夜莺与玫瑰-第26部分

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cried，　and　he　knelt　before　him。
And　the　young　King　came　down　from　the　high　altar，　and　passed　home　through　the　midst　of　the　people。　But　no　man　dared　look　upon　his　face，　for　it　was　like　the　face　of　an　angel。
★、The　Star…Child
Once　upon　a　time　two　poor　Woodcutters　were　making　their　way　home　through　a　great　pine…forest。　It　was　winter，　and　a　night　of　bitter　cold。　The　snow　lay　thick　upon　the　ground，　and　upon　the　branches　of　the　trees：　the　frost　kept　snapping　the　little　twigs　on　either　side　of　them，　as　they　passed：　and　when　they　came　to　the　Mountain…Torrent　she　was　hanging　motionless　in　air，　for　the　Ice…King　had　kissed　her。
So　cold　was　it　that　even　the　animals　and　the　birds　did　not　know　what　to　make　of　it。
“Ugh！”　snarled　the　Wolf，　as　he　limped　through　the　brushwood　with　his　tail　between　his　legs，　“this　is　perfectly　monstrous　weather。　Why　doesn’t　the　Government　look　to　it？”
“Weet！　weet！　weet！”　twittered　the　green　Lins，　“the　old　Earth　is　dead　and　they　have　laid　her　out　in　her　white　shroud。”
“The　Earth　is　going　to　be　married，　and　this　is　her　bridal　dress，”　whispered　the　Turtle…doves　to　each　other。　Their　little　pink　feet　were　quite　frost…bitten，　but　they　felt　that　it　was　their　duty　to　take　a　romantic　view　of　the　situation。
“Nonsense！”　growled　the　Wolf。　“I　tell　you　that　it　is　all　the　fault　of　the　Government，　and　if　you　don’t　believe　me　I　shall　eat　you。”　The　Wolf　had　a　thoroughly　practical　mind，　and　was　never　at　a　loss　for　a　good　argument。
“Well，　for　my　own　part，　”　said　the　Woodpecker，　who　was　a　born　philosopher，　“I　don’t　care　an　atomic　theory　for　explan…ations。　If　a　thing　is　so，　it　is　so，　and　at　present　it　is　terribly　cold。”
Terribly　cold　it　certainly　was。　The　little　Squirrels，　who　lived　inside　the　tall　fir…tree，　kept　rubbing　each　other’s　noses　to　keep　themselves　warm，　and　the　Rabbits　curled　themselves　up　in　their　holes，　and　did　not　venture　even　to　look　out　of　doors。　The　only　people　who　seemed　to　enjoy　it　were　the　great　horned　Owls。　Their　feathers　were　quite　stiff　with　rime，　but　they　did　not　mind，　and　they　rolled　their　large　yellow　eyes，　and　called　out　to　each　other　across　the　forest，　“Tu…whit！　Tu…whoo！　Tu…whit！　Tu…whoo！　what　delightful　weather　we　are　having！”
On　and　on　went　the　two　Woodcutters，　blowing　lustily　upon　their　fingers，　and　stamping　with　their　huge　iron…shod　boots　upon　the　caked　snow。　Once　they　sank　into　a　deep　drift，　and　came　out　as　white　as　millers　are，　when　the　stones　are　grinding；　and　once　they　slipped　on　the　hard　smooth　ice　where　the　marsh…water　was　frozen，　and　their　faggots　fell　out　of　their　bundles，　and　they　had　to　pick　them　up　and　bind　them　together　again；　and　once　they　thought　that　they　had　lost　their　way，　and　a　great　terror　seized　on　them，　for　they　knew　that　the　Snow　is　cruel　to　those　who　sleep　in　her　arms。　But　they　put　their　trust　in　the　good　Saint　Martin，　who　watches　over　all　travellers，　and　retraced　their　steps，　and　went　warily，　and　at　last　they　reached　the　outskirts　of　the　forest，　and　saw，　far　down　in　the　valley　beneath　them，　the　lights　of　the　village　in　which　they　dwelt。
So　overjoyed　were　they　at　their　deliverance　that　they　laughed　aloud，　and　the　Earth　seemed　to　them　like　a　flower　of　silver，　and　the　Moon　like　a　flower　of　gold。
Yet，　after　that　they　had　laughed　they　became　sad，　for　they　remembered　their　poverty，　and　one　of　them　said　to　the　other，　“Why　did　we　make　merry，　seeing　that　life　is　for　the　rich，　and　not　for　such　as　we　are？　Better　that　we　had　died　of　cold　in　the　forest，　or　that　some　wild　beast　had　fallen　upon　us　and　slain　us。”
“Truly，　”　answered　his　panion，　“much　is　given　to　some，　and　little　is　given　to　others。　Injustice　has　parcelled　out　the　world，　nor　is　there　equal　division　of　aught　save　of　sorrow。”
But　as　they　were　bewailing　their　misery　to　each　other　this　strange　thing　happened。　There　fell　from　heaven　a　very　bright　and　beautiful　star。　It　slipped　down　the　side　of　the　sky，　passing　by　the　other　stars　in　its　course，　and，　as　they　watched　it　wondering，　it　seemed　to　them　to　sink　behind　a　clump　of　willow…trees　that　stood　hard　by　a　little　sheepfold　no　more　than　a　stone’s…throw　away。
