Снежная королева

           Shecalledtomindhisintelligenteyes,andhislonghair,sovividly,shecouldquiteseehimasheusedtolaughwhentheyweresittingundertherosesathome. "Hewill,nodoubt,begladtoseeyou—tohearwhatalongwayyouhavecomeforhissake;toknowhowunhappyallathomewerewhenhedidnotcomeback." 

           Oh,whatafrightandajoyitwas! 

           Theywerenowonthestairs.Asinglelampwasburningthere;andonthefloorstoodthetameRaven,turningherheadoneverysideandlookingatGerda,whobowedashergrandmotherhadtaughthertodo. 

           "Myintendedhastoldmesomuchgoodofyou,mydearyounglady,"saidthetameRaven. "Yourtaleisveryaffecting.Ifyouwilltakethelamp,Iwillgobefore.Wewillgostraighton,forweshallmeetnoone." 

           "Ithinkthereissomebodyjustbehindus,"saidGerda;andsomethingrushedpast:itwaslikeshadowyfiguresonthewall;horseswithflowingmanesandthinlegs,huntsmen,ladiesandgentlemenonhorseback. 

           "Theyareonlydreams,"saidtheRaven."Theycometofetchthethoughtsofthehighpersonagestothechase;’tiswell,fornowyoucanobservetheminbedallthebetter.Butletmefind,whenyouenjoyhonoranddistinction,thatyoupossessagratefulheart." 

           "Tut!That’snotworthtalkingabout,"saidtheRavenofthewoods. 

           Theynowenteredthefirstsaloon,whichwasofrose-coloredsatin,withartificialflowersonthewall.Herethedreamswererushingpast,buttheyhastenedbysoquicklythatGerdacouldnotseethehighpersonages.