part 1-第16部分
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smell the linden bloom。 It was one of those still days of
intense light； when every particle of mica in the soil flashed
like a little mirror； and the glare from the plain below
seemed more intense than the rays from above。 The sand
ridges ran glittering gold out to where the mirage licked
them up； shining and steaming like a lake in the tropics。
The sky looked like blue lava； forever incapable of clouds；
a turquoise bowl that was the lid of the desert。 And yet
within Mrs。 Kohler's green patch the water dripped； the
beds had all been hosed； and the air was fresh with rapidly
evaporating moisture。
The two symmetrical linden trees were the proudest
things in the garden。 Their sweetness embalmed all the
air。 At every turn of the paths；whether one went to see
the hollyhocks or the bleeding heart； or to look at the pur…
ple morning…glories that ran over the bean…poles；wher…
ever one went； the sweetness of the lindens struck one
afresh and one always came back to them。 Under the round
leaves； where the waxen yellow blossoms hung； bevies of
wild bees were buzzing。 The tamarisks were still pink； and
the flower…beds were doing their best in honor of the linden
festival。 The white dove…house was shining with a fresh
coat of paint； and the pigeons were crooning contentedly；
flying down often to drink at the drip from the water tank。
Mrs。 Kohler； who was transplanting pansies； came up with
her trowel and told Thea it was lucky to have your birthday
when the lindens were in bloom； and that she must go and
look at the sweet peas。 Wunsch accompanied her； and as
they walked between the flower…beds he took Thea's hand。
〃ES FLUSTERN UND SPRECHEN DIE BLUMEN；〃
he muttered。 〃You know that von Heine？ IM LEUCHTENDEN
SOMMERMORGEN？〃 He looked down at Thea and softly
pressed her hand。
〃No； I don't know it。 What does FLUSTERN mean？〃
〃FLUSTERN？to whisper。 You must begin now to know
such things。 That is necessary。 How many birthdays？〃
〃Thirteen。 I'm in my 'teens now。 But how can I know
words like that？ I only know what you say at my lessons。
They don't teach German at school。 How can I learn？〃
〃It is always possible to learn when one likes；〃 said
Wunsch。 His words were peremptory； as usual； but his
tone was mild； even confidential。 〃There is always a way。
And if some day you are going to sing； it is necessary to
know well the German language。〃
Thea stooped over to pick a leaf of rosemary。 How did
Wunsch know that； when the very roses on her wall…paper
had never heard it？ 〃But am I going to？〃 she asked； still
stooping。
〃That is for you to say；〃 returned Wunsch coldly。 〃You
would better marry some JACOB here and keep the house for
him； may…be？ That is as one desires。〃
Thea flashed up at him a clear； laughing look。 〃No； I
don't want to do that。 You know；〃 she brushed his coat…
sleeve quickly with her yellow head。 〃Only how can I
learn anything here？ It's so far from Denver。〃
Wunsch's loose lower lip curled in amusement。 Then； as
if he suddenly remembered something； he spoke seriously。
〃Nothing is far and nothing is near； if one desires。 The
world is little； people are little； human life is little。 There is
only one big thingdesire。 And before it； when it is big；
all is little。 It brought Columbus across the sea in a little
boat； UND SO WEITER。〃 Wunsch made a grimace； took his
pupil's hand and drew her toward the grape arbor。 〃Here…
after I will more speak to you in German。 Now； sit down
and I will teach you for your birthday that little song。 Ask
me the words you do not know already。 Now： IM LEUCH…
TENDEN SOMMERMORGEN。〃
Thea memorized quickly because she had the power of
listening intently。 In a few moments she could repeat the
eight lines for him。 Wunsch nodded encouragingly and
they went out of the arbor into the sunlight again。 As they
went up and down the gravel paths between the flower…
beds； the white and yellow butterflies kept darting before
them； and the pigeons were washing their pink feet at the
drip and crooning in their husky bass。 Over and over again
Wunsch made her say the lines to him。 〃You see it is
nothing。 If you learn a great many of the LIEDER； you will
know the German language already。 WEITER； NUN。〃 He