“Why！　there　is　a　crook　of　gold　for　whoever　finds　it，”they　cried，　and　they　set　to　and　ran，　so　eager　were　they　for　the　gold。
And　one　of　them　ran　faster　than　his　mate，　and　outstripped　him，　and　forced　his　way　through　the　willows，　and　came　out　on　the　other　side，　and　lo！　there　was　indeed　a　thing　of　gold　lying　on　the　white　snow。　So　he　hastened　towards　it，　and　stooping　down　placed　his　hands　upon　it，　and　it　was　a　cloak　of　golden　tissue，　curiously　wrought　with　stars，　and　wrapped　in　many　folds。　And　he　cried　out　to　his　rade　that　he　had　found　the　treasure　that　had　fallen　from　the　sky，　and　when　his　rade　had　e　up，　they　sat　them　down　in　the　snow，　and　loosened　the　folds　of　the　cloak　that　they　might　divide　the　pieces　of　gold。　But，　alas！　no　gold　was　in　it，　nor　silver，　nor，　indeed，　treasure　of　any　kind，　but　only　a　little　child　who　was　asleep。
And　one　of　them　said　to　the　other：　“This　is　a　bitter　ending　to　our　hope，　nor　have　we　any　good　fortune，　for　what　doth　a　child　profit　to　a　man？　Let　us　leave　it　here，　and　go　our　way，　seeing　that　we　are　poor　men，　and　have　children　of　our　own　whose　bread　we　may　not　give　to　another。”
But　his　panion　answered　him：　“Nay，　but　it　were　an　evil　thing　to　leave　the　child　to　perish　here　in　the　snow，　and　though　I　am　as　poor　as　thou　art，　and　have　many　mouths　to　feed，　and　but　little　in　the　pot，　yet　will　I　bring　it　home　with　me，　and　my　wife　shall　have　care　of　it。”
So　very　tenderly　he　took　up　the　child，　and　wrapped　the　cloak　around　it　to　shield　it　from　the　harsh　cold，　and　made　his　way　down　the　hill　to　the　village，　his　rade　marvelling　much　at　his　foolishness　and　softness　of　heart。
And　when　they　came　to　the　village，　his　rade　said　to　him，　“Thou　hast　the　child，　therefore　give　me　the　cloak，　for　it　is　meet　that　we　should　share。”
But　he　answered　him：“Nay，　for　the　cloak　is　neither　mine　nor　thine，　but　the　child’s　only，”　and　he　bade　him　Godspeed，　and　went　to　his　own　house　and　knocked。
And　when　his　wife　opened　the　door　and　saw　that　her　husband　had　returned　safe　to　her，　she　put　her　arms　round　his　neck　and　kissed　him，　and　took　from　his　back　the　bundle　of　faggots，　and　brushed　the　snow　off　his　boots，　and　bade　him　e　in。
But　he　said　to　her，　“I　have　found　something　in　the　forest，　and　I　have　brought　it　to　thee　to　have　care　of　it，”　and　he　stirred　not　from　the　threshold。
“What　is　it？”　she　cried。　“Show　it　to　me，　for　the　house　is　bare，　and　we　have　need　of　many　things。”　And　he　drew　the　cloak　back，　and　showed　her　the　sleeping　child。
“Alack，　goodman！”　she　murmured，　“have　we　not　children　of　our　own，　that　thou　must　needs　bring　a　changeling　to　sit　by　the　hearth？　And　who　knows　if　it　will　not　bring　us　bad　fortune？　And　how　shall　we　tend　it？”　And　she　was　wroth　against　him。
“Nay，　but　it　is　a　Star…Child，”　he　answered；　and　he　told　her　the　strange　manner　of　the　finding　of　it。
But　she　would　not　be　appeased，　but　mocked　at　him，　and　spoke　angrily，　and　cried：　“Our　children　lack　bread，　and　shall　we　feed　the　child　of　another？　Who　is　there　who　careth　for　us？　And　who　giveth　us　food？”
“Nay，　but　God　careth　for　the　sparrows　even，　and　feedeth　them，”he　answered。
“　Do　not　the　sparrows　die　of　hunger　in　the　winter？”　she　asked。“And　is　it　not　winter　now？”
And　the　man　answered　nothing，　but　stirred　not　from　the　threshold。
And　a　bitter　wind　from　the　forest　came　in　through　the　open　door，　and　made　her　tremble，　and　she　shivered，　and　said　to　him：“　Wilt　thou　not　close　the　door？　There　eth　a　bitter　wind　into　the　house，　and　I　am　cold。”
“Into　a　house　where　a　heart　is　hard　eth　there　not　always　a　bitter　wind？”　he　asked。　And　the　woman　answered　him　nothing，　but　crept　closer　to　the　fire。
And　after　a　time　she　turned　round　and　looked　at　him，　and　her　eyes　were　full　of　tears。　And　he　came　in　swiftly，　and　placed　the　child　in　her　arms，　and　she　kissed　it，　and　laid　it　in　a　little　bed　where　the　youngest　of　their　own　children　was　lying。　And　on　the　morrow　the　Woodcutter　took　the　curious　cloak　of　gold　and　placed　it　in　a　great　chest，　and　a　chain　of　amber　that　was　round　the　ch