第 2 节
作者:浮游云中      更新:2021-02-20 16:27      字数:9303
  street; pursued by a clamorous troop of confidence men and hotel runners。
  〃Kommen   Sie   mit   mir。       Ich   bin   auch   Deutsch;〃   cried   one。   〃Voila;
  voila; je parle Francais;〃 shouted another; seizing hold of his valise。                〃Jeg
  er Dansk。      Tale Dansk;〃'1' roared a third; with an accent which seriously
  impeached   his   truthfulness。       In   order   to   escape   from   these   importunate
  rascals; who were every moment getting bolder; he threw himself into the
  first   street…car   which   happened   to   pass;   he   sat   down;   gazed   out   of   the
  windows and soon became so thoroughly absorbed in the animated scenes
  which moved as in a panorama before his eyes; that he quite forgot where
  he was going。        The  conductor called for fares;  and received an   English
  shilling;    which;    after  some    ineffectual    expostulation;     he  pocketed;     but
  gave no change。        At last after about an hour's journey; the car stopped; the
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  TALES FROM TWO HEMISPHERES。
  conductor   called   out   〃Central   Park;〃   and   Halfdan   woke   up   with   a   start。
  He dismounted with a timid; deliberate step; stared in dim bewilderment at
  the long rows of palatial residences; and a chill sense of loneliness crept
  over   him。     The   hopeless   strangeness   of   everything   he   saw;   instead   of
  filling him with rapture as he had once anticipated; Sent a cold shiver to
  his heart。     It is a very large affair; this world of oursa good deal larger
  than it appeared to him gazing out upon it from his snug little corner up
  under the Pole; and it was as unsympathetic as it was large; he suddenly
  felt what he had never been aware of before that he was a very small part
  of it and of very little account after all。          He staggered over to a bench at
  the entrance to the park; and sat long watching the fine carriages as they
  dashed     past   him;    he  saw    the  handsome       women      in  brilliant  costumes
  laughing and chatting gayly; the apathetic policemen promenading in stoic
  dignity   up   and   down   upon   the   smooth   pavements;   the   jauntily   attired
  nurses; whom in his Norse innocence he took for mothers or aunts of the
  chil… dren; wheeling baby…carriages which to Norse eyes seemed miracles
  of dainty ingenuity; under the shady crowns of the elm…trees。                   He did not
  know   how   long   he   had   been   sitting   there;   when   a   little   bright…eyed   girl
  with light kid gloves;  a small blue parasol and   a blue polonaise;  quite   a
  lady of fashion en miniature; stopped in front of him and stared at him in
  shy wonder。        He had always been fond of children; and often rejoiced in
  their   affectionate     ways    and   confidential     prattle;   and   now    it  suddenly
  touched   him   with   a   warm   sense   of   human   fellowship   to   have   this   little
  daintily   befrilled   and   crisply   starched   beauty   single   him   out   for   notice
  among the   hundreds   who   reclined   in   the   arbors;  or   sauntered   to   and   fro
  under the great trees。
  '1' 〃I am a Dane。       I speak Danish。〃
  〃What   is   your   name;   my   little   girl?〃   he   asked;   in   a   tone   of   friendly
  interest。
  〃Clara;〃 answered the child; hesitatingly; then; having by another look
  assured   herself   of   his   harmlessness;   she   added:      〃How   very   funny   you
  speak!〃
  〃Yes;〃 he said; stooping down to take he tiny begloved hand。                      〃I do
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  TALES FROM TWO HEMISPHERES。
  not speak as well as you do; yet; but I shall soon learn。〃
  Clara looked puzzled。
  〃How old are you?〃 she asked; raising her parasol; and throwing back
  her head with an air of superiority。
  〃I am twenty…four years old。〃
  She began to count half aloud on her fingers:             〃One; two; three; four;〃
  but; before she reached twenty; she lost her patience。
  〃Twenty…four;〃 she exclaimed; 〃that is a great deal。              I am only seven;
  and papa gave me a pony on my birthday。               Have you got a pony?〃
  〃No; I have nothing but what is in this valise; and you know I could
  not very well get a pony into it。〃
