| Let us leave the familiar
Danish coast and visit the strange shores of Greece, where the
sea is as blue as a cornflower in our northern fields. See the
lemon trees, how their branches heavy with yellow, yellow fruit
bend toward the earth. Around the marble pillars, thistles are
growing and hide the pictures cut in the white stone. Here is
a shepherd, beside him is his dog. |
Vi have nylig gjort
en lille Reise og hige alt efter en større. Hvorhen? Til Sparta!
til Mycene! til Delphi! der ere hundrede Steder, ved hvis Navne
Hjertet slaaer af Reise-Lyst. Det gaaer til Hest, op ad Bjergstier,
hen over Krat og Buske; den enkelte Reisende kommer frem som
en heel Karavane. Selv rider han forud med sin Argojat, en Pakhest
bærer Koffert, Telt og Proviant, et Par Soldater følge
efter til hans Beskyttelse; intet Vertshuus med velopredt Seng
venter ham efter den trættende Dag-Reise, Teltet er tidt hans
Tag i den store, vilde Natur, Argojaten koger der en Pilaf,
til Aftensmad; tusinde Myg omsuse det lille Telt, det er en
ynkelig Nat, og imorgen gaaer Veien over stærkt opsvulmede Floder;
sid fast paa din Hest, at Du ikke skyller bort. |
| |
Hvad Løn er der for
disse Besværligheder? Den største! den rigeste! Naturen aabenbarer
sig her i al sin Storhed, hver Plet er historisk, Øie og Tanke
nyder. Digteren kan synge derom, Maleren give det i rige Billeder,
men Virkelighedens Duft, der for evig trænger ind og forbliver
i Beskuerens Tanke, mægte de ikke at gjengive. |
| |
Den eensomme Hyrde oppe
paa Fjeldet vilde, ved en simpel Fortælling af een af sit Livs
Begivenheder, maaskee bedre end Reisebeskrivere kunne oplukke
Øiet for Dig, som i nogle enkelte Træk vil skue Hellenernes
Land. |
| We sit down nearby;
and he begins to tell us about an ancient custom, the friendship
pact, in which he himself has taken part: |
Lad ham da tale! om
en Skik, en smuk, eiendommelig Skik, skal Hyrden hist paa Bjerget
fortælle os: Venskabs-Pagten. |
| The walls of our house
were made of mud; yet our entrance was framed by two marble
pillars. They had been found near where our house was built.
The roof almost touched the ground. It was black and ugly, although
it had been made from flowering oleander and fresh laurel branches,
brought from the other side of the mountains. The plot of land
around our house was narrow; behind it rose the black, bare,
stone sides of the mountains. Their tops were often covered
by clouds that looked like living white figures. Never have
I heard a bird sing there, nor did the men of my district ever
dance to the tune of the bagpipes. From ancient times it has
been considered a holy place. The name itself is sacred: Delphi.
The dark, somber mountains are covered with snow until late
spring. The highest, on whose pinnacle the evening sun shines
longest, is called Parnassus. The waters of the brook that flows
past our house come from up there. It was once holy, but now
mules muddy it with their feet; yet it flows so swiftly that
soon it is clear again. Oh, I recall it all: the holy, lonely
stillness! In the middle of our hut was the fire; here, when
the glowing ashes were piled high, bread was baked. In winter,
when there was so much snow that our house was almost hidden,
my mother seemed happiest. Then she would take my head into
both her hands, kiss my forehead, and sing the songs that she
dared not sing in summer; for the Turks were our masters and
they did not allow us to sing such songs: "On the Mountain of
Olympus, among the low fir trees, stood an old stag; His eyes
were heavy with tears: red, green, and pale blue were their
colors. A young deer came by and asked: 'Why are you shedding
red, green, and pale blue tears?' 'The Turks have come to our
village, they have brought wild dogs for the hunt! 'I will chase
them out upon the islands,' said the young deer, But before
night had come, the deer was slain; And before night was over,
the old stag had been hunted down and killed." As my mother
finished her sad song, her eyes grew moist and she had to turn
away in order to hide the tears that clung to her long eyelashes.
I clenched my fists and said, "We will kill the Turks." My mother
turned our black bread in the ashes and sang again the last
lines of the song: "But before night had come, the deer was
slain; And before night was over, the stag had been hunted down
and killed." My father had been away for many days. When I saw
him coming I ran to meet him. I hoped that he would be bringing
me some shiny shells from the Bay of Lepanto, or maybe even
a sharp knife. But he brought us a little naked girl. He had
carried her inside his sheepskin coat. She lay in a bag of lambskin,
and when she was taken out of it and put into my mother's lap,
all that she was wearing were the three silver coins that were
braided in her hair. My father told us that the Turks had killed
her parents. He himself had been wounded, and his coat was stiff
from his own blood that had frozen to ice. My mother bandaged
the wound; it was deep and ugly. That night I had strange dreams.
