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t the storm careers on over field andmoorland； over land and sea。
Borglum's bishop reaches the church； but Olaf Hase will scarcedo so； however hard he may ride。 He journeys with his warriors onthe farther side of the bay； in order that he may help Jens Glob；now that the bishop is to be summoned before the judgment seat ofthe Highest。
The church is the judgment hall； the altar is the council table。The lights burn clear in the heavy brass candelabra。 The storm readsout the accusation and the sentence； roaming in the air over moorand heath； and over the rolling waters。 No ferry…boat can sail overthe bay in such weather as this。
Olaf Hase makes halt at Ottesworde。 There he dismisses hiswarriors； presents them with their horses and harness； and givesthem leave to ride home and greet his wife。 He intends to risk hislife alone in the roaring waters； but they are to bear witness for himthat it is not his fault if Jens Glob stands without reinforcementin the church at Widberg。 The faithful warriors will not leave him；but follow him out into the deep waters。 Ten of them are carried away；but Olaf Hase and two of the youngest men reach the farther side。 Theyhave still four miles to ride。
It is past midnight。 It is Christmas。 The wind has abated。 Thechurch is lighted up； the gleaming radiance shines through thewindow…frames； and pours out over meadow and heath。 The mass haslong been finished； silence reigns in the church； and the wax is hearddropping from the candles to the stone pavement。 And now Olaf Hasearrives。
In the forecourt Jens Glob greets him kindly； and says；
〃I have just made an agreement with the bishop。〃
〃Sayest thou so？〃 replied Olaf Hase。 〃Then neither thou nor thebishop shall quit this church alive。〃
And the sword leaps from the scabbard； and Olaf Hase deals ablow that makes the panel of the church door； which Jens Globhastily closes between them； fly in fragments。
〃Hold； brother！ First hear what the agreement was that I made。 Ihave slain the bishop and his warriors and priests。 They will haveno word more to say in the matter； nor will I speak again of all thewrong that my mother has endured。〃
The long wicks of the altar lights glimmer red； but there is aredder gleam upon the pavement； where the bishop lies with clovenskull； and his dead warriors around him； in the quiet of the holyChristmas night。
And four days afterwards the bells toll for a funeral in theconvent of Borglum。 The murdered bishop and the slain warriors andpriests are displayed under a black canopy； surrounded by candelabradecked with crape。 There lies the dead man； in the black cloak wroughtwith silver； the crozier in the powerless hand that was once somighty。 The incense rises in clouds； and the monks chant the funeralhymn。 It sounds like a wail… it sounds like a sentence of wrath andcondemnation； that must be heard far over the land； carried by thewind… sung by the wind… the wail that sometimes is silent； but neverdies； for ever again it rises in song； singing even into our owntime this legend of the Bishop of Borglum and his hard nephew。 It isheard in the dark night by the frightened husbandman； driving by inthe heavy sandy road past the convent of Borglum。 It is heard by thesleepless listener in the thickly…walled rooms at Borglum。 And notonly to the ear of superstition is the sighing and the tread ofhurrying feet audible in the long echoing passages leading to theconvent door that has long been locked。 The door still seems toopen； and the lights seem to flame in the brazen candlesticks； thefragrance of incense arises； the church gleams in its ancientsplendor； and the monks sing and say the mass over the slain bishop；who lies there in the black silver…embroidered mantle； with thecrozier in his powerless hand； and on his pale proud forehead gleamsthe red wound like fire； and there burn the worldly mind and thewicked thoughts。
Sink down into his grave… into oblivion… ye terrible shapes of thetimes of old！
Hark to the raging of the angry wind； sounding above the rollingsea！ A storm approaches without； calling aloud for human lives。 Thesea has not put on a new mind with the new time。 This night it is ahorrible pit to devour up lives； and to…morrow； perhaps； it may be aglassy mirror… even as in the old time that we have buried。 Sleepsweetly； if thou canst sleep！
Now it is morning。
The new time flings sunshine into the room。 The wind still keepsup mightily。 A wreck is announced… as in the old time。
During the night； down yonder by Lokken； the little fishingvillage with the red…tiled roofs… we can see it up here from thewindow… a ship has e ashore。 It has struck； and is fast embedded inthe sand； but the rocket apparatus has thrown a rope on board； andformed a bridge from the wreck to the mainland； and all on board aresaved； and reach the land； and are wrapped in warm blankets； andto…day they are invited to the farm at the convent of Borglum。 Infortable rooms they encounter hospitality and friendly faces。They are addressed in the language of their country； and the pianosounds for them with melodies of their native land； and before thesehave died away； the chord has been struck； the wire of thought thatreaches to the land of the sufferers announces that they arerescued。 Then their anxieties are dispelled； and at even they joinin the dance at the feast given in the great hall at Borglum。Waltzes and Styrian dances are given； and Danish popular songs； andmelodies of foreign lands in these modern times。
Blessed be thou； new time！ Speak thou of summer and of purergales！ Send thy sunbeams gleaming into our hearts and thoughts！ On thyglowing canvas let them be painted… the dark legends of the rough hardtimes that are past！
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE BOTTLE NECK
by Hans Christian Andersen
CLOSE to the corner of a street； among other abodes of poverty；stood an exceedingly tall； narrow house； which had been so knockedabout by time that it seemed out of joint in every direction。 Thishouse was inhabited by poor people； but the deepest poverty wasapparent in the garret lodging in the gable。 In front of the littlewindow； an old bent bird…cage hung in the sunshine； which had not evena proper water…glass； but instead of it the broken neck of a bottle；turned upside down； and a cork stuck in to make it hold the water withwhich it was filled。 An old maid stood at the window； she had hungchickweed over the cage； and the little lin which it containedhopped from perch to perch and sang and twittered merrily。
〃Yes； it's all very well for you to sing；〃 said the bottle neck：that is； he did not really speak the words as we do； for the neck of abottle cannot speak； but he thought them to himself in his own mind；just as people sometimes talk quietly to themselves。
〃Yes； you may sing very well； you have all your limbs uninjured；you should feel what it is like to lose your body； and only have aneck and a mouth left； with a cork stuck in it； as I have： youwouldn't sing then； I know。 After all； it is just as well that thereare some who can be happy。 I have no reason to sing； nor could Ising now if I were ever so happy； but when I was a whole bottle； andthey rubbed me with a cork； didn't I sing then？ I used to be calleda plete lark。 I remember when I went out to a picnic with thefurrier's family； on the day his daughter was betrothed；… it seemsas if it only happened yesterday。 I have gone through a great dealin my time； when I e to recollect： I have been in the fire and inthe water； I have been deep in the earth； and have mounted higher inthe air than most other people； and now I am swinging here； outsidea bird…cage； in the air and the sunshine。 Oh； indeed； it would beworth while to hear my history； but I do not speak it aloud； for agood reason… because I cannot。〃
Then the bottle neck related his history； which was reallyrather remarkable； he； in fact； related it to himself； or； at least；thought it in his own mind。 The little bird sang his own song merrily；in the street below there was driving and running to and fro； everyone thought of his own affairs； or perhaps of nothing at all； butthe bottle neck thought deeply。 He thought of the blazing furnace inthe factory； where he had been blown