快乐王子童话集(英文版)-第6章
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〃Certainly not；〃 answered the Lin； 〃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 Lin； 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
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The Happy Prince and Other Tales
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。
〃'Good morning；' said Hans； leaning on his spade； and smiling from
ear to ear。
〃'And how have you been all the winter？' said the Miller。
〃'Well； really；' cried Hans； 'it is very good of you to ask； very good
indeed。 I am afraid I had rather a hard time of it； but now the spring has
e； and I am quite happy； and all my flowers are doing well。'
〃'We often talked of you during the winter； Hans；' said the Miller； 'and
wondered how you were getting on。'
〃'That was kind of you；' said Hans； 'I was half afraid you had forgotten
me。'
〃'Hans； I am surprised at you；' said the Miller； 'friendship never forgets。
That is the wonderful thing about it； but I am afraid you don't understand
the poetry of life。 How lovely your primroses are looking； by…the…bye〃！
〃'They are certainly very lovely；' said Hans； 'and it is a most lucky
thing for me that I have so many。 I am going to bring them into the
market and sell them to the Burgomaster's daughter； and buy back my
wheelbarrow with the money。'
〃'Buy back your wheelbarrow？ You don't mean to say you have sold
it？ What a very stupid thing to do'！
〃'Well； the fact is；' said Hans； 'that I was obliged to。 You see the
winter was a very bad time for me； and I really had no money at all to buy
bread with。 So I first sold the silver buttons off my Sunday coat； and
then I sold my silver chain； and then I sold my big pipe； and at last I sold
my wheelbarrow。 But I am going to buy them all back again now。'
〃'Hans；' said the Miller； 'I will give you my wheelbarrow。 It is not in
very good repair； indeed； one side is gone； and there is something wrong
with the wheel…spokes； but in spite of that I will give it to you。 I know it
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The Happy Prince and Other Tales
is very generous of me； and a great many people would think me
extremely foolish for parting with it； but I am not like the rest of the world。
I think that generosity is the essence of friendship； and； besides； I have got
a new wheelbarrow for myself。 Yes； you may set your mind at ease； I
will give you my wheelbarrow。'
〃'Well； really； that is generous of you；' said little Hans； and his funny
round face glowed all over with pleasure。 'I can easily put it in repair； as
I have a plank of wood in the house。'
〃'A plank of wood'！ said the Miller； 'why； that is just what I want for
the roof of my barn。 There is a very large hole in it； and the corn will all
get damp if I don't stop it up。 How lucky you mentioned it！ It is quite
remarkable how one good action always breeds another。 I have given
you my wheelbarrow； and now you are going to give me your plank。 Of
course； the wheelbarrow is worth far more than the plank； but true；
friendship never notices things like that。 Pray get it at once； and I will set
to work at my barn this very day。'
〃'Certainly；' cried little Hans； and he ran into the shed and dragged the
plank out。
〃'It is not a very big plank；' said the Miller； looking at it； 'and I am
afraid that after I have mended my barn…roof there won't be any left for
you to mend the wheelbarrow with； but； of course； that is not my fault。
And now； as I have given you my wheelbarrow； I am sure you would like
to give me some flowers in return。 Here is the basket； and mind you fill
it quite full。'
〃'Quite full？' said little Hans； rather sorrowfully； for it was really a
very big basket； and he knew that if he filled it he would have no flowers
left for the market and he was very anxious to get his silver buttons back。
〃'Well； really；' answered the Miller； 'as I have given you my
wheelbarrow； I don't think that it is much to ask you for a few flowers。 I
may be wrong； but I should have thought that friendship； true friendship；
selfishness of any kind。'
〃'My dear friend； my best friend；' cried little Hans； 'you are wele to
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The Happy Prince and Other Tales
all the flowers in my garden。 I would much sooner have your good
