A GREAT GRIEF

THIS story really consists of two parts；the first part might be left out，but it gives us a few particulars，and these are useful．

We were staying in the country at a gentleman's seat，where it happened that the master and mistress were absent for a few days．In the meantime there arrived from the next town a lady；she had a pug-dog with her，and came，she said，to dispose of shares in her tan－yard．She had her papers with her，and we advised her to put them in an envelope，and to write thereon the address of the proprietor of the estate，“General War-Commissary Knight，”＆c．

She listened to us attentively，seized the pen，paused，and begged us to repeat the direction slowly．We complied，and she wrote；but in the midst of the “General War”she stuck fast，sighed deeply，and said，“I am only a woman！”She had set the pug on the floor while she wrote，and he growled，for he had been taken with her for his amusement and for the sake of his health；and then one ought not to be set upon the floor．His outwardappearance was characterized by a snub nose and a very fat back．

“He doesn's bite，”said the lady；“he has no teeth．He is like one of the family，faithful and grumpy，but that is because he is teased by my grandchildren：they play at weddings，and want to give him the part of the bridesmaid，and that's too much for him，poor old fellow．”

And she delivered her papers，and took Puggie upon her arm．And this is the first part of the story，which might have been left out．

PUGGIE DIED！！That's the second part．

It was about a week afterwards we arrived in the town，and put up at the inn．Our windows looked into the tan－yard，which was divided into two parts by a partition of planks；in one half were many skins and hides raw and tanned．Here was all the apparatus necessary to carry on a tannery，and it belonged to the widow．Puggie had died in the morning，and had been buried in this part of the yard：the grandchildren of the window（that is，of the tanner's widow，for Puggie had never been married）filled up the grave，and it was a beautiful grave——it must have been quite pleasant to lie there．

The grave was bordered with pieces of flower－pots and strewn over with sand；quite at the top they had stuck up half a beer bottle，with the neck upwards，and that was not at all allegorical．

The children danced round the grave，and the eldest of the boys among them，a practical youngster of seven years，made the proposition that there should be an exhibition of Puggie's burial－place for all who lived in the lane；the price of admission was to be a trouser button，for every boy would be sure to have one，and each might also give one for a little girl．This proposal was adopted by acclama－tion．

And all the children out of the lane——yes，even out of the little lane at the back——flocked to the place，and each gave a button．Many were noticed to go about on that afternoon with only one brace；but then they had seen Puggie's grave，and the sight was worth as much as that．

But in front of the tan－yard，close to the entrance，stood a little girl clothed in rags，very pretty to look at，with curly hair，and eyes so blue and clear that it was a pleasure to look into them．The child said not a word，nor did she cry；but each time the little door was opened she gave a long，long look into the yard．She had not a but－ton——that she knew right well，and therefore she remained standing sorrowfully outside，till all the others had seen the grave and had gone away；then she sat down，held her little brown hands before her eyes，and burst into tears：this girl alone had not seen Puggie's grave．it was a grief as great to her as any grown person can experience．

We saw this from above；and，looked at from above，how many a grief of our own and of others can make us smile！That is the story，and whoever does not understand it may go and purchase a share in the tan－yard of the widow．

伤心事

 

我们现在所讲的这个故事实际上分做两部分：头一部分可以删掉，但是它可以告诉我们一些细节——这是很有用的。

我们是住在乡下的一位绅士的邸宅里。恰巧主人要出去几天。在这同时，有一位太太从邻近的小镇里到来了。她带着一只哈巴狗；据她说，她来的目的是为了要处理她在制革厂的几份股子。她把所有的文件都带来了；我们都建议她把这些文件放在一个封套里，在上面写出业主的地址：“作战兵站总监，爵士”等等。

她认真听我们讲，同时拿起笔，沉思了一会儿，于是就要求我们把这意见又慢慢地念一次。我们同意，于是她就写起来。当她写到“作战兵站总监”的时候，她把笔停住了，长叹了一口气说：“不过我只是一个女人！”

当她在写的时候，她把那只哈巴狗放在地上。它狺狺地叫起来。她是为了它的娱乐和健康才把它带来的，因此人们不应该把它放在地上。它外表的特点是一个朝天的鼻子和一个肥胖的背。