The little girl was to be brought up as my sister. She was beautiful;
her eyes were as kind and as beautiful as my mother's. Anastasia
was my little sister's name. Her father had taken a vow of friendship
with mine. It was an ancient custom to which we still adhere.
Those youths who decide to take an oath of brotherhood choose
among the girls of the village the one whom they consider the
most virtuous and the most beautiful; and she is the witness:
the priestess who confirms their pact of friendship. |
"Vort Huus var
klinet af Leer, men Dørkarmen var riflede Marmorsøiler, fundne,
hvor Huset blev bygget; Taget naaede næsten til Jorden, det
var nu sortbruunt og hæsligt, men da det blev lagt, var det
blomstrende Oleander og friske Laurbærgrene, hentede bag Bjergene.
Der var snevert om vort Huus, Klippevæggene stode steile opad
og viste en nøgen, sort Farve; øverst paa dem hang ofte Skyer,
som hvide, levende Skikkelser; aldrig hørte jeg her en Sangfugl,
aldrig dandsede Mændene her til Sækkepibernes Toner, men Stedet
var helligt fra gamle Tider, Navnet selv minder derom, Delphi
kaldes det jo! De mørke, alvorlige Bjerge laae alle med Snee;
det øverste, som skinnede længst i den røde Aftensol, var Parnas,
Bækken nær ved vort Huus strømmede ned derfra og var ogsaa engang
hel lig, nu plumrer Eslet den med sine Fødder, dog Strømmen
rinder fort og vorder atter klar. Hvor jeg mindes hver Plet
og dens hellige, dybe Eensomhed! Midt i Hytten blev Ilden tændt,
og naar den hede Aske laae høit og glødende, blev Brødet bagt
deri; laae Sneen ude rundt om vor Hytte, saa den næsten var
skjult, da syntes min Moder gladest, da holdt hun mit Hoved
mellem sine Hænder, kyssede min Pande og sang de Viser, som
hun ellers aldrig sang, thi Tyrkerne, vore Herrer, lede dem
ikke; og hun sang: "Paa Olympens Top, i den lave Granskov,
sad en gammel Hjort, dens Øine vare tunge af Taarer; røde, ja
grønne og blegblaae Taarer græd den, og en Raabuk kom forbi:
'hvad feiler Dig dog, at Du græder saa, græder røde, grønne,
ja blegblaae Taarer?' 'Tyrken er kommen i vor By, han har vilde
Hunde til sin Jagt, en mægtig Hob.' 'Jeg jager dem over Øerne,'
sagde den unge Raabuk, 'jeg jager dem over Øerne, i det dybe
Hav;' men før Aftenen faldt paa var Raabukken dræbt, og før
Natten kom var Hjorten jagen og død. Og naar min Moder saaledes
sang, bleve hendes Øine vaade, og der sad en Taare i de lange
Øienhaar, men hun skjulte den og vendte saa i Asken vore sorte
Brød. Da knyttede jeg min Haand og sagde: "vi ville slaae
Tyrk-en ihjel;" men hun gjentog af Visen: "Jeg jager
dem over Øerne, i det dybe Hav; men før Aftenen faldt paa var
Raabukken dræbt, og før Natten kom var Hjorten jagen og død."
I flere Nætter og Dage havde vi været eensomme i vor Hytte,
da kom min Fader; jeg vidste, han bragte mig Muslingskaller
fra Lepanto-Bugten eller maaskee endog en Kniv, skarp og blinkende.
Han bragte os denne Gang et Barn, en lille, nøgen Pige, som
han holdt under sin Faareskinds Pels, hun var indbunden i et
Skind, og Alt hvad hun havde, da hun laae løsnet derfra i min
Moders Skjød, var tre Sølvmynter bundne i hendes sorte Haar.
Og Fader fortalte om Tyrkerne, der havde dræbt Barnets Forældre,
han fortalte os saa Meget, at jeg drømte derom den hele Nat;
- min Fader selv var saaret, Moder forbandt hans Arm, Saaret
var dybt; den tykke Faareskinds Pels var stivfrossen med Blodet.
