1、小学英语安徒生童话系列七theJewishMaiden犹太女子阅读素材theJewishMaidenbyHansChristianAndersen(1856)INacharityschool,amongthechildren,satalittleJewishgirl.Shewasagood,intelligentchild,andveryquickatherlessons;buttheScripture-lessonclassshewasnotallowedtojoin,forthiswasaChristianschool.Duringthehourofthislesson,theJewish
2、girlwasallowedtolearnhergeography,ortoworkhersumforthenextday;andwhenhergeographylessonwasperfect,thebookremainedopenbeforeher,butshereadnotanotherword,forshesatsilentlylisteningtothewordsoftheChristianteacher.Hesoonbecameawarethatthelittleonewaspayingmoreattentiontowhathesaidthanmostoftheotherchild
3、ren. “Readyourbook,Sarah,”hesaidtohergently.Butagainandagainhesawherdark,beamingeyesfixeduponhim;andonce,whenheaskedheraquestion,shecouldanswerhimevenbetterthantheotherchildren.Shehadnotonlyheard,butunderstoodhiswords,andponderedtheminherheart.Herfather,apoorbuthonestman,hadplacedhisdaughteratthesch
4、oolontheconditionsthatsheshouldnotbeinstructedintheChristianfaith.Butitmighthavecausedconfusion,orraiseddiscontentinthemindsoftheotherchildrenifshehadbeensentoutoftheroom,sosheremained;andnowitwasevidentthiscouldnotgoon.Theteacherwenttoherfather,andadvisedhimtoremovehisdaughterfromtheschool,ortoallo
5、whertobecomeaChristian. “Icannotanylongerbeanidlespectatorofthosebeamingeyes,whichexpresssuchadeepandearnestlongingforthewordsofthegospel,”saidhe.thenthefatherburstintotears. “Iknowverylittleofthelawofmyfathers,”saidhe; “butSarahsmotherwasfirminherbeliefasadaughterofIsrael,andIvowedtoheronherdeathbe
6、dthatourchildshouldneverbebaptized.Imustkeepmyvow:itistomeevenasacovenantwithGodHimself.”AndsothelittleJewishgirllefttheChristianschool.Yearsrolledby.Inoneofthesmallestprovincialtowns,inahumblehousehold,livedapoormaidenoftheJewishfaith,asaservant.Herhairwasblackasebony,hereyedarkasnight,yetfulloflig
7、htandbrilliancysopeculiartothedaughtersoftheeast.ItwasSarah.Theexpressioninthefaceofthegrown-upmaidenwasstillthesameaswhen,achild,shesatontheschoolroomformlisteningwiththoughtfuleyestothewordsoftheChristianteacher.EverySundaytheresoundedforthfromachurchclosebythetonesofanorganandthesingingoftheconGR
8、Egation.TheJewishgirlheardtheminthehousewhere,industriousandfaithfulinallthings,sheperformedherhouseholdduties. “ThoushaltkeeptheSabbathholy,”saidthevoiceofthelawinherheart;butherSabbathwasaworkingdayamongtheChristians,whichwasagreattroubletoher.Andthenasthethoughtaroseinhermind, “DoesGodreckonbyday
9、sandhours?”herconsciencefeltsatisfiedonthisquestion,andshefounditacomforttoher,thatontheChristianSabbathshecouldhaveanhourforherownprayersundisturbed.Themusicandsingingofthecongregationsoundedinherearswhileatworkinherkitchen,tilltheplaceitselfbecamesacredtoher.ThenshewouldreadintheOldTestament,thatt
10、reasureandcomforttoherpeople,anditwasindeedtheonlyScripturesshecouldread.Faithfullyinherinmostthoughtshadshekeptthewordsofherfathertoherteacherwhenshelefttheschool,andthevowhehadmadetoherdyingmotherthatsheshouldneverreceiveChristianbaptism.TheNewTestamentmustremaintoherasealedbook,andyetsheknewagrea
11、tdealofitsteaching,andthesoundofthegospeltruthsstilllingeredamongtherecollectionsofherchildhood.Oneeveningshewassittinginacornerofthedining-room,whilehermasterreadaloud.Itwasnotthegospelheread,butanoldstory-book;thereforeshemightstayandlistentohim.ThestoryrelatedthataHungarianknight,whohadbeentakenp
12、risonerbyaTurkishpasha,wasmostcruellytreatedbyhim.Hecausedhimtobeyokedwithhisoxentotheplough,anddrivenwithblowsfromthewhiptillthebloodflowed,andhealmostsunkwithexhaustionandpain.Thefaithfulwifeoftheknightathomegaveupallherjewels,mortgagedhercastleandland,andhisfriendsraisedlargesumstomakeuptheransom
13、demandedforhisrelease,whichwasmostenormouslyhigh.Itwascollectedatlast,andtheknightreleasedfromslaveryandmisery.Sickandexhausted,hereachedhome.ErelongcameanothersummonstoastrugglewiththefoesofChristianity.Thestilllivingknightheardthesound;hecouldendurenomore,hehadneitherpeacenorrest.Hecausedhimselfto
14、beliftedonhiswar-horse;thecolorcameintohischeeks,andhisstrengthreturnedtohimagainashewentforthtobattleandtovictory.Theverysamepashawhohadyokedhimtotheplough,becamehisprisoner,andwasdraggedtoadungeoninthecastle.Butanhourhadscarcelypassed,whentheknightstoodbeforethecaptivepasha,andinquired, “Whatdoyou
