"Dance and stamp
Till the shoe-soles drop!"
--Danish Popular Song.
On the following day should the much-talked-of mowing-festival take place. It was the hay-harvest which occasioned all this merriment. [Author's Note: It is true that serfdom is abolished, but the peasant is still not quite free; neither can he be so. For his house and land he must pay a tribute, and this consists in labor1. His own work must give way to that of his lord. His wagon2, which he has had prepared to bring home his own harvest, must, if such be commanded, go to the nobleman's land, and there render service. This is, therefore, a kind of tax which he pays, and for the faithful payment of which he is rewarded by a harvest and mowing-feast; at the latter he receives a certain quantity of brandy, and as much ale as he can drink. The dance generally takes place in the middle of the court-yard, and the dancers themselves must pay their musicians.]
During three afternoons in succession, in the inner court and under free heaven, should a ball be held. Along the walls, rough planks4, laid upon logs of wood, formed a row of benches. At both ends of the court lay two barrels of the newly brewed5 ale, which had received more malt than usual, and which, besides, through the silver skilling, and the magic dance of the maidens6 round the tub, had acquired extraordinary strength. A large wooden tankard, containing several measures of brandy, stood upon a table; the man who watched the bleaching-ground was placed as a kind of butler to preside at this sideboard. A bread-woman, with new white bread from Nyborg upon her barrow, wheeled into the court, and there established her stall for every one; for it was only liquors the guests received gratis7.
The guests now entered the court by pairs; the men, part in jackets, part in long coats which hung down to their ankles. Out of the waistcoat-pocket protruded8 a little nosegay of sweet-williams and musk9. The girls carried their "posies," as they called them, in their neatly10 folded pocket-handkerchiefs. Two musicians--one quite a young blade, in a laced coat with a stiff cravat11, mid3 the other the well-known Peter Cripple, "Musikanti" as he was called--led the procession. They both played one and the same piece, but each according to his own manner. It was both good and old.
They now began to draw lots, who should dance before the door of the family and who before that of the steward12; after which the two parties drew lots for the musicians. The girls seated themselves in a row upon the bench, from whence they were chosen. The gallantry accorded with the ball-room,--the hard stone pavement. Not even had the grass been pulled up, but that would be all right after dancing there the first day. "Nay13, why art thou sitting there?" spoken with a kind of morose15 friendliness16, was the invitation to dance; and this served for seven dances. "Only don't be melancholy17!" resounded18 from the company, and now the greater portion moved phlegmatically19 along, as if in sleep or in a forced dance: the girl with her eyes staring at her own feet, her partner with his head bent20 toward one side, and his eyes in a direct line with the girl's head-dress. A few of the most active exhibited, it is true, a kind of animation21, by stamping so lustily upon the stone pavement that the dust whirled up around them. That was a joy! a joy which had occupied them many weeks, but as yet the joy had not reached its height; "but that will soon come!" said Wilhelm, who, with his sister and Otto, had taken his place at an open window.
The old people meanwhile kept to the ale-barrels, and the brandy. The latter was offered to the girls, and they were obliged, at least, to sip22. Wilhelm soon discovered the prettiest, and threw them roses. The girls immediately sprang to the spot to collect the flowers: but the cavaliers also wished to have them, and they were the stronger; they, therefore, boldly pushed the ladies aside, so that some seated themselves on the stone pavement and got no roses: that was a merry bit of fun! "Thou art a foolish thing! It fell upon thy shoulder and thou couldst not catch it!" said the first lover to his lady, and stuck the rose into his waistcoat-pocket.
All got partners--all the girls; even the children, they leaped about to their own singing out upon the bridge. Only ONE stood forlorn,--Sidsel, with the grown-together eyebrows23; she smiled, laughed aloud; no one would become her partner. Peter Cripple handed his violin to one of the young men and asked him to play, for he himself wished to stretch his legs a little. The girls drew back and talked with each other; but Peter Cripple stepped quietly forward toward Sidsel, flung his arms around her, and they danced a whirling dance. Sophie laughed aloud at it, but Sidsel directed her extraordinary glance maliciously24 and piercingly toward her. Otto saw it, and the girl was doubly revolting and frightful25 in his eyes. With the increasing darkness the assembly became more animated26; the two parties of dancers were resolved into one. At length, when it was grown quite dark, the ale barrels become empty, the tankard again filled and once more emptied, the company withdrew in pairs, singing. Now commenced the first joy, the powerful operation of the ale. They now wandered through the wood, accompanying each other home, as they termed it; but this was a wandering until the bright morning.
