天天书屋

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第12部分（第2页）

“Ah！　I　know　nothing　about　the　feelings　of　parents，”　said　the　Water…rat；　“I　am　not　a　family　man。　In　fact，　I　have　never　been　married，　and　I　never　intend　to　be。　Love　is　all　very　well　in　its　way，　but　friendship　is　much　higher。　Indeed，　I　know　of　nothing　in　the　world　that　is　either　nobler　or　rarer　than　a　devoted　friendship。”

“And　what，　pray，　is　your　idea　of　the　duties　of　a　devoted　friend？”　asked　a　Green　Lin，　who　was　sitting　in　a　willow…tree　hard　by，　and　had　overheard　the　conversation。

“Yes，　that　is　just　what　I　want　to　know，”　said　the　Duck；　and　she　swam　away　to　the　end　of　the　pond，　and　stood　upon　her　head，　in　order　to　give　her　children　a　good　example。

“What　a　silly　question！”　cried　the　Water…rat。　“I　should　expect　my　devoted　friend　to　be　devoted　to　me，　of　course。”

“And　what　would　you　do　in　return？”　said　the　little　bird，　swinging　upon　a　silver　spray，　and　flapping　his　tiny　wings。

“I　don’t　understand　you，”　answered　the　Water…rat。

“Let　me　tell　you　a　story　on　the　subject，”　said　the　Lin。

“Is　the　story　about　me？”　asked　the　Water…rat。　“If　so，　I　will　listen　to　it，　for　I　am　extremely　fond　of　fiction。”

“It　is　applicable　to　you，”　answered　the　Lin；　and　he　flew　down，　and　alighting　upon　the　bank，　he　told　the　story　of　The　Devoted　Friend。

“Once　upon　a　time，”　said　the　Lin，　“there　was　an　honest　little　fellow　named　Hans。”

“Was　he　very　distinguished？”　asked　the　Water…rat。

“No，”　answered　the　Lin，　“I　don’t　think　he　was　distinguished　at　all，　except　for　his　kind　heart，　and　his　funny　round　good…humoured　face。　He　lived　in　a　tiny　cottage　all　by　himself，　and　every　day　he　worked　in　his　garden。　In　all　the　country…side　there　was　no　garden　so　lovely　as　his。　Sweet…william　grew　there，　and　Gilly…flowers，　and　Shepherds’…purses，　and　Fair…maids　of　France。　There　were　damask　Roses，　and　yellow　Roses，　lilac　Crocuses，　and　gold，　purple　Violets　and　white。　Columbine　and　Ladysmock，　Marjoram　and　Wild　Basil，　the　Cowslip　and　the　Flower…de…luce，　the　Daffodil　and　the　Clove…Pink　bloomed　or　blossomed　in　their　proper　order　as　the　months　went　by，　one　flower　taking　another　flower‘s　place，　so　that　there　were　always　beautiful　things　to　look　at，　and　pleasant　odours　to　smell。

“Little　Hans　had　a　great　many　friends，　but　the　most　devoted　friend　of　all　was　big　Hugh　the　Miller。　Indeed，　so　devoted　was　the　rich　Miller　to　little　Hans，　that　be　would　never　go　by　his　garden　without　leaning　over　the　wall　and　plucking　a　large　nosegay，　or　a　handful　of　sweet　herbs，　or　filling　his　pockets　with　plums　and　cherries　if　it　was　the　fruit　season。

“　‘Real　friends　should　have　everything　in　mon，’　the　Miller　used　to　say，　and　little　Hans　nodded　and　smiled，　and　felt　very　proud　of　having　a　friend　with　such　noble　ideas。