15、supposeawaiteththee?”“Iknow,”repliedthepasha; “retribution.”“Yes,theretributionofaChristian,”repliedtheknight. “TheteachingofChrist,theTeacher,commandsustoforgiveourenemies,toloveourneighbors;forGodislove.Departinpeace:returntothyhome.Igivetheebacktothylovedones.Butinfuturebemildandhumanetoallwhoare
16、introuble.”thentheprisonerburstintotears,andexclaimed, “OhhowcouldIimaginesuchmercyandforgiveness!Iexpectedpainandtorment.ItseemedtomesosurethatItookpoison,whichIsecretlycarriedaboutme;andinafewhoursitseffectswilldestroyme.Imustdie!Nothingcansaveme!ButbeforeIdie,explaintometheteachingwhichissofullof
17、loveandmercy,soGREatandGod-like.Oh,thatImayhearhisteaching,anddieaChristian!”Andhisprayerwasgranted.Thiswasthelegendwhichthemasterreadoutoftheoldstory-book.Everyoneinthehousewhowaspresentlistened,andsharedthepleasure;butSarah,theJewishgirl,sittingsostillinacorner,feltherheartburnwithexcitement.GREat
18、tearscameintohershiningdarkeyes;andwiththesamegentlepietywithwhichshehadoncelistenedtothegospelwhilesittingontheformatschool,shefeltitsgrandeurnow,andthetearsrolleddownhercheeks.Thenthelastwordsofherdyingmotherrosebeforeher, “LetnotmychildbecomeaChristian;”andwiththemsoundedinherheartthewordsofthela
19、w, “Honorthyfatherandthymother.”“IamnotadmittedamongtheChristians,”shesaid; “theymockmeasaJewishgirl;theneighborsboysdidsolastSundaywhenIstoodlookinginthroughtheopenchurchdooratthecandlesburningonthealtar,andlisteningtothesinging.EversinceIsatontheschool-benchIhavefeltthepowerofChristianity;apowerwh
20、ich,likeasunbeam,streamsintomyheart,howevercloselyImayclosemyeyesagainstit.ButIwillnotgrievethee,mymother,inthygrave.Iwillnotbeunfaithfultomyfathersvow.IwillnotreadtheBibleoftheChristian.IhavetheGodofmyfathers,andinHimIwilltrust.”Andagainyearspassedby.Sarahsmasterdied,andhiswidowfoundherselfinsuchre
21、ducedcircumstancesthatshewishedtodismissherservantmaid;butSarahrefusedtoleavethehouse,andshebecameatruesupportintimeoftrouble,andkeptthehouseholdtogetherbyworkingtilllateatnight,withherbusyhands,toearntheirdailybread.Notarelativecameforwardtoassistthem,andthewidowwasconfinedtoasickbedformonthsandGRE
22、wweakerfromdaytoday.Sarahworkedhard,butcontrivedtosparetimetoamuseherandwatchbythesickbed.Shewasgentleandpious,anangelofblessinginthathouseofpoverty.“MyBibleliesonthetableyonder,”saidthesickwomanonedaytoSarah. “Readmesomethingfromit;thenightappearssolong,andmyspiritthirststohearthewordofGod.”AndSara
23、hbowedherhead.Shetookthebook,andfoldedherhandovertheBibleoftheChristians,andatlastopenedit,andreadtothesickwoman.Tearsstoodinhereyesassheread,andtheyshonewithbrightness,forinherheartitwaslight.“Mother,”shemurmured, “thychildmaynotreceiveChristianbaptism,norbeadmittedintotheconGREgationofChristianpeo
24、ple.Thouhastsowilledit,andIwillrespectthycommand.Wearethereforestillunitedhereonearth;butinthenextworldtherewillbeahigherunion,evenwithGodHimself,wholeadsandguidesHispeopletilldeath.Hecamedownfromheaventoearthtosufferforus,thatweshouldbringforththefruitsofrepentance.Iunderstanditnow.IknownothowIlear
25、ntthistruth,unlessitisthroughthenameofChrist.”Yetshetrembledasshepronouncedtheholyname.ShestruggledagainsttheseconvictionsofthetruthofChristianityforsomedays,tilloneeveningwhilewatchinghermistressshewassuddenlytakenveryill;herlimbstotteredunderher,andshesankfaintingbythebedsideofthesickwoman.“PoorSa
26、rah,”saidtheneighbors; “sheisovercomewithhardworkandnightwatching.”Andthentheycarriedhertothehospitalforthesickpoor.Thereshedied;andtheyborehertoherresting-placeintheearth,butnottothechurchyardoftheChristians.TherewasnoplacefortheJewishgirl;buttheydugagraveforheroutsidethewall.AndGodssun,whichshines
27、uponthegravesofthechurchyardoftheChristians,alsothrowsitsbeamsonthegraveoftheJewishmaidenbeyondthewall.AndwhenthepsalmsoftheChristianssoundacrossthechurchyard,theirechoreachesherlonelyresting-place;andshewhosleepstherewillbecountedworthyattheresurrection,throughthenameofChristtheLord,whosaidtoHisdisciples, “Johnbaptizedyouwithwater,butIwillbaptizeyouwiththeHolyGhost.”在一个慈善学校的许多孩子中间,有一个小小的犹太女孩子。她又聪明,又善良,可以说是他
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