“它并不咬人！”太太说，“它没有牙齿。它是像家里的一个成员，忠心而脾气很坏。不过这是因为我的孙子常常开它的玩笑的原故：他们做结婚的游戏，要它扮作新娘。可怜的小老头儿，这使它太吃不消了！”

她把她的文件交出去了，又把她的哈巴狗抱在怀里。这就是故事的头一部分，可以删去。

“哈巴狗死掉了！”这是故事的第二部分。

这是一个星期以后的事情：我们来到城里，在一个客栈里安住下来。

我们的窗子面对着制革厂的院子。院子用木栏栅隔做两部。一部里面挂着许多皮革——生皮和制好了的皮。这儿一切制革的必需器具都有，而且是属于这个寡妇的。哈巴狗在早晨死去了，同时被埋葬在这个院子里。寡妇的孙子们（也就是制革厂老板的未亡人的孙子们，因为哈巴狗从来没有结过婚）掩好了这座坟。它是一座很美的坟——躺在它里面一定是很愉快的。

坟的四周镶了一些花盆的碎片，上面还撒了一些沙子。坟顶上还插了半个啤酒瓶，瓶颈朝上——这并没有什么象征的意义。

孩子们在坟的周围跳舞。他们中间最大的一个孩子——一个很实际的、7岁的小孩子——提议开一个哈巴狗坟墓展览会，让街上所有的人都来看。门票价是一个裤子扣，因为这是每个男孩子都有的东西，而且还可以有多余的来替女孩子买门票。这个提议得到全体一致通过。

街上所有的孩子——甚至后街上的孩子——都涌到这地方来，献出他们的扣子，这天下午人们可以看到许多孩子只有一根背带吊着他们的裤子，但是他们却看到了哈巴狗的坟墓，而这也值得出那么多的代价一看。

不过在制革厂的外面，紧靠着入口的地方，站着一个衣服褴褛的女孩子。她很可爱，她的卷发很美丽，她的眼睛又蓝又亮，使人看到感觉愉快。她一句话也不说，但是她也不哭。每次那个门一打开的时候，她就朝里面怅然地望很久。她没有一个扣子——这点她知道得清清楚楚，因此她就悲哀地呆在外面，一直等到别的孩子们都参观了坟墓、离去了为止。然后她就坐下来，把她那双棕色的小手蒙住自己的眼睛，大哭一场；只有她一个人没有看过哈巴狗的坟墓。就她说来，这是一件伤心事，跟成年人常常所感到的伤心事差不多。

我们在上面看到这情景，而且是高高地在上面观看。这件伤心事，像我们自己和许多别人的伤心事一样，使得我们微笑！这就是整个的故事。任何人如果不了解它，可以到这个寡妇的制革厂去买一份股子。

 

这个小品收集在安徒生于1853年11月30日在哥本哈根出版的一本只有68页的《故事集》里，这是该书5篇中的一篇。它是根据一件真事写成的：安徒生在丹麦富恩岛旅行的时候，有一个制革厂的妇人向他兜售制革厂的股票。他当然没有买，但他由此写了这篇小故事。

故事的头一部分，的确“可以删去”，但与第二部的真正的故事也不无联系。哈巴狗是那妇人的宠物，她走到哪里就把它带到哪里。在制革厂，她就在那里为它修了一座坟墓。这本是件无聊的事，但对孩子们却不寻常，它成了他们中间轰动一时的展览品。他们中的一个7岁的孩子是个伟大的“实用主义”者。他灵机一动，为这个展览卖起门票来。每张票——一颗裤子的扣子——的代价并不高，但一个小女孩恰恰没有这样一颗扣子，因而就没有机会一睹这次盛况。她的伤心是真正的伤心。“跟成年人常常所感到的伤心事几乎差不多。”对孩子的心理，安徒生寥寥几笔就勾勒出一个活灵活现的图画。至于“伤心”的问题，在孩子身上，正如在成年人身上一样，他用比寥寥几笔还更少的字描出它的本质：“把她那双棕色的小手蒙住自己的眼睛，大哭一场”——这真是伤心的大哭，跟一个百万富翁在股市市场破了产差不多。