UNDER THE WILLOW-TREE [6]
day," thought he, "the earth will
unfold its great wings, and soar upwards to the skies, there to
burst like a soap-bubble in the radiant glance of the Deity. Oh,"
sighed he, "that the last day were come!"
Silently he wandered on through the country of the Alps, which
seemed to him like a fruit garden, covered with soft turf. From the
wooden balconies of the houses the young lacemakers nodded as he
passed. The summits of the mountains glowed in the red evening sunset,
and the green lakes beneath the dark trees reflected the glow. Then he
thought of the sea coast by the bay Kjoge, with a longing in his heart
that was, however, without pain. There, where the Rhine rolls onward
like a great billow, and dissolves itself into snowflakes, where
glistening clouds are ever changing as if here was the place of
their creation, while the rainbow flutters about them like a
many-colored ribbon, there did Knud think of the water-mill at
Kjoge, with its rushing, foaming waters. Gladly would he have remained
in the quiet Rhenish town, but there were too many elders and
willow-trees.
So he travelled onwards, over a grand, lofty chain of mountains,
over rugged,- rocky precipices, and along roads that hung on the
mountain's side like a swallow's nest. The waters foamed in the depths
below him. The clouds lay beneath him. He wandered on, treading upon
Alpine roses, thistles, and snow, with the summer sun shining upon
him, till at length he bid farewell to the lands of the north. Then he
passed on under the shade of blooming chestnut-trees, through
vineyards, and fields of Indian corn, till conscious that the
mountains were as a wall between him and his early recollections;
and he wished it to be so.
Before him lay a large and splendid city, called Milan, and here
he found a German master who engaged him as a workman. The master
and his wife, in whose workshop he was employed, were an old, pious
couple; and the two old people became quite fond of the quiet
journeyman, who spoke but little, but worked more, and led a pious,
Christian life; and even to himself it seemed as if God had removed
the heavy burden from his heart. His greatest pleasure was to climb,
now and then, to the roof of the noble church, which was built of
white marble. The pointed towers, the decorated and open cloisters,
the stately columns, the white statues which smiled upon him from
every corner and porch and arch,- all, even the church itself,
seemed to him to have been formed from the snow of his native land.
Above him was the blue sky; below him, the city and the wide-spreading
plains of Lombardy; and towards the north, the lofty mountains,
covered with perpetual snow. And then he thought of the church of
Kjoge, with its red, ivy-clad walls, but he had no longing to go
there; here, beyond the mountains, he would die and be buried.
Three years had passed away since he left his home; one year of
that time he had dwelt at Milan.
One day his master took him into the town; not to the circus in
which riders performed, but to the opera, a large building, itself a
sight well worth seeing. The seven tiers of boxes, which reached
from the ground to a dizzy height, near the ceiling, were hung with
rich, silken curtains; and in them were seated elegantly-dressed
ladies, with bouquets of flowers in their hands. The gentlemen were
also in full dress, and many of them wore decorations of gold and
silver. The place was so brilliantly lighted that it seemed like
sunshine, and glorious music rolled through the building. Everything
looked more beautiful than in the theatre at Copenhagen, but then
Joanna had been there, and- could it be? Yes- it was like magic,-
she was here also: for, when the curtain rose, there stood Joanna,
dressed in silk and gold, and with a golden crown upon her head. She
sang, he thought, as only an angel could sing; and then she stepped
forward to the front and smiled, as only Joanna could smile, and
looked directly at Knud.
unfold its great wings, and soar upwards to the skies, there to
burst like a soap-bubble in the radiant glance of the Deity. Oh,"
sighed he, "that the last day were come!"
Silently he wandered on through the country of the Alps, which
seemed to him like a fruit garden, covered with soft turf. From the
wooden balconies of the houses the young lacemakers nodded as he
passed. The summits of the mountains glowed in the red evening sunset,
and the green lakes beneath the dark trees reflected the glow. Then he
thought of the sea coast by the bay Kjoge, with a longing in his heart
that was, however, without pain. There, where the Rhine rolls onward
like a great billow, and dissolves itself into snowflakes, where
glistening clouds are ever changing as if here was the place of
their creation, while the rainbow flutters about them like a
many-colored ribbon, there did Knud think of the water-mill at
Kjoge, with its rushing, foaming waters. Gladly would he have remained
in the quiet Rhenish town, but there were too many elders and
willow-trees.
So he travelled onwards, over a grand, lofty chain of mountains,
over rugged,- rocky precipices, and along roads that hung on the
mountain's side like a swallow's nest. The waters foamed in the depths
below him. The clouds lay beneath him. He wandered on, treading upon
Alpine roses, thistles, and snow, with the summer sun shining upon
him, till at length he bid farewell to the lands of the north. Then he
passed on under the shade of blooming chestnut-trees, through
vineyards, and fields of Indian corn, till conscious that the
mountains were as a wall between him and his early recollections;
and he wished it to be so.
Before him lay a large and splendid city, called Milan, and here
he found a German master who engaged him as a workman. The master
and his wife, in whose workshop he was employed, were an old, pious
couple; and the two old people became quite fond of the quiet
journeyman, who spoke but little, but worked more, and led a pious,
Christian life; and even to himself it seemed as if God had removed
the heavy burden from his heart. His greatest pleasure was to climb,
now and then, to the roof of the noble church, which was built of
white marble. The pointed towers, the decorated and open cloisters,
the stately columns, the white statues which smiled upon him from
every corner and porch and arch,- all, even the church itself,
seemed to him to have been formed from the snow of his native land.
Above him was the blue sky; below him, the city and the wide-spreading
plains of Lombardy; and towards the north, the lofty mountains,
covered with perpetual snow. And then he thought of the church of
Kjoge, with its red, ivy-clad walls, but he had no longing to go
there; here, beyond the mountains, he would die and be buried.
Three years had passed away since he left his home; one year of
that time he had dwelt at Milan.
One day his master took him into the town; not to the circus in
which riders performed, but to the opera, a large building, itself a
sight well worth seeing. The seven tiers of boxes, which reached
from the ground to a dizzy height, near the ceiling, were hung with
rich, silken curtains; and in them were seated elegantly-dressed
ladies, with bouquets of flowers in their hands. The gentlemen were
also in full dress, and many of them wore decorations of gold and
silver. The place was so brilliantly lighted that it seemed like
sunshine, and glorious music rolled through the building. Everything
looked more beautiful than in the theatre at Copenhagen, but then
Joanna had been there, and- could it be? Yes- it was like magic,-
she was here also: for, when the curtain rose, there stood Joanna,
dressed in silk and gold, and with a golden crown upon her head. She
sang, he thought, as only an angel could sing; and then she stepped
forward to the front and smiled, as only Joanna could smile, and
looked directly at Knud.