Den lille Pige skulde være min Søster, hun var saa deilig, saa
skinnende klar, min Moders Øine vare ei mildere end hendes;
Anastasia, som hun kaldtes, skulde være min Søster, thi hendes
Fader var viet til min Fader, viet efter gammel Skik, som vi
holde den endnu; de havde i Ungdoms Tid sluttet Broderskab,
valgt den skjønneste og dydigste Pige i den hele Egn til at
vie dem til Venskabs-Pagten; jeg hørte saa tidt om den smukke,
selsomme Skik. |
| Now the little girl
had become my sister. She sat on my lap, and I picked flowers
for her and brought her feathers that I had found on the mountainside.
Together we drank of the waters from Parnassus; and we slept
next to each other under the laurel-leaf roof of our hut. Many
long winters we listened to my mother's song about the red,
green, and pale blue tears, without understanding that it was
the sorrow of our people that was mirrored in these tears. |
Nu var den Lille min
Søster; hun sad paa mit Skjød, jeg bragte hende Blomster og
Fjeldfuglens Fjer, vi drak sammen af Parnassets Vande, vi sov
Hoved mod Hoved under Hyttens Laurbærtag, medens mangen Vinter
endnu min Moder sang om de røde, de grønne og de blegblaae Taarer;
men jeg begreb endnu ikke, at det var mit eget Folk, hvis tusindfold
Sorger afspeilede sig i disse Taarer. |
| One day three Frenchmen
came. They were dressed so differently from us. They had beds
and tents on their pack horses. Twenty Turkish soldiers, all
armed with swords and guns, escorted them, for they were friends
of the pasha, and had a letter from him to tell us who they
were and that we were to be hospitable to them. They had only
come to look at our barren, black mountains, to climb to the
top of Parnassus, up among the clouds and snow. Our little hut
was too small for them all; besides, the smoke from our fire
made their eyes smart, as it drifted toward the door. They set
up camp on the narrow patch of ground around our house and built
their fires, over which they roasted lambs and birds. They drank
sweet wine, which they offered to the Turkish soldiers, but
they didn't dare touch it. |
En Dag kom der tre frankiske
Mænd, anderledes klædte end vi; de havde deres Senge og Telte
paa Heste, og meer end tyve Tyrker, væbnede med Sabler og Geværer,
ledsagede dem, thi de vare Paschaens Venner og havde Brev fra
ham. De kom kun for at see vore Bjerge, for i Snee og Skyer
at bestige Parnas og betragte de selsomme, sorte, steile Klipper
om vor Hytte; de kunde ikke rummes inde i den, og de lede heller
ikke Røgen, som gik hen under Loftet ud af den lave Dør; de
spændte deres Telte ud paa den snevre Plads ved vor Hytte, stegte
Lam og Fugle, og skjenkede søde, stærke Vine, men Tyrkerne turde
ikke drikke deraf. |
| When they left I followed
them part of the way. I carried Anastasia on my back in a bag
made from goatskins. One of the Frenchmen asked me to stand,
leaning against a cliff, and he would make a sketch of us. In
the drawing we looked almost alive, and as though we were only
one person. When I saw it I could not help thinking that it
was true, we were one, for Anastasia was never out of my sight
or out of my mind; even at night, if I dreamed, she was in my
dreams. |
Da de reiste, fulgte
jeg dem et Stykke paa Veien, og min lille Søster Anastasia hang,
indsyet i et Gedeskind, paa min Ryg. Een af de frankiske Herrer
stillede mig mod en Klippe og tegnede mig og hende, saa levende
som vi stode der, vi saae ud som een eneste Skabning; aldrig
havde jeg tænkt derover, men Anastasia og jeg vare jo ogsaa
som Een, altid laae hun paa mit Skjød eller hang paa min Ryg,
og drømte jeg, saa var hun i mine Drømme. |
| Two nights later there
were other people in our hut. They were armed with guns and
knives. They were Albanians--"brave people," my mother said.
They did not stay long. One of them took my sister Anastasia
on his knee; when they were gone she had only two, not three,
silver coins in her braids. They put tobacco in strips of paper
and smoked it. They discussed in which direction they should
go and the oldest of them said: "If I spit up in the air, the
spit will fall in my face; and if I spit downward it will fall
in my beard." But finally they had to make up their minds. They
left and my father went with them, to show them the way. A little
while later we heard shots. Soldiers came into our hut. They
said that we had hidden robbers and that my father had joined
their band, so now we would have to leave our home and follow
the soldiers. We passed the place where the battle had been.
I saw the corpses of the robbers and the dead body of my father.