“Sometimes，　indeed，　the　neighbours　thought　it　strange　that　the　rich　Miller　never　gave　little　Hans　anything　in　return，　though　he　had　a　hundred　sacks　of　flour　stored　away　in　his　mill，　and　six　milch　cows，　and　a　large　flock　of　woolly　sheep；　but　Hans　never　troubled　his　head　about　these　things，　and　nothing　gave　him　greater　pleasure　than　to　listen　to　all　the　wonderful　things　the　Miller　used　to　say　about　the　unselfishness　of　true　friendship。

“So　little　Hans　worked　away　in　his　garden。　During　the　spring，　the　summer，　and　the　autumn　he　was　very　happy，　but　when　the　winter　came，　and　he　had　no　fruit　or　flowers　to　bring　to　the　market，　he　suffered　a　good　deal　from　cold　and　hunger，　and　often　had　to　go　to　bed　without　any　supper　but　a　few　dried　pears　or　some　hard　nuts。　In　the　winter，　also，　he　was　extremely　lonely，　as　the　Miller　never　came　to　see　him　then。

“　‘There　is　no　good　in　my　going　to　see　little　Hans　as　long　as　the　snow　lasts，’the　Miller　used　to　say　to　his　wife，　‘for　when　people　are　in　trouble　they　should　be　left　alone，　and　not　be　bothered　by　visitors。　That　at　least　is　my　idea　about　friendship，　and　I　am　sure　I　am　right。　So　I　shall　wait　till　the　spring　es，　and　then　I　shall　pay　him　a　visit，　and　he　will　be　able　to　give　me　a　large　basket　of　primroses　and　that　will　make　him　so　happy。’

“　‘You　are　certainly　very　thoughtful　about　others，’　answered　the　Wife，　as　she　sat　in　her　fortable　armchair　by　the　big　pinewood　fire；‘very　thoughtful　indeed。　It　is　quite　a　treat　to　hear　you　talk　about　friendship。　I　am　sure　the　clergyman　himself　could　not　say　such　beautiful　things　as　you　do，　though　he　does　live　in　a　three…storied　house，　and　wear　a　gold　ring　on　his　little　finger。’

“　‘But　could　we　not　ask　little　Hans　up　here？’　said　the　Miller’s　youngest　son。　‘If　poor　Hans　is　in　trouble　I　will　give　him　half　my　porridge，　and　show　him　my　white　rabbits。’

“　‘What　a　silly　boy　you　are！’　cried　the　Miller；　‘I　really　don’t　know　what　is　the　use　of　sending　you　to　school。　You　seem　not　to　learn　anything。　Why，　if　little　Hans　came　up　here，　and　saw　our　warm　fire，　and　our　good　supper，　and　our　great　cask　of　red　wine，　he　might　get　envious，　and　envy　is　a　most　terrible　thing，　and　would　spoil　anybody’s　nature。　I　certainly　will　not　allow　Hans’　nature　to　be　spoiled。　I　am　his　best　friend，　and　I　will　always　watch　over　him，　and　see　that　he　is　not　led　into　any　temptations。　Besides，　if　Hans　came　here，　he　might　ask　me　to　let　him　have　some　flour　on　credit，　and　that　I　could　not　do。　Flour　is　one　thing，　and　friendship　is　another，　and　they　should　not　be　confused。　Why，　the　words　are　spelt　differently，　and　mean　quite　different　things。　Everybody　can　see　that。’

“　‘How　well　you　talk！’　said　the　Miller’s　Wife，　pouring　herself　out　a　large　glass　of　warm　ale；　‘really　I　feel　quite　drowsy。　It　is　just　like　being　in　church。’

“　‘Lots　of　people　act　well，’　answered　the　Miller；　‘but　very　few　people　talk　well，　which　shows　that　talking　is　much　the　more　difficult　thing　of　the　two，　and　much　the　finer　thing　also；’　and　he　looked　sternly　across　the　table　at　his　little　son，　who　felt　so　ashamed　of　himself　that　he　hung　his　head　down，　and　grew　quite　scarlet，　and　began　to　cry　into　his　tea。　However，　he　was　so　young　that　you　must　e

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