《小学英语 安徒生童话系列（四）the Old Grave-Stone老墓碑阅读素材》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《小学英语 安徒生童话系列（四）the Old Grave-Stone老墓碑阅读素材（6页珍藏版）》请在金锄头文库上搜索。
1、theOldGrave-StonebyHansChristianAndersen（1852）INahouse，withalargecourtyard，inaprovincialtown，atthattimeoftheyearinwhichpeoplesaytheeveningsaregrowinglonger，afamilycircleweregatheredtogetherattheiroldhome.Alampburnedonthetable，althoughtheweatherwasmildandwarm，andthelongcurtainshungdownbeforetheopenwi
2、ndows，andwithoutthemoonshonebrightlyinthedark-bluesky.Buttheywerenottalkingofthemoon，butofalarge，oldstonethatlaybelowinthecourtyardnotveryfarfromthekitchendoor.Themaidsoftenlaidthecleancoppersaucepansandkitchenvesselsonthisstone，thattheymightdryinthesun，andthechildrenwerefondofplayingonit.Itwas，infa
3、ct，anoldgrave-stone.“Yes，”saidthemasterofthehouse， “Ibelievethestonecamefromthegraveyardoftheoldchurchoftheconventwhichwaspulleddown，andthepulpit，themonuments，andthegrave-stonessold.Myfatherboughtthelatter；mostofthemwerecutintwoandusedforpaving-stones，butthatonestonewaspreservedwhole，andlaidinthecou
4、rtyard.”“Anyonecanseethatitisagrave-stone，”saidtheeldestofthechildren； “therepresentationofanhour-glassandpartofthefigureofanangelcanstillbetraced，buttheinscriptionbeneathisquitewornout，exceptingthenamePreben，andalargeSclosebyit，andalittlefartherdownthenameofMarthacanbeeasilyread.Butnothingmore，ande
5、venthatcannotbeseenunlessithasbeenraining，orwhenwehavewashedthestone.”“Dearme！howsingular.Whythatmustbethegrave-stoneofPrebenSchwaneandhiswife.”theoldmanwhosaidthislookedoldenoughtobethegrandfatherofallpresentintheroom.“Yes，”hecontinued， “thesepeoplewereamongthelastwhowereburiedinthechurchyardoftheo
6、ldconvent.Theywereaveryworthyoldcouple，Icanrememberthemwellinthedaysofmyboyhood.Everyoneknewthem，andtheywereesteemedbyall.Theyweretheoldestresidentsinthetown，andpeoplesaidtheypossessedatonofgold，yettheywerealwaysveryplainlydressed，inthecoarseststuff，butwithlinenofthepurestwhiteness.PrebenandMarthawe
7、reafineoldcouple，andwhentheybothsatonthebench，atthetopofthesteepstonesteps，infrontoftheirhouse，withthebranchesofthelinden-treewavingabovethem，andnoddedinagentle，friendlywaytopassersby，itreallymadeonefeelquitehappy.Theywereverygoodtothepoor；theyfedthemandclothedthem，andintheirbenevolencetherewasjudgm
8、entaswellastrueChristianity.Theoldwomandiedfirst；thatdayisstillquitevividlybeforemyeyes.Iwasalittleboy，andhadaccompaniedmyfathertotheoldmanshouse.Marthahadfallenintothesleepofdeathjustaswearrivedthere.Thecorpselayinabedroom，neartotheoneinwhichwesat，andtheoldmanwasinGREatdistressandweepinglikeachild.
9、Hespoketomyfather，andtoafewneighborswhowerethere，ofhowlonelyheshouldfeelnowshewasgone，andhowgoodandtrueshe，hisdeadwife，hadbeenduringthenumberofyearsthattheyhadpassedthroughlifetogether，andhowtheyhadbecomeacquainted，andlearnttoloveeachother.Iwas，asIhavesaid，aboy，andonlystoodbyandlistenedtowhattheothe
10、rssaid；butitfilledmewithastrangeemotiontolistentotheoldman，andtowatchhowthecolorroseinhischeeksashespokeofthedaysoftheircourtship，ofhowbeautifulshewas，andhowmanylittletrickshehadbeenguiltyof，thathemightmeether.Andthenhetalkedofhiswedding-day；andhiseyesbrightened，andheseemedtobecarriedback，byhiswords
11、，tothatjoyfultime.Andyetthereshewas，lyinginthenextroom，deadanoldwoman，andhewasanoldman，speakingofthedaysofhope，longpassedaway.Ah，well，soitis；thenIwasbutachild，andnowIamold，asoldasPrebenSchwanethenwas.Timepassesaway，andallthingschanged.Icanrememberquitewellthedayonwhichshewasburied，andhowOldPrebenwal
12、kedclosebehindthecoffin.“Afewyearsbeforethistimetheoldcouplehadhadtheirgrave-stoneprepared，withaninscriptionandtheirnames，butnotthedate.Intheeveningthestonewastakentothechurchyard，andlaidonthegrave.Ayearlateritwastakenup，thatOldPrebenmightbelaidbythesideofhiswife.Theydidnotleavebehindthemwealth，they
13、leftbehindthemfarlessthanpeoplehadbelievedtheypossessed；whattherewaswenttofamiliesdistantlyrelatedtothem，ofwhom，tillthen，noonehadeverheard.Theoldhouse，withitsbalconyofwickerwork，andthebenchatthetopofthehighsteps，underthelime-tree，wasconsidered，bytheroad-inspectors，toooldandrottentobeleftstanding.Afterwards，whenthesamefatebefelltheconventchurch，andthegraveyardwasdestroyed，thegrave-stoneofPrebenandMartha，likeeverythingelse，wassoldtowhoeverwouldbuyit.Andsoithappenedthat
