the snow man-第2部分

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comfortable　place？〃

　　　　〃I　was　obliged；〃　replied　the　yard…dog。　〃They　turned　me　out　of

doors；　and　chained　me　up　here。　I　had　bitten　the　youngest　of　my

master's　sons　in　the　leg；　because　he　kicked　away　the　bone　I　was

gnawing。　'Bone　for　bone；'　I　thought；　but　they　were　so　angry；　and

from　that　time　I　have　been　fastened　with　a　chain；　and　lost　my　bone。

Don't　you　hear　how　hoarse　I　am。　Away；　away！　I　can't　talk　any　more　like

other　dogs。　Away；　away；　that　is　the　end　of　it　all。〃

　　　　But　the　Snow　Man　was　no　longer　listening。　He　was　looking　into

the　housekeeper's　room　on　the　lower　storey；　where　the　stove　stood　on

its　four　iron　legs；　looking　about　the　same　size　as　the　Snow　Man

himself。　〃What　a　strange　crackling　I　feel　within　me；〃　he　said。

〃Shall　I　ever　get　in　there？　It　is　an　innocent　wish；　and　innocent

wishes　are　sure　to　be　fulfilled。　I　must　go　in　there　and　lean　against

her；　even　if　I　have　to　break　the　window。〃

　　　　〃You　must　never　go　in　there；〃　said　the　yard…dog；　〃for　if　you

approach　the　stove；　you'll　melt　away；　away。〃

　　　　〃I　might　as　well　go；〃　said　the　Snow　Man；　〃for　I　think　I　am

breaking　up　as　it　is。〃

　　　　During　the　whole　day　the　Snow　Man　stood　looking　in　through　the

window；　and　in　the　twilight　hour　the　room　became　still　more

inviting；　for　from　the　stove　came　a　gentle　glow；　not　like　the　sun　or

the　moon；　no；　only　the　bright　light　which　gleams　from　a　stove　when

it　has　been　well　fed。　When　the　door　of　the　stove　was　opened；　the

flames　darted　out　of　its　mouth；　this　is　customary　with　all　stoves。　The

light　of　the　flames　fell　directly　on　the　face　and　breast　of　the　Snow

Man　with　a　ruddy　gleam。　〃I　can　endure　it　no　longer；〃　said　he；　〃how

beautiful　it　looks　when　it　stretches　out　its　tongue？〃

　　　　The　night　was　long；　but　did　not　appear　so　to　the　Snow　Man；　who

stood　there　enjoying　his　own　reflections；　and　crackling　with　the　cold。

In　the　morning；　the　window…panes　of　the　housekeeper's　room　were

covered　with　ice。　They　were　the　most　beautiful　ice…flowers　any　Snow

Man　could　desire；　but　they　concealed　the　stove。　These　window…panes

would　not　thaw；　and　he　could　see　nothing　of　the　stove；　which　he

pictured　to　himself；　as　if　it　had　been　a　lovely　human　being。　The

snow　crackled　and　the　wind　whistled　around　him；　it　was　just　the　kind

of　frosty　weather　a　Snow　Man　might　thoroughly　enjoy。　But　he　did　not

enjoy　it；　how；　indeed；　could　he　enjoy　anything　when　he　was　〃stove

sick？〃

　　　　〃That　is　terrible　disease　for　a　Snow　Man；〃　said　the　yard…dog；　〃I

have　suffered　from　it　myself；　but　I　got　over　it。　Away；　away；〃　he

barked　and　then　he　added；　〃the　weather　is　going　to　change。〃　And　the

weather　did　change；　it　began　to　thaw。　As　the　warmth　increased；　the

Snow　Man　decreased。　He　said　nothing　and　made　no　complaint；　which　is

a　sure　sign。　One　morning　he　broke；　and　sunk　down　altogether；　and；

behold；　where　he　had　stood；　something　like　a　broomstick　remained

sticking　up　in　the　ground。　It　was　the　pole　round　which　the　boys　had

built　him　up。　〃Ah；　now　I　understand　why　he　had　such　a　great　longing

for　the　stove；〃　said　the　yard…dog。　〃Why；　there's　the　shovel　that　is

used　for　cleaning　out　the　stove；　fastened　to　the　pole。〃　The　Snow　Man

had　a　stove　scraper　in　his　body；　that　was　what　moved　him　so。　〃But　it's

all　over　now。　Away；　away。〃　And　soon　the　winter　passed。　〃Away；　away；〃

barked　the　hoarse　yard…dog。　But　the　girls　in　the　house　sang；



　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Come　from　your　fragrant　home；　green　thyme；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Stretch　your　soft　branches；　willow…tree；

　　　　　　　　　　　　The　months　are　bringing　the　sweet　spring…time；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　When　the　lark　in　the　sky　sings　joyfully。

　　　　　　　　　　　　Come　gentle　sun；　while　the　cuckoo　sings；

　　　　　　　　　　　　And　I'll　mock　his　note　in　my　wanderings。〃



　　　　And　nobody　thought　any　more　of　the　Snow　Man。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。