All I can remember is crying and crying, and then waking up
in prison. But the cell was neither smaller nor more barren
than the room in our hut. We were given onions and resined wine,
and that, too, was not much different from the fare we were
used to. |
To Nætter efter indtraf
andre Folk i vor Hytte, de vare væbnede med Knive og Geværer;
de vare Albanesere, kjække Folk, som min Moder sagde; de bleve
der kun kort, min Søster Anastasia sad paa den Enes Skjød, da
han var borte, havde hun to og ikke tre Sølvmynter i sit Haar;
de lagde Tobak i Papirstrimler og røgte deraf, og den Ældste
talte om Veien, de skulde tage, og var uvis om den; "spytter
jeg opad", sagde han, "saa falder det i mit Ansigt,
spytter jeg nedad, saa falder det i mit Skjæg." Men en
Vei maatte vælges; de gik, og min Fader fulgte; lidt efter hørte
vi Skud, det knaldede igjen; der kom Soldater i vor Hytte, de
toge min Moder, mig og Anastasia; Røverne havde havt Tilhold
hos os, sagde de, min Fader havde fulgt dem, derfor maatte vi
bort; jeg saae Røvernes Liig, jeg saae min Faders Liig, og jeg
græd til jeg sov. Da jeg vaagnede, vare vi i Fængsel, men Stuen
var ikke elendigere end den i vor egen Hytte, og jeg fik Løg
og harpixet Viin, som de heldte af den tjærede Sæk, bedre havde
vi det ikke hjemme. |
| I do not remember how
long we were imprisoned, but many days and weeks must have passed.
We were set free on Easter Day. My mother was sick. For her
sake, we had to walk very slowly; it took us a long time to
walk to the coast. When we arrived at the Bay of Lepanto we
entered a church. The holy pictures glistened, for they were
on a background of gold. There were pictures of angels, though
none of them seemed to me more beautiful than our Anastasia.
In the middle of the church stood a coffin filled with roses.
The roses were the symbol of Our Lord Jesus, my mother said.
The priest declared: "Christ has risen!" And everybody kissed
one another. We were all given a lighted candle, even little
Anastasia had one. Someone played the bagpipes and the men made
their way from the church dancing, hand in hand, while the women
of the village roasted the Easter lambs over great fires. We
were invited to eat and sat down by the fire. A boy a few years
older than myself kissed me and said: "Christ has risen!" And
that was how we two met: Aphtanides and I. |
Hvor længe vi vare fangne,
det veed jeg ikke; men mange Nætter og Dage gik. Da vi vandrede
ud, var det vor hellige Paaskefest, og jeg bar Anastasia paa
min Ryg, thi min Moder var syg; kun langsomt kunde hun gaae,
og der var langt, før vi naaede ned mod Havet, det var Lepantos
Bugt. Vi traadte ind i en Kirke, der straalede med Billeder
paa gylden Grund; Engle var det, o saa smukke, men jeg syntes
dog, at vor lille Anastasia var ligesaa smuk; midt paa Gulvet
stod en Kiste, fyldt med Roser, det var den Herre Christus,
der laae som deilige Blomster, sagde min Moder, og Præsten forkyndte:
Christus er opstanden! alle Folk kyssede hverandre, Enhver holdt
et tændt Lys i sin Haand, jeg fik selv eet, den lille Anastasia
eet, Sækkepiberne klang, Mændene dandsede Haand i Haand fra
Kirken, og udenfor stegte Qvinderne Paaske-Lam; vi bleve indbudne,
jeg sad ved Ilden, en Dreng, ældre end jeg, tog mig om min Hals,
kyssede mig og sagde: "Christus er opstanden!" saaledes
mødtes første Gang vi To, Aphtanides og jeg. |
| My mother was clever
at weaving fishnets and we stayed several months near the sea.
I learned to love the water that tasted of salt and reminded
me of the stag's tears, for the beautiful sea is sometimes red,
other times green, only to turn pale blue at midday. |
Min Moder kunde flette
Fiskernet, det gav her ved Bugten en god Fortjeneste, og vi
bleve i lang Tid ved Havet, - det deilige Hav, der smagte som
Taarer og mindede ved sine Farver om Hjortens Graad, snart var
det jo rødt, snart grønt og atter igjen blaat. |
| Aphtanides was a good
sailor; he knew how to steer a boat. As silently as the clouds
sail in the sky, we would glide through the waters. Anastasia
and I would sit in the bottom of the boat. At sunset the mountains
were dark blue. One chain seemed to look over the shoulder of
another, farthest away stood Mount Parnassus with its snow-covered
peaks; blood-red in the evening sun, it towered over all the
others. Its peak looked as if it were made of melting iron.
