imaynotwrongthee,norwillidoso.ialsoloveher,buttomorrowidepart.inayearwewillseeeachotheragain,butthenyouwillbemarried;shallitnotbeso?ihavealittlegoldofmyown,itshallbeyours.youmustandshalltakeit."
wewanderedsilentlyhomewardacrossthemountains.itwaslateintheeveningwhenwereachedmymother'sdoor.anastasiaheldthelampasweentered;mymotherwasnotthere.shelookedataphtanideswithasweetbutmournfulexpressiononherface."to-morrowyouaregoingtoleaveus,"shesaid."iamverysorry."
"sorry!"heexclaimed,andhisvoicewastroubledwithagriefasdeepasmyown.icouldnotspeak;butheseizedherhandandsaid,"ourbrotheryonderlovesyou,andishenotdeartoyou?hisverysilencenowproveshisaffection."
anastasiatrembled,andburstintotears.thenisawnoone,thoughtofnone,buther.ithrewmyarmsroundher,andpressedmylipstohers.assheflungherarmsroundmyneck,thelampfelltotheground,andwewereindarkness,darkastheheartofpooraphtanides.
beforedaybreakherose,kissedusall,andsaid"farewell,"andwentaway.hehadgivenallhismoneytomymotherforus.anastasiawasbetrothedtome,andinafewdaysafterwardsshebecamemywife.
theend.
1872
fairytalesofhanschristianandersen
theshirt-collar
byhanschristianandersen
therewasonceafinegentlemanwhopossessedamongotherthingsaboot-jackandahair-brush;buthehadalsothefinestshirt-collarintheworld,andofthiscollarweareabouttohearastory.thecollarhadbecomesooldthathebegantothinkaboutgettingmarried;andonedayhehappenedtofindhimselfinthesamewashing-tubasagarter."uponmyword,"saidtheshirt-collar,"ihaveneverseenanythingsoslimanddelicate,soneatandsoftbefore.mayiventuretoaskyourname?"
"ishallnottellyou,"repliedthegarter.
"wheredoyouresidewhenyouareathome?"askedtheshirt-collar.butthegarterwasnaturallyshy,anddidnotknowhowtoanswersuchaquestion.
"ipresumeyouareagirdle,"saidtheshirt-collar,"asortofundergirdle.iseethatyouareuseful,aswellasornamental,mylittlelady."
"youmustnotspeaktome,"saidthegarter;"idonotthinkihavegivenyouanyencouragementtodoso."
"oh,whenanyoneisasbeautifulasyouare,"saidtheshirt-collar,"isnotthatencouragementenough?"
"getaway;don'tcomesonearme,"saidthegarter,"youappeartomequitelikeaman."
"iamafinegentlemancertainly,"saidtheshirt-collar,"ipossessaboot-jackandahair-brush."thiswasnottrue,forthesethingsbelongedtohismaster;buthewasaboaster.
"don'tcomesonearme,"saidthegarter;"iamnotaccustomedtoit."
"affectation!"saidtheshirt-collar.
thentheyweretakenoutofthewash-tub,starched,andhungoverachairinthesunshine,andthenlaidontheironing-dnowcametheglowingiron."mistresswidow,"saidtheshirt-collar,"littlemistresswidow,ifeelquitewarm.iamchanging,iamlosingallmycreases.youareburningaholeinme.ugh!iproposetoyou."
"youoldrag,"saidtheflat-iron,drivingproudlyoverthecollar,forshefanciedherselfasteam-engine,whichrollsovertherailwayanddrawscarriages."youoldrag!"saidshe.
theedgesoftheshirt-collarwerealittlefrayed,sothescissorswerebroughttocutthemsmooth."oh!"exclaimedtheshirt-collar,"whatafirst-ratedanceryouwouldmake;youcanstretchoutyourlegsowell.ineversawanythingsocharming;iamsurenohumanbeingcoulddothesame."
"ishouldthinknot,"repliedthescissors.
"yououghttobeacountess,"saidtheshirtcollar;"butallipossessconsistsofafinegentleman,aboot-jack,andacomb.iwishihadanestateforyoursake."
"what!