意大利童话(40)

2025-10-09 评论

    Thenextdayhewentbacktothewidow."Yourdaughterisgettingalongverywellatmyhouse,buttheworkissoheavysheneedshelp.Couldyousendusyourseconddaughtertoo?"SoSilverNosereturnedhomewithoneofthegirlssisters.Heshowedheraroundthehouse,gaveherallthekeys,andtoldhershecouldopenalltheroomsexceptthelast."Doyouthink,"saidthegirl,"Iwouldhaveanyreasontoopenit?Iamnotinterestedinyourpersonalbusiness."Thatnightafterthegirlwenttosleep,SilverNosetiptoedinandputacarnationinherhair.
    WhenSilverNosewentoutthenextmorning,thefirstthingthegirldidwasgoandopentheforbiddendoor.Shewasinstantlyassailedbysmoke,flames,andhowlsofthedamnedsouls,inwhosemidstshespottedhersister."Sister,freemefromthisHell!"screamedthefirstgirl.Butthemiddlegirlgrewweakintheknees,slammedthedoor,andran.ShewasnowsurethatSilverNosewastheDevil,fromwhomshecouldnthideorescape.SilverNosereturnedandnoticedherhairrightaway.Thecarnationwaswithered,sowithoutawordhesnatchedherupandthrewherintoHelltoo.
    Thenextday,inhiscustomaryaristocraticattire,hereappearedatthewasherwomanshouse."Thereissomuchworktobedoneatmyhousethatnoteventwogirlsareenough.CouldIhaveyourthirddaughteraswell?"Hethusreturnedhomewiththethirdsister,Lucia,whowasthemostcunningofthemall.Shetoowasshownaroundthehouseandgiventhesameinstructionsashersisters.Shetoohadaflowerputinherhairwhileshewassleeping:ajasmineblossom.ThefirstthingLuciadidwhenshegotupnextmorningwasarrangeherhair.Lookinginthemirror,shenoticedthejasmine."Well,well!"shesaid."SilverNosepinnedajasmineonme.Howthoughtfulofhim!Whoknowswhyhedidit?InanycaseIllkeepitfresh."Sheputitintoaglassofwater,combedherhair,thensaid,"Nowletstakealookatthatmysteriousdoor."
    Shejustbarelyopenedit,andoutrushedaflame.Sheglimpsedcountlesspeopleburning,andthereinthemiddleofthecrowdwereherbigsisters."Lucia!Lucia!"theyscreamed."Getusoutofhere!Saveus!"
    AtonceLuciashutthedoortightlyandbeganthinkinghowshemightrescuehersisters.
    BythetimetheDevilgothome,Luciahadputherjasminebackinherhair,andactedasthoughnothinghadhappenedthatday.SilverNoselookedatthejasmine."Oh,itsstillfresh,"hesaid.
    "Ofcourse,whyshouldntitbe?Whywouldanyonewearwitheredflowersinherhair?"
    "Oh,Iwasjusttalkingtobetalking,"answeredSilverNose."Youseemlikeaclevergirl.Keepitup,andwellneverquarrel.Areyouhappy?"
    "Yes,butIdbehappierifIdidnthavesomethingbotheringme."
    "Whatsbotheringyou?"
    "WhenIleftmymother,shewasntfeelingtoowell.NowIhavenonewsatallofher."
    "Ifthatsallyoureworriedabout,"saidtheDevil,"Illdropbyherhouseandseehowshesdoing."
    "Thankyou,thatisverykindofyou.Ifyoucangotomorrow,Illgetupabagoflaundryatoncewhichmymothercanwashifsheiswellenough.Thebagwontbetooheavyforyou,willit?"
    "Ofcoursenot.Icancarryanythingunderthesun,nomatterhowheavyitis."
    WhentheDevilwentoutagainthatday,LuciaopenedthedoortoHell,pulledoutheroldestsister,andtiedherupinabag."Keepstillinthere,Carlotta,"shetoldher."TheDevilhimselfwillcarryyoubackhome.Butanytimehesomuchasthinksofputtingthebagdown,youmustsay,Iseeyou,Iseeyou!"
    TheDevilreturned,andLuciasaid,"Hereisthebagofthingstobewashed.Doyoupromiseyoulltakeitstraighttomymother?"
    "Youdonttrustme?"askedtheDevil.
    "CertainlyItrustyou,allthemoresowithmyspecialabilitytoseefromagreatdistanceaway.Ifyoudareputthebagdownsomewhere,Illseeyou."
    "Yes,ofcourse,"saidtheDevil,buthehadlittlefaithinherclaimofbeingabletoseethingsagreatdistanceaway.Heflungthebagoverhisshoulder."Mygoodness,thisdirtystuffisheavy!"heexclaimed.
    "Naturally!"repliedthegirl."Howmanyyearshasitbeensinceyouhadanythingwashed?"
    SilverNosesetoutforthewasherwomans,butwhenhewasonlyhalfwaythere,hesaidtohimself,"MaybebutIshallseeifthisgirlisntemptyingmyhouseofeverythingIown,underthepretextofsendingoutlaundry."Hewenttoputthebagdownandopenit.
    "Iseeyou,Iseeyou!"suddenlyscreamedthesisterinsidethebag.
    "ByJove,itstrue!Shecanseefromafar!"exclaimedSilverNose.HethrewthebagbackoverhisshoulderandmarchedstraighttoLuciasmothershouse."Yourdaughtersendsyouthisstufftowashandwantstoknowhowyouare"
    Assoonasheleft,thewasherwomanopenedthesack,andyoucanimagineherjoyuponfindingheroldestdaughterinside.

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