The luminous red glow seemed to come from inside the mountain,
for it shone long after the sun had set. Only the wings of the
sea gulls disturbed the mirror of the sea. Anastasia was sitting
next to me. I leaned back. The first stars of evening had come,
shining like the candles under the holy pictures in church.
They were the same stars that had looked down on me when I sat
outside our hut in Delphi. I closed my eyes. Everything was
as peaceful, and I dreamed myself back there. There was a splash!
The boat rocked, I screamed! Anastasia had fallen into the sea.
Aphtanides was already in the water. He handed my little sister
up to me before she had even swallowed a mouthful of water.
We took off her clothes and wrung them out. Aphtanides did the
same with his. We stayed out until their clothes were dry, so
that no one else ever knew how close to death my little sister
had come, and what a part Aphtanides had played in saving her
life. |
Aphtanides forstod at
styre en Baad, og jeg sad med min lille Anastasia i Baaden,
der gik paa Vandet, som en Sky gaaer i Luften; naar Solen da
sank, bleve Bjergene mere mørkblaae, den ene Bjergrække tittede
over den anden, og længst borte stod Parnas med sin Snee, i
Aftensolen skinnede Bjergtoppen som et glødende Jern, det saae
ud, som om Lyset kom indenfra, thi den skinnede længe i den
blaae, glindsende Luft, længe efter at Solen var nede; de hvide
Søfugle sloge med deres Vinger i Vandspeilet, ellers var her
saa stille, som ved Delphi mellem de sorte Fjelde; jeg laae
paa min Ryg i Baaden, Anastasia sad paa mit Bryst, og Stjernerne
ovenover skinnede endnu stærkere end Lamperne i vor Kirke; det
var de samme Stjerner, og de stode ganske paa det samme Sted
over mig, som naar jeg sad ved Delphi, udenfor vor Hytte. Jeg
syntes tilsidst at være der endnu, - da pladskede det i Vandet
og Baaden vippede stærkt; - jeg skreg høit, thi Anastasia var
falden i Vandet, men Aphtanides var ligesaa hurtig, og snart
løftede han hende op til mig; vi toge hendes Klæder af, vred
Vandet bort, og klædte hende saa paa igjen, det Samme gjorde
Aphtanides ved sig selv, og vi bleve derude til Tøiet igjen
var tørt, og Ingen vidste vor Skræk for den lille Pleiesøster,
hvis Liv Aphtanides jo nu havde Deel i. |
| Summer came. The sun
baked down upon the earth, scorching it. I thought of the cool
mountains and the brook near our house. My mother, too, longed
for home. One evening we started the long walk back. How silent
and still it was! The thyme grew tall, and though the sun had
dried its leaves, it still had a sweet smell. We did not pass
a hut or see a shepherd. Everything was so motionless, so quiet,
that the faraway heavens seemed more alive than the earth. I
counted the shooting stars. I don't know whether the blue air
lighted itself or was lit by starlight, but we could plainly
see the outlines of the mountains. . . . My mother made a fire
and roasted onions for us to eat. Anastasia and I lay down to
sleep without fear of the monstrous Smidraki--from whose mouths,
it is said, come burning fire--or the wolves who live in the
mountains. For my mother sat close to us, and my little sister
and I were still young enough not to be afraid of the world
when she was near. |
Det blev Sommer! Solen
brændte saa hedt, at Løvtræerne visnede, jeg tænkte paa vore
kølige Bjerge, paa det friske Vand derinde; min Moder længtes
ogsaa, og en Aften vandrede vi igjen tilbage. Hvor der var tyst
og stille! vi gik over den høie Timian, der dog duftede endnu,
skjøndt Solen havde hentørret dens Blade; ikke en Hyrde mødte
vi, ikke en Hytte kom vi forbi; Alt var stille og eensomt, kun
Stjerneskuddet sagde, at det levede deroppe i Himlen; jeg veed
ikke om den klare, blaae Luft lyste selv eller det var Stjernernes
Straaler; vi saae godt alle Bjergenes Omrids; min Moder gjorde
Ild, stegte Løgene, hun bragte med, og jeg og den lille Søster
sov i Timianen uden at frygte for den fæle Smidraki, hvem Luen
staaer ud af Halsen, endsige frygte for Ulven og Schakalen;
min Moder sad jo hos os, og det troede jeg var nok. |
| Finally we reached our
old home. It was a ruin. It would have to be rebuilt. A couple
of women helped my mother, and within a few days the walls stood
again and a new roof of oleander covered them. Out of skin and
bark my mother wove nets for covering wine bottles; I tended
the priest's little herd of goats. Anastasia and the little
turtles were my playmates. |
Vi naaede vort gamle
Hjem, men Hytten var en Gruushob, der maatte bygges en ny. Et
Par Qvinder hjalp min Moder, og i faa Dage vare Murene reiste
og et nyt Tag af Oleander lagt hen over dem. Min Moder flettede
af Skind og Bark mange Hylstre til Flasker, jeg passede Præsternes
lille Hjord; Anastasia og de smaa Skildpadder vare mine Legekammerater.