opinion than my silver buttons； any day'； and he ran and plucked all his
pretty primroses； and filled the Miller's basket。
〃'Good…bye； little Hans；' said the Miller； as he went up the hill with the
plank on his shoulder； and the big basket in his hand。
〃'Good…bye；' said little Hans； and he began to dig aerrily；
he was so pleased about the wheelbarrow。
〃The next day he was nailing up some honeysuckle against the porch；
when he heard the Miller's voice calling to him from the road。 So he
jumped off the ladder； and ran down the garden； and looked over the wall。
〃There was the Miller with a large sack of flour on his back。
〃'Dear little Hans；' said the Miller； 'would you mind carrying this sack
of flour for me to market？'
〃'Oh； I am so sorry；' said Hans； 'but I am really very busy to…day。 I
have got all my creepers to nail up； and all my flowers to water； and all my
grass to roll。'
〃'Well； really；' said the Miller； 'I think that； considering that I am going
to give you my wheelbarrow； it is rather unfriendly of you to refuse。'
〃'Oh； don't say that；' cried little Hans； 'I wouldn't be unfriendly for the
whole world'； and he ran in for his cap； and trudged off with the big sack
on his shoulders。
〃It was a very hot day； and the road was terribly dusty； and before
Hans had reached the sixth milestone he was so tired that he had to sit
down and rest。 However； he went on bravely； and as last he reached the
market。 After he had waited there some time； he sold the sack of flour
for a very good price； and then he returned home at once； for he was afraid
that if he stopped too late he might meet some robbers on the way。
〃'It has certainly been a hard day；' said little Hans to himself as he was
going to bed； 'but I am glad I did not refuse the Miller； for he is my best
friend； and； besides； he is going to give me his wheelbarrow。'
〃Early the next morning the Miller came down to get the money for
his sack of flour； but little Hans was so tired that he was still in bed。
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The Happy Prince and Other Tales
〃'Upon my word；' said the Miller； 'you are very lazy。 Really；
considering that I am going to give you my wheelbarrow； I think you
might work harder。 Idleness is a great sin； and I certainly don't like any
of my friends to be idle or sluggish。 You must not mind my speaking
quite plainly to you。 Of course I should not dream of doing so if I were
not your friend。 But what is the good of friendship if one cannot say
exactly what one means？ Anybody can say charming things and try to
please and to flatter； but a true friend always says unpleasant things； and
does not mind giving pain。 Indeed； if he is a really true friend he prefers
it； for he knows that then he is doing good。'
〃'I am very sorry；' said little Hans； rubbing his eyes and pulling off his
night…cap； 'but I was so tired that I thought I would lie in bed for a little
time； and listen to the birds singing。 Do you know that I always work
better after hearing the birds sing？'
〃'Well； I am glad of that；' said the Miller； clapping little Hans on the
back； 'for I want you to e up to the mill as soon as you are dressed；
and mend my barn…roof for me。'
〃Poor little Hans was very anxious to go and work in his garden； for
his flowers had not been watered for two days； but he did not like to refuse
the Miller； as he was such a good friend to him。
〃'Do you think it would be unfriendly of me if I said I was busy？' he
inquired in a shy and timid voice。
〃'Well； really；' answered the Miller； 'I do not think it is much to ask of
you； considering that I am going to give you my wheelbarrow； but of
course if you refuse I will go and do it myself。'
〃'Oh！ on no account；' cried little Hans and he jumped out of bed； and
dressed himself； and went up to the barn。
〃He worked there all day long； till sunset； and at sunset the Miller
came to see how he was getting on。
〃'Have you mended the hole in the roof yet； little Hans？' cried the
Miller in a cheery voice。
〃'It is quite mended；' answered little Hans； ing down the ladder。
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The Happy Prince and Other Tales
〃'Ah'！ said the Miller； 'there is no work so delightful as the work one
does for others。'
〃'It is certainly a great privilege to hear you talk；' answered little Hans；
sitting down； and wipi