would incline his head gravely and listen。
〃IM LEUCHTENDEN SOMMERMORGEN
GEH' ICH IM GARTEN HERUM；
ES FLUSTERN UND SPRECHEN DIE BLUMEN；
ICH ABER； ICH WANDTE STUMM。
〃ES FLUSTERN UND SPRECHEN DIE BLUMEN
UND SCHAU'N MITLEIDIG MICH AN：
‘SEI UNSERER SCHWESTER NICHT BOSE；
DU TRAURIGER； BLASSER MANN！'〃
（In the soft…shining summer morning
I wandered the garden within。
The flowers they whispered and murmured；
But I； I wandered dumb。
The flowers they whisper and murmur；
And me with compassion they scan：
〃Oh； be not harsh to our sister；
Thou sorrowful； death…pale man！〃）
Wunsch had noticed before that when his pupil read
anything in verse the character of her voice changed alto…
gether； it was no longer the voice which spoke the speech
of Moonstone。 It was a soft； rich contralto； and she read
quietly； the feeling was in the voice itself； not indicated by
emphasis or change of pitch。 She repeated the little verses
musically； like a song； and the entreaty of the flowers was
even softer than the rest； as the shy speech of flowers might
be； and she ended with the voice suspended； almost with a
rising inflection。 It was a nature…voice； Wunsch told him…
self； breathed from the creature and apart from language；
like the sound of the wind in the trees； or the murmur of
water。
〃What is it the flowers mean when they ask him not to
be harsh to their sister； eh？〃 he asked； looking down at her
curiously and wrinkling his dull red forehead。
Thea glanced at him in surprise。 〃I suppose he thinks
they are asking him not to be harsh to his sweetheartor
some girl they remind him of。〃
〃And why TRAURIGER； BLASSER MANN？〃
They had come back to the grape arbor； and Thea picked
out a sunny place on the bench； where a tortoise…shell cat
was stretched at full length。 She sat down； bending over
the cat and teasing his whiskers。 〃Because he had been
awake all night； thinking about her； wasn't it？ Maybe
that was why he was up so early。〃
Wunsch shrugged his shoulders。 〃If he think about her
all night already； why do you say the flowers remind him？〃
Thea looked up at him in perplexity。 A flash of compre…
hension lit her face and she smiled eagerly。 〃Oh； I didn't
mean ‘remind' in that way！ I didn't mean they brought
her to his mind！ I meant it was only when he came out in
the morning； that she seemed to him like that；like one
of the flowers。〃
〃And before he came out； how did she seem？〃
This time it was Thea who shrugged her shoulders。 The
warm smile left her face。 She lifted her eyebrows in annoy…
ance and looked off at the sand hills。
Wunsch persisted。 〃Why you not answer me？〃
〃Because it would be silly。 You are just trying to make
me say things。 It spoils things to ask questions。〃
Wunsch bowed mockingly； his smile was disagreeable。
Suddenly his face grew grave； grew fierce； indeed。 He pulled
himself up from his clumsy stoop and folded his arms。 〃But
it is necessary to know if you know somethings。 Some…
things cannot be taught。 If you not know in the beginning；
you not know in the end。 For a singer there must be some…
thing in the inside from the beginning。 I shall not be long
in this place； may…be； and I like to know。 Yes；〃he
ground his heel in the gravel；〃yes； when you are barely
six； you must know that already。 That is the beginning of
all things； DER GEIST； DIE PHANTASIE。 It must be in the baby；
when it makes its first cry； like DER RHYTHMUS； or it is not to
be。 You have some voice already； and if in the beginning；
when you are with things…to…play； you know that what you
will not tell me； then you can learn to sing； may…be。〃
Wunsch began to pace the arbor； rubbing his hands to…
gether。 The dark flush of his face had spread up under the
iron…gray bristles on his head。 He was talking to himself；
not to Thea。 Insidious power of the linden bloom！ 〃Oh；
much you can learn！ ABER NICHT DIE AMERICANISCHEN FRAU…
LEIN。 They have nothing inside them；〃 striking his chest
with both fists。 〃They are like the ones in the MAR…
CHEN； a grinning face and hollow in the insides。 Some…
thing they can learn； oh； yes； may…be！ But the secret
what make the rose to red； the sky to blue； the man to love
IN DER BRUST； IN DER BRUST it is； UND OHNE DIESES GIEBT ES
KEINE KUNST； GIEBT ES KEINE KUNST！〃 He threw up his square
hand and shook it； all the fingers apart a