|
| One day Aphtanides came
to visit us. He said that he had missed us very much, and he
stayed two whole days. |
En Dag fik vi Besøg
af den kjære Aphtanides; han længtes saa meget efter at see
os, sagde han, og han blev hele to Dage hos os. |
| A month later he returned.
This time to say good-by. He was to become a sailor and was
leaving on a ship bound for Patras and Corfu. He had brought
a big fish, which he gave to my mother. He could tell so many
stories, not only about the fishermen who lived in the Bay of
Lepanto but also about the heroes and kings who once ruled Greece,
as now the Turks do. |
Efter en Maaned kom
han igjen og fortalte os, at han skulde med et Skib til Patras
og Corfu; os maatte han først sige Farvel, en stor Fisk bragte
han med til min Moder. Han vidste at fortælle saa Meget, ikke
blot om Fiskerne nede ved Lepanto-Bugten, men om Konger og Helte,
der engang havde hersket i Grækenland ligesom Tyrkerne nu. |
| When does the bud on
the rosebush open itself: what day, what week or what hour?
One does not notice, but suddenly it is there and one realizes
how beautiful the flower is. Thus it was with Anastasia: one
day I noticed that she was a lovely full-grown girl. Years had
gone by. The wolfskins that covered my mother's and Anastasia's
bed had come from animals that I had shot. |
Jeg har seet Rosentræet
sætte Knop og denne i Dage og Uger blive en udfoldet Blomst;
den blev det, før jeg begyndte at tænke over, hvor stor, smuk
og rødmende den var; saaledes gik det mig ogsaa med Anastasia.
Hun var en deilig udvoxet Pige; jeg en kraftig Knøs; Ulveskindene
paa min Moders og Anastasias Seng havde jeg selv flaaet af Dyret,
der faldt for min Bøsse. Aar vare hengaaede. |
| One evening toward sunset
Aphtanides came. He was thin as a reed, strong, and browned
by the sun. He kissed us all and told us about his life as a
seaman and the places he had seen: the fortress of Malta and
the pyramids of Egypt. He spoke well and his stories were like
the legends the priest could tell. I felt a great respect and
admiration for him. |
Da kom en Aften Aphtanides,
slank som et Rør, stærk og bruun; han kyssede os Alle og vidste
at fortælle om det store Hav, om Maltas Fæstningsværker og Ægyptens
selsomme Gravsteder; det klang forunderligt, som en af Præsternes
Legender; jeg saae med et Slags Ærbødighed op til ham. |
| "How much you have seen
and experienced," I said. "And how well you tell about it."
|
"Hvor Du veed Meget!"
sagde jeg, "hvor Du kan fortælle!" |
| "But you have told me
about something that I think is the most beautiful of all,"
replied Aphtanides. "I can't forget it. I mean the old custom
of having a pact of friendship. Let us be brothers, as your
father and Anastasia's were. Anastasia, our sister, shall be
our witness, for a more beautiful or virtuous girl there is
not in all of Greece." |
"Du har dog engang
fortalt mig det Smukkeste!" sagde han, "Du har fortalt
mig, hvad der aldrig er gaaet ud af min Tanke, den smukke, gamle
Skik om Venskabs-Pagten! den Skik, som jeg ret har Mod paa at
følge! Broder, lad os To ogsaa, som din og Anastasias Fader
gjorde det, gaae til Kirken; den skjønneste og uskyldigste Pige
er Anastasia, Søsteren, hun skal vie os sammen! Ingen har dog
en skjønnere Skik, end vi Grækere!" |
| Anastasia blushed and
her cheeks turned the color of a rose petal. My mother kissed
Aphtanides. |
Anastasia blev rød,
som det friske Rosenblad, min Moder kyssede Aphtanides. |
| It is an hour's walk
from our hut to the church. There the soil is richer and tall
trees cast their shade. In front of the altar a little lamp
is always burning. |
En Times Vandring fra
vor Hytte, der hvor Fjeldene bære Muldjord og enkelte Træer
skygge, laae den lille Kirke; en Sølv-Lampe hang foran Alteret.
|
| I wore my best clothes.
