《快乐王子童话集》第15章

friend。
〃once　upon　a　time；〃　said　the　linnet；　〃there　was　an　honest　little
fellow　named　hans。〃
〃was　he　very　distinguished？〃　asked　the　water…rat。
〃no；〃　answered　the　linnet；　〃i　dont　think　he　was　distinguished　at
all；　except　for　his　kind　heart；　and　his　funny　round　good…humoured
face。 he　lived　in　a　tiny　cottage　all　by　himself；　and　every　day　he
worked　in　his　garden。 in　all　the　country…side　there　was　no　garden
so　lovely　as　his。 sweet…william　grew　there；　and　gilly…flowers；　and
shepherds…purses；　and　fair…maids　of　france。 there　were　damask
roses；　and　yellow　roses；　lilac　crocuses；　and　gold；　purple　violets
and　white。 columbine　and　ladysmock；　marjoram　and　wild　basil；　the
cowslip　and　the　flower…de…luce；　the　daffodil　and　the　clove…pink
bloomed　or　blossomed　in　their　proper　order　as　the　months　went　by；
one　flower　taking　another　flowers　place；　so　that　there　were　always
beautiful　things　to　look　at；　and　pleasant　odours　to　smell。
〃little　hans　had　a　great　many　friends；　but　the　most　devoted　friend
of　all　was　big　hugh　the　miller。 indeed；　so　devoted　was　the　rich
miller　to　little　hans；　that　be　would　never　go　by　his　garden　without
leaning　over　the　wall　and　plucking　a　large　nosegay；　or　a　handful　of
sweet　herbs；　or　filling　his　pockets　with　plums　and　cherries　if　it
was　the　fruit　season。
〃real　friends　should　have　everything　in　mon；　the　miller　used
to　say；　and　little　hans　nodded　and　smiled；　and　felt　very　proud　of
having　a　friend　with　such　noble　ideas。
〃sometimes；　indeed；　the　neighbours　thought　it　strange　that　the　rich
miller　never　gave　little　hans　anything　in　return；　though　he　had　a
hundred　sacks　of　flour　stored　away　in　his　mill；　and　six　milch　cows；
and　a　large　flock　of　woolly　sheep；　but　hans　never　troubled　his　head
about　these　things；　and　nothing　gave　him　greater　pleasure　than　to
listen　to　all　the　wonderful　things　the　miller　used　to　say　about　the
unselfishness　of　true　friendship。
〃so　little　hans　worked　away　in　his　garden。 during　the　spring；　the
summer；　and　the　autumn　he　was　very　happy；　but　when　the　winter　came；
and　he　had　no　fruit　or　flowers　to　bring　to　the　market；　he　suffered
a　good　deal　from　cold　and　hunger；　and　often　had　to　go　to　bed
without　any　supper　but　a　few　dried　pears　or　some　hard　nuts。 in　the
winter；　also；　he　was　extremely　lonely；　as　the　miller　never　came　to
see　him　then。
〃there　is　no　good　in　my　going　to　see　little　hans　as　long　as　the
snow　lasts；　the　miller　used　to　say　to　his　wife；　for　when　people
are　in　trouble　they　should　be　left　alone；　and　not　be　bothered　by
visitors。 that　at　least　is　my　idea　about　friendship；　and　i　am　sure
i　am　right。 so　i　shall　wait　till　the　spring　es；　and　then　i
shall　pay　him　a　visit；　and　he　will　be　able　to　give　me　a　large
basket　of　primroses　and　that　will　make　him　so　happy。
〃you　are　certainly　very　thoughtful　about　others；　answered　the
wife；　as　she　sat　in　her　fortable　armchair　by　the　big　pinewood
fire；　very　thoughtful　indeed。 it　is　quite　a　treat　to　hear　you
talk　about　friendship。 i　am　sure　the　clergyman　himself　could　not
say　such　beautiful　things　as　you　do；　though　he　does　live　in　a
three…storied　house；　and　wear　a　gold　ring　on　his　little　finger。
〃but　could　we　not　ask　little　hans　up　here？　said　the　millers
youngest　son。 if　poor　hans　is　in　trouble　i　will　give　him　half　my
porridge；　and　show　him　my　white　rabbits。
〃what　a　silly　boy　you　are！　cried　the　miller；　i　really　dont　know
what　is　the　use　of　sending　you　to　school。 you　seem　not　to　learn
anything。 why；　if　little　hans　came　up　here；　and　saw　our　warm　fire；
and　our　good　supper；　and　our　great　cask　of　red　wine；　he　might　get
envious；　and　envy　is　a　most　terrible　thing；　and　would　spoil
anybodys　nature。 i　certainly　will　not　allow　hans　nature　to　be
spoiled。 i　am　his　best　friend；　and　i　will　always　watch　over　him；
and　see　that　he　is　not　led　into　any　temptations。 besides；　if　hans
came　here；　he　might　ask　me　to　let　him　have　some　flour　on　credit；
and　that　i　could　not　do。 flour　is　one　thing；　and　friendship　is
another；　and　they　should　not　be　confused。 why；　the　words　are　spelt
differently；　and　mean　quite　different　things。 everybody　can　see
that。
〃how　well　you　talk！　said　the　millers　wife；　pouring　herself　out　a
large　glass　of　warm　ale；　really　i　feel　quite　drowsy。 it　is　just
like　being　in　church。
〃lots　of　people　act　well；　answered　the　miller；　but　very　few
people　talk　well；　which　shows　that　talking　is　much　the　more
difficult　thing　of　the　two；　and　much　the　finer　thing　also；　and　he
looked　sternly　across　the　table　at　his　little　son；　who　felt　so
ashamed　of　himself　that　he　hung　his　head　down；　and　grew　quite
scarlet；　and　began　to　cry　into　his　tea。 however；　he　was　so　young
that　you　must　excuse　him。〃
〃is　that　the　end　of　the　story？〃　asked　the　water…rat。
〃certainly　not；〃　answered　the　linnet；　〃that　is　the　beginning。〃
〃then　you　are　quite　behind　the　age；〃　said　the　water…rat。 〃every
good　story…teller　nowadays　starts　with　the　end；　and　then　goes　on　to
the　beginning；　and　concludes　with　the　middle。 that　is　the　new
method。 i　heard　all　about　it　the　other　day　from　a　critic　who　was
walking　round　the　pond　with　a　young　man。 he　spoke　of　the　matter　at
great　length；　and　i　am　sure　he　must　have　been　right；　for　he　had
blue　spectacles　and　a　bald　head；　and　whenever　the　young　man　made
any　remark；　he　always　answered　pooh！ but　pray　go　on　with　your
story。 i　like　the　miller　immensely。 i　have　all　kinds　of　beautiful
sentiments　myself；　so　there　is　a　great　sympathy　between　us。〃
〃well；〃　said　the　linnet；　hopping　now　on　one　leg　and　now　on　the
other；　〃as　soon　as　the　winter　was　over；　and　the　primroses　began　to
open　their　pale　yellow　stars；　the　miller　said　to　his　wife　that　he
would　go　down　and　see　little　hans。
〃why；　what　a　good　heart　you　have！　cried　his　wife；　you　are　always
thinking　of　others。 and　mind　you　take　the　big　basket　with　you　for
the　flowers。
〃so　the　miller　tied　the　sails　of　the　windmill　together　with　a
strong　iron　chain；　and　went　down　the　hill　with　the　basket　on　his
arm。
〃good　morning；　little　hans；　said　the　miller