  Clara glanced curiously at the valise and laughed; then suddenly she
  grew     serious   again;   put   her  hand    into  her  pocket    and   seemed     to  be
  searching      eagerly   for   something。      Presently     she   hauled    out  a  small
  porcelain doll's head; then a red…painted block with letters on it; and at last
  a penny。
  〃Do   you   want   them?〃   she   said;   reaching   him   her   treasures   in   both
  hands。     〃You may have them all。〃
  Before he had time to answer; a shrill; penetrating voice cried out:
  〃Why; gracious! child; what are you doing ? 〃
  And   the   nurse;   who   had   been   deeply   absorbed   in   〃The   New   York
  Ledger;〃     came    rushing    up;  snatched    the   child   away;   and   retreated   as
  hastily as she had come。
  Halfdan rose and wandered for hours aimlessly along the intertwining
  roads and footpaths。        He visited the menageries; admired the statues; took
  a   very   light  dinner;   consisting    of  coffee;   sandwiches;     and   ice;  at  the
  Chinese Pavilion; and; toward evening; discovered an inviting leafy arbor;
  where he could withdraw into the privacy of his own thoughts; and ponder
  upon the  still unsolved problem  of his destiny。             The little incident   with
  the   child   had   taken   the   edge   off   his   unhappiness   and   turned   him   into   a
  more conciliatory mood toward himself and the great pitiless world; which
  seemed to take so little notice of him。           And he; who had come here with
  so warm a heart and so ardent a will to join in the great work of human
  advancementto find himself thus harshly ignored and buffeted about; as
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  TALES FROM TWO HEMISPHERES。
  if   he   were   a   hostile   intruder! Before   him   lay   the   huge   unknown   city
  where human life pulsated with large; full heart…throbs; where a breathless;
  weird   intensity;   a   cold;   fierce   passion   seemed   to   be   hurrying   everything
  onward in a maddening whirl; where a gentle; warm… blooded enthusiast
  like himself had no place and could expect naught but a speedy destruction。
  A strange; unconquerable dread took possession of him; as if he had been
  caught   in   a   swift;   strong   whirlpool;   from   which   he   vainly   struggled   to
  escape。     He crouched down among the foliage and shuddered。                    He could
  not return to the city。      No; no: he never would return。            He would remain
  here hidden   and   unseen   until   morning;   and   then   he   would   seek   a   vessel
  bound for his dear native land; where the great mountains loomed up in
  serene majesty toward the blue sky; where the pine…forests whispered their
  dreamily sympathetic legends; in the long summer twilights; where human
  existence flowed on in calm beauty with the modest aims; small virtues;
  and small vices which were the happiness of modest; idyllic souls。                       He
  even   saw   himself   in   spirit   recounting   to   his   astonished   countrymen   the
  wonderful things he had heard and seen during his foreign pilgrimage; and
  smiled to himself as he imagined their wonder when he should tell them
  about the beautiful little girl who had been the first and only one to offer
  him a friendly greeting in the strange land。              During these reflections he
  fell asleep; and slept soundly for two or three hours。              Once; he seemed to
  hear footsteps and whispers among the trees; and made an effort to rouse
  himself; but weariness again overmastered him and he slept on。                     At last;
  he felt himself seized violently by the shoulders; and a gruff voice shouted
  in his ear:
  〃Get up; you sleepy dog。〃
  He    rubbed    his   eyes;   and;   by  the   dim   light   of  the   moon;    saw    a
  Herculean policeman lifting a stout stick over his head。               His former terror
  came upon him with increased violence; and his heart stood for a moment
  still; then; again; hammered away as if it would burst his sides。
  〃Come along!〃 roared the policeman; shaking him vehemently by the
  collar of his coat。
  In   his   bewilderment   he   quite   forgot   where   he   was;   and;   in   hurried
  Norse   sentences;   assured   his   persecutor   that   he   was   a   harmless;   honest