My red blouse fitted me tightly around my waist. Silver was
woven into the tassel of my fez. in my belt were stuck not only
a knife but a pistol as well. Aphtanides wore the blue uniform
of a Greek sailor; on a silver chain around his neck he wore
a medallion of the Holy Virgin. His scarf was as costly as only
the richest men wear. Everyone could see that we were dressed
for no ordinary occasion. We walked into the little church.
The evening sun shone through the door, and the many-colored
pictures and the silver lamp reflected its light. We kneeled
down on the step in front of the altar. Anastasia stood before
us. She was wearing a long white dress that hung loosely over
her beautiful young body. A collar made of coins, both ancient
and new ones, covered her neck and breast. Her black hair had
been set up in a single coil and was held in place by a little
cap of gold coins, found in the ancient temples. More beautiful
jewels than these, no Greek girl can wear. Her face was radiant.
Her eyes were like two stars. |
Jeg havde mine bedste
Klæder paa, de hvide Fostaneller foldede sig rigt ned over Hofterne,
den røde Trøie sad snever og stram, der var Sølv i Qvasten paa
min Fesz; i mit Bælte sad Kniv og Pistoler. Aphtanides havde
sin blaae Klædning, som græske Sømænd bære den, en Sølv-Plade
med Guds Moder hang paa hans Bryst, hans Skjærf var kostbart,
som kun de rige Herrer kunde bære det. Enhver saae nok, vi To
skulde til en Høitid. Vi gik ind i den lille, eensomme Kirke,
hvor Aftensolen skinnede gjennem Døren ind paa den brændende
Lampe og de brogede Billeder i gylden Grund. Vi knælede paa
Alterets Trin, og Anastasia stillede sig foran os; en lang,
hvid Kjortel hang løst og let omkring hendes smukke Lemmer;
hendes hvide Hals og Bryst var bedækket med en Sammenkjædning
af gamle og nye Mynter, de dannede en heel, stor Krave; hendes
sorte Haar var lagt op paa Hovedet i en eneste Bukkel, der holdtes
ved en lille Hue af Sølv- og Guld-Mynter, fundne i de gamle
Templer; skjønnere Pynt havde ingen græsk Pige. Hendes Ansigt
lyste, hendes Øine vare som to Stjerner. |
| Silently, all three
of us prayed. When we were finished, she asked: "Will you be
friends in life and death?" "Yes," we answered. "Will you remember
that, whatever happens, your brother is part of you? That your
secret is his and his happiness yours? Devotion, sacrifice,
perseverance must your soul bear for his sake, and his for yours."
"Yes," we said again; and Anastasia took our hands and joined
them together, then she kissed each of us on the forehead; and
together we said our prayers once more. The priest, who had
been standing behind the altar, now came forward and blessed
all three of us. As we stood up, I saw my mother at the door
of the church; she was crying. |
Alle Tre læste vi stille
vor Bøn; og hun spurgte os: "Ville I være Venner i Liv
og Død?" - Vi svarede: Ja. "Ville I hver, hvad der
endogsaa skeer, huske, min Broder er en Deel af mig! min Hemmelighed
er hans, min Lykke er hans! Opoffrelse, Udholdenhed, Alt, som
for min egen Sjæl, rummer jeg for ham!" og vi gjentoge
vort Ja! og hun lagde vore Hænder i hinanden, kyssede os paa
Panden og vi bad atter stille. Da traadte Præsten frem fra Alterets
Dør, velsignede os alle Tre, og en Sang af de andre allerhelligste
Herrer lød bag Altervæggen. Den evige Venskabs-Pagt var sluttet.
Da vi reiste os, saae jeg min Moder ved Kirkens Dør græde dybt
og inderligt. |
| How happy were the days
that followed, in our little hut near the waters of Delphi.