Otto and Wilhelm were gone out into the avenue, and the peasants shouted to them a grateful "Good night!" for the merry afternoon.
"Now works the witchcraft27!" said Wilhelm; "the magical power of the ale! Now begins the bacchand! Give your hand to the prettiest girl, and she will immediately give you her heart!"
"Pity," answered Otto, "that the Maenades of the north possess only that which is brutal28 in common with those of the south!"
"See, there goes the smith's pretty daughter, to whom I threw the best rose!" cried Wilhelm. "She has got two lovers, one under either arm!"
"Yes, there she goes!" simpered a female voice close to them. It was Sidsel, who sat upon the steps of a stile almost concealed29 in the darkness, which the trees and the hedge increased still more.
"Has Sidsel no lover?" asked Wilhelm.
"Hi, hi, hi," simpered she; "the Herr Baron30 and the other gentleman seek, doubtless, for a little bride. Am I beautiful enough? At night all cats are gray!"
"Come!" whispered Otto, and drew Wilhelm away from her. "She sits like some bird of ill omen31 there in the hedge."
"What a difference!" exclaimed Wilhelm, as he followed; "yes, what a difference between this monster, nay, between the other girls and Eva! She was, doubtless, born in the same poverty, in similar circumstances, and yet they are like day and night. What a soul has been given to Eva! what inborn32 nobility! It must be, really, more than a mere33 freak of Nature!"
"Only do not let Nature play her freaks with you!" said Otto, smiling, and raised his hand. "You speak often of Eva."
"Here it was association of ideas," answered Wilhelm. "The contrast awoke remembrance."
Otto entered his chamber34--he opened the window; it was a moonlight night. From the near wood resounded laughter and song. They came from the young men and girls, who, on their wandering, gave themselves up to merriment. Otto stood silent and full of thought in the open window. Perhaps it was the moon which lent her paleness to his countenance35. On what did he reflect? Upon his departure, perhaps? Only one more day would he remain here, where he felt himself so much at home; but then the journey was toward his own house, to his grandfather, to Rosalie, and the old preacher, who all thought so much of him. Otto stood listening and silent. The wind bore the song more distinctly over from the wood.
"That is their joy, their happiness!" said he. "It might have been my joy also, my happiness!" lay in the sigh which he heaved. His lips did not move, his thoughts alone spoke14 their silent language. "I might have stood on a level with these; my soul might have been chained to the dust, and yet it would have been the same which I now possess, with which I long to compass all worlds! the same, endowed with this sentiment of pride, which drives me on to active exertion36. My fate wavered whether I should become one such as these or whether I should rise into that circle which the world calls the higher. The mist-form did not sink down into the mire37, but rose above into the high refreshing38 air. And am I become happy through this?" His eye stared upon the bright disk of the moon. Two large tears rolled over his pale cheeks. "Infinite Omnipotence39! I acknowledge Thy existence! Thou dost direct all; upon Thee will I depend!"
A melancholy smile passed over his lips; he stepped back into the chamber, folded his hands, prayed, and felt rest and peace.
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1
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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2
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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3
mid
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| adj.中央的，中间的 | |
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4
planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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5
brewed
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| 调制( brew的过去式和过去分词 )； 酝酿； 沏（茶）； 煮（咖啡） | |
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6
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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7
gratis
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| adj.免费的 | |
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8
protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
musk
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| n.麝香, 能发出麝香的各种各样的植物，香猫 | |
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10
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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11
cravat
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| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
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12
steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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13
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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14
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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15
morose
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| adj.脾气坏的，不高兴的 | |
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16
friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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17
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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18
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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19
phlegmatically
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20
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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21
animation
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| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
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22
sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
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23
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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24
maliciously
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| adv.有敌意地 | |
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25
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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26
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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27
witchcraft
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| n.魔法，巫术 | |
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28
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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29
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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30
baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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31
omen
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| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
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32
inborn
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| adj.天生的，生来的，先天的 | |
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33
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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34
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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35
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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36
exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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37
mire
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| n.泥沼，泥泞；v.使...陷于泥泞，使...陷入困境 | |
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38
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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39
omnipotence
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| n.全能，万能，无限威力 | |
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