English
Inacornerformedbytwohouses,ofwhichoneadvancedmorethantheother,sheseatedherselfdownandcoweredtogether.
Herlittlefeetshehaddrawncloseuptoher,butshegrewcolderandcolder,
andtogohomeshedidnotventure,forshehadnotsoldanymatchesandcouldnotbringafarthingofmoney:
fromherfathershewouldcertainlygetblows,andathomeitwascoldtoo,forabovehershehadonlytheroof,throughwhichthewindwhistled,eventhoughthelargestcrackswerestoppedupwithstrawandrags.
Herlittlehandswerealmostnumbedwithcold.
Oh!amatchmightaffordheraworldofcomfort,ifsheonlydaredtakeasingleoneoutofthebundle,drawitagainstthewall,andwarmherfingersbyit.
"Rischt!"howitblazed,howitburnt!
Itwasawarm,brightflame,likeacandle,assheheldherhandsoverit:itwasawonderfullight.
Itseemedreallytothelittlemaidenasthoughsheweresittingbeforealargeironstove,withburnishedbrassfeetandabrassornamentattop.
Thefireburnedwithsuchblessedinfluence;itwarmedsodelightfully.
Thelittlegirlhadalreadystretchedoutherfeettowarmthemtoo;but--thesmallflamewentout,thestovevanished:shehadonlytheremainsoftheburnt-outmatchinherhand.
Sherubbedanotheragainstthewall:itburnedbrightly,andwherethelightfellonthewall,therethewallbecametransparentlikeaveil,sothatshecouldseeintotheroom.
Onthetablewasspreadasnow-whitetablecloth;uponitwasasplendidporcelainservice,andtheroastgoosewassteamingfamouslywithitsstuffingofappleanddriedplums.
Andwhatwasstillmorecapitaltobeholdwas,thegoosehoppeddownfromthedish,reeledaboutonthefloorwithknifeandforkinitsbreast,tillitcameuptothepoorlittlegirl;
when--thematchwentoutandnothingbutthethick,cold,dampwallwasleftbehind.
Shelightedanothermatch.
NowthereshewassittingunderthemostmagnificentChristmastree:itwasstilllarger,andmoredecoratedthantheonewhichshehadseenthroughtheglassdoorintherichmerchant'shouse.
Share this article to
FINISH