The evening before Aphtanides was to depart we were sitting
outside, on the edge of the cliff, deep in thought; his arm
was around my shoulders and mine around his. We talked about
Greece, the plight of our poor country, and discussed whom we
could trust. No thought did we hide from each other and therefore
I grabbed his hand and said, |
Hvor der var lystigt
i vor lille Hytte og ved Delphis Kilder! Aftenen før Aphtanides
skulde bort, sad han og jeg tankefulde paa Klippens Skrent;
hans Arm var slynget om mit Liv, min om hans Hals; vi talte
om Grækenlands Nød, om Mænd der kunde stoles paa; hver Tanke
i vor Sjæl laae klar for os Begge; da greb jeg hans Haand: |
| "One thing you must
know--until now I have told no one but God--that in my soul
is a love greater than even my love for my mother and for you."
|
"- Eet endnu skal
Du vide! eet, som indtil denne Stund kun Gud og jeg veed! al
min Sjæl er Kjærlighed! det er en Kjærlighed, stærkere end den
til min Moder og til Dig--!" |
| Aphtanides' face and
neck turned red and he asked, "Whom do you love?" |
"Og hvem elsker
Du?" spurgte Aphtanides, og han blev rød paa Ansigt og
Hals. |
| "I love Anastasia,"
I whispered. His hand trembled in mine. His face turned as pale
as a corpse. I understood how clear it all was! I bent down
and kissed his forehead. "I have never told her," I said. "Maybe
she does not love me. But, Brother mine, remember that I have
been with her every day; she has grown up not only in our house
but in my soul as well." |
"Jeg elsker Anastasia!"
sagde jeg, - og hans Haand zittrede i min, og han blev hvid
som et Liig; jeg saae det, jeg begreb det! og jeg troer ogsaa
min Haand skjælvede, jeg bøiede mig henimod ham, kyssede hans
Pande og hviskede: "jeg har aldrig, sagt hende det! hun
elsker maaskee ikke mig! - Broder, husk paa, jeg saae hende
daglig, hun er voxet op ved min Side, voxet ind i min Sjæl!"
|
| "She shall be yours,"
he said. "I cannot lie to you, and I won't. I admit that I love
her too. Tomorrow I am leaving for more than two years; before
I return you will be married. I have some money. It is yours.
No! You shall have it: you must!" Slowly we walked back toward
the hut. |
"Og Din skal hun
være!" sagde han, "Din! - jeg kan ikke lyve for Dig
og vil ikke heller! jeg elsker hende ogsaa! - men imorgen tager
jeg bort! vi sees igjen om eet Aar, da ere I gifte, ikke sandt!
- jeg har nogle Penge, det er dine! Du maa tage dem, Du skal
tage dem!" stille vandrede vi over Fjeldet; det var sildig
Aften, da vi stode ved min Moders Hytte. |
| Night had come, and
Anastasia met us at the doorstep; she was holding a lamp in
her hand. My mother was not at home. Anastasia looked strangely
sad as she spoke to Aphtanides. "Tomorrow you leave us," she
said. "How unhappy I shall be!" |
Anastasia holdt Lampen
hen imod os, da vi traadte ind, min Moder var der ikke. Anastasia
saae forunderlig veemodigt paa Aphtanides. -"Imorgen gaaer
Du fra os!" sagde hun, "hvor det bedrøver mig!"
|
| "You will miss me?"
In Aphtanides' words lay a sadness beyond sorrow, a pain as
great as my own. I said nothing but he took her hand in his
and said, "My brother here loves you, do you love him? His silence
speaks loudly of his love." Anastasia shivered and burst into
tears. I saw only her and thought only of her. I threw my arms
around her and said again and again: "I love you!" She kissed
me and her arms embraced my neck. The lamp fell from her hand
and the room was as dark as the heart of my poor brother Aphtanides.
|
"Bedrøver Dig",
sagde han, og jeg syntes der laae en Smerte deri, stor, som
min egen; jeg kunde ikke tale, men han tog hendes Haand og sagde:
"vor Broder der elsker Dig, har Du ham kjær? I hans Taushed
er just hans Kjærlighed!" - og Anastasia zittrede og brast
i Graad, da saae jeg kun hende, tænkte kun paa hende; min Arm
slog jeg om hendes Liv og sagde: "ja, jeg elsker Dig!"
Da trykkede hun sin Mund til min, hendes Hænder hvilte om min
Hals; men Lampen var falden paa Gulvet, der var mørkt uden om
os, som i den kjære, stakkels Aphtanides's Hjerte. |
| At sunrise he rose,
kissed us all good-by, and left. His money he had given to my
mother to keep for us. A few days later Anastasia became my
wife. |
Før Dag stod han op,
kyssede os Alle til Afsked og drog bort. Min Moder havde han
givet alle sine Penge til os. Anastasia var min Brud og nogle
Dage derefter min Hustru!" |
|