　have　no　doubt　of　it；"　answered　the　Miller；　"but　now　that　you　have　
mended　the　roof；　you　had　better　go　home　and　rest；　for　I　want　you　to　drive　
my　sheep　to　the　mountain　to…morrow。"　
〃Poor　little　Hans　was　afraid　to　say　anything　to　this；　and　early　the　next　
morning　the　Miller　brought　his　sheep　round　to　the　cottage；　and　Hans　
started　off　with　them　to　the　mountain。　It　took　him　the　whole　day　to　get　
there　and　back；　and　when　he　returned　he　was　so　tired　that　he　went　off　to　
sleep　in　his　chair；　and　did　not　wake　up　till　it　was　broad　daylight。　
〃"What　a　delightful　time　I　shall　have　in　my　garden；"　he　said；　and　he　
went　to　work　at　once。　
〃But　somehow　he　was　never　able　to　look　after　his　flowers　at　all；　for　his　
friend　the　Miller　was　always　ing　round　and　sending　him　off　on　long　
errands；　or　getting　him　to　help　at　the　mill。　Little　Hans　was　very　much　
distressed　at　times；　as　he　was　afraid　his　flowers　would　think　he　had　
forgotten　them；　but　he　consoled　himself　by　the　reflection　that　the　Miller　
was　his　best　friend。　"Besides；"　he　used　to　say；　"he　is　going　to　give　me　his　
wheelbarrow；　and　that　is　an　act　of　pure　generosity。"　
〃So　little　Hans　worked　away　for　the　Miller；　and　the　Miller　said　all　
kinds　of　beautiful　things　about　friendship；　which　Hans　took　down　in　a　
note…book；　and　used　to　read　over　at　night；　for　he　was　a　very　good　scholar。　
〃Now　it　happened　that　one　evening　little　Hans　was　sitting　by　his　
fireside　when　a　loud　rap　came　at　the　door。　It　was　a　very　wild　night；　and　
the　wind　was　blowing　and　roaring　round　the　house　so　terribly　that　at　first　
32　
The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
he　thought　it　was　merely　the　storm。　But　a　second　rap　came；　and　then　a　
third；　louder　than　any　of　the　others。　
〃"It　is　some　poor　traveller；"　said　little　Hans　to　himself；　and　he　ran　to　the　
door。　
〃There　stood　the　Miller　with　a　lantern　in　one　hand　and　a　big　stick　in　
the　other。　
〃"Dear　little　Hans；"　cried　the　Miller；　"I　am　in　great　trouble。　My　little　
boy　has　fallen　off　a　ladder　and　hurt　himself；　and　I　am　going　for　the　Doctor。　
But　he　lives　so　far　away；　and　it　is　such　a　bad　night；　that　it　has　just　occurred　
to　me　that　it　would　be　much　better　if　you　went　instead　of　me。　You　know　
I　am　going　to　give　you　my　wheelbarrow；　and　so；　it　is　only　fair　that　you　
should　do　something　for　me　in　return。"　
〃"Certainly；"　cried　little　Hans；　"I　take　it　quite　as　a　pliment　your　
ing　to　me；　and　I　will　start　off　at　once。　But　you　must　lend　me　your　
lantern；　as　the　night　is　so　dark　that　I　am　afraid　I　might　fall　into　the　ditch。"　
〃"I　am　very　sorry；"　answered　the　Miller；　"but　it　is　my　new　lantern；　and　it　
would　be　a　great　loss　to　me　if　anything　happened　to　it。"　
〃"Well；　never　mind；　I　will　do　without　it；"　cried　little　Hans；　and　he　took　
down　his　great　fur　coat；　and　his　warm　scarlet　cap；　and　tied　a　muffler　round　
his　throat；　and　started　off。　
〃What　a　dreadful　storm　it　was！　The　night　was　so　black　that　little　
Hans　could　hardly　see；　and　the　wind　was　so　strong　that　he　could　scarcely　
stand。　However；　he　was　very　courageous；　and　after　he　had　been　walking　
about　three　hours；　he　arrived　at　the　Doctor"s　house；　and　knocked　at　the　
door。　
〃"Who　is　there？"　cried　the　Doctor；　putting　his　head　out　of　his　bedroom　
window。　
〃"Little　Hans；　Doctor。"　
〃"What　do　you　want；　little　Hans？"　
〃"The　Miller"s　son　has　fallen　from　a　ladder；　and　has　hurt　himself；　and　
the　Miller　wants　you　to　e　at　once。"　
〃"All　right！"　said　the　Doctor；　and　he　ordered　his　horse；　and　his　big　
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The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
boots；　and　his　lantern；　and　came　downstairs；　and　rode　off　in　the　direction　
of　the　Miller"s　house；　little　Hans　trudging　behind　him。　
〃But　the　storm　grew　worse　and　worse；　and　the　rain　fell　in　torrents；　and　
little　Hans　could　not　see　where　he　was　going；　or　keep　up　with　the　horse。　
At　last　he　lost　his　way；　and　wandered　off　on　the　moor；　which　was　a　very　
dangerous　place；　as　it　was　full　of　deep　holes；　and　there　poor　little　Hans　
was　drowned。　His　body　was　found　the　next　day　by　some　goatherds；　
floating　in　a　great　pool　of　water；　and　was　brought　back　by　them　to　the　
cottage。　
〃Everybody　went　to　little　Hans"　funeral；　as　he　was　so　popular；　and　the　
Miller　was　the　chief　mourner。　
〃"As　I　was　his　best　friend；"　said　the　Miller；　"it　is　only　fair　that　I　should　
have　the　best　place"；　so　he　walked　at　the　head　of　the　procession　in　a　long　
black　cloak；　and　every　now　and　then　he　wiped　his　eyes　with　a　big　pocket…　
handkerchief。　
〃"Little　Hans　is　certainly　a　great　loss　to　every　one；"　said　the　Blacksmith；　
when　the　funeral　was　over；　and　they　were　all　seated　fortably　in　the　inn；　
drinking　spiced　wine　and　eating　sweet　cakes。　
〃"A　great　loss　to　me　at　any　rate；"　answered　the　Miller；　"why；　I　had　as　
good　as　given　him　my　wheelbarrow；　and　now　I　really　don"t　know　what　to　
do　with　it。　It　is　very　much　in　my　way　at　home；　and　it　is　in　such　bad　
repair　that　I　could　not　get　anything　for　it　if　I　sold　it。　I　will　certainly　take　
care　not　to　give　away　anything　again。　One　always　suffers　for　being　
generous。"〃　
〃Well？〃　said　the　Water…rat；　after　a　long　pause。　
〃Well；　that　is　the　end；〃　said　the　Lin。　
〃But　what　became　of　the　Miller？〃　asked　the　Water…rat。　
〃Oh！　I　really　don"t　know；〃　replied　the　Lin；　〃and　I　am　sure　that　I　
don"t　care。〃　
〃It　is　quite　evident　then　that　you　have　no　sympathy　in　your　nature；〃　
said　the　Water…rat。　
〃I　am　afraid　you　don"t　quite　see　the　moral　of　the　story；〃　remarked　the