our aunt-第2部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　come　out；　but　the　people　before　her；　in　their　fright　and

heedlessness；　slammed　the　door　of　the　box；　and　there　sat　our　aunt；　and

couldn't　get　out；　and　couldn't　get　in；　that　is　to　say；　she　couldn't

get　into　the　next　box；　for　the　partition　was　too　high　for　her。　She

called　out；　and　no　one　heard　her；　she　looked　down　into　the　tier　of

boxes　below　her；　and　it　was　empty；　and　low；　and　looked　quite　near；　and

aunt　in　her　terror　felt　quite　young　and　light。　She　thought　of

jumping　down；　and　had　got　one　leg　over　the　partition；　the　other

resting　on　the　bench。　There　she　sat　astride；　as　if　on　horseback；

well　wrapped　up　in　her　flowered　cloak　with　one　leg　hanging　out…　a

leg　in　a　tremendous　fur　boot。　That　was　a　sight　to　behold；　and　when

it　was　beheld；　our　aunt　was　heard　too；　and　was　saved　from　burning；　for

the　theatre　was　not　burned　down。

　　　　That　was　the　most　memorable　evening　of　her　life；　and　she　was

glad　that　she　could　not　see　herself；　for　she　would　have　died　with

confusion。

　　　　Her　benefactor　in　the　machinery　department；　Herr　Sivertsen；

visited　her　every　Sunday；　but　it　was　a　long　time　from　Sunday　to

Sunday。　In　the　latter　time；　therefore；　she　used　to　have　in　a　little

child　〃for　the　scraps；〃　that　is　to　say；　to　eat　up　the　remains　of　the

dinner。　It　was　a　child　employed　in　the　ballet；　one　that　certainly

wanted　feeding。　The　little　one　used　to　appear；　sometimes　as　an　elf；

sometimes　as　a　page；　the　most　difficult　part　she　had　to　play　was　the

lion's　hind　leg　in　the　〃Magic　Flute；〃　but　as　she　grew　larger　she　could

represent　the　fore…feet　of　the　lion。　She　certainly　only　got　half　a

guilder　for　that；　whereas　the　hind　legs　were　paid　for　with　a　whole

guilder；　but　then　she　had　to　walk　bent；　and　to　do　without　fresh　air。

〃That　was　all　very　interesting　to　hear；〃　said　our　aunt。

　　　　She　deserved　to　live　as　long　as　the　theatre　stood；　but　she　could

not　last　so　long；　and　she　did　not　die　in　the　theatre；　but

respectably　in　her　bed。　Her　last　words　were；　moreover；　not　without

meaning。　She　asked；

　　　　〃What　will　the　play　be　to…morrow？〃

　　　　At　her　death　she　left　about　five　hundred　dollars。　We　presume

this　from　the　interest；　which　came　to　twenty　dollars。　This　our　aunt

had　destined　as　a　legacy　for　a　worthy　old　spinster　who　had　no　friends；

it　was　to　be　devoted　to　a　yearly　subscription　for　a　place　in　the

second　tier；　on　the　left　side；　for　the　Saturday　evening；　〃for　on

that　evening　two　pieces　were　always　given；〃　it　said　in　the　will；　and

the　only　condition　laid　upon　the　person　who　enjoyed　the　legacy　was；

that　she　should　think；　every　Saturday　evening；　of　our　aunt；　who　was

lying　in　her　grave。

　　　　This　was　our　aunt's　religion。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。