小学英语 英语故事(童话故事)The Child in the Grave 墓里的孩子

2021年1月26日发(作者：因循苟且)
The
Child
in
the
Grave
墓里的孩子

There was sorrow in the house; there was sorrow in every heart, for the youngest
child, a four-year-old boy, the joy and future hope of his parents, was dead. They
had two older daughters, the eldest of whom was to be confirmed that year; sweet,
good
girls,
they
both
were;
but
the
child
one
has
lost
is
always
the
most
precious,
and
this
was
not
only
the
youngest
but
the
only
son.
It
was
indeed
a
heavy
affliction.
The sisters grieved as the young grieve, awed by the sorrow of their parents; the
father's head bowed in grief; but most of all the mother suffered.
Night
and
day
she
had
cared
for
the
sick
child,
nursed
it,
carried
it
with
her,
guarded
it constantly until it was a part of herself. She could not conceive that he was
dead, that he should be laid in a coffin and rest in a dark grave. God would never
take
her
child
from
her,
she
thought;
when
it
happened,
however,
and
was
a
certainty,
she cried aloud in her agony,
servants here upon earth; they do as they like and pay no heed to the prayers of
a mother!
In her grief she turned from God, and then came dark thoughts, thoughts of death,
everlasting
death-
that
human
beings
became
earth
in
the
earth
and
that
all
was
over.
Her words were bitter, for her heart was black with despair. There were hours when
she
could
not
even
find
solace
of
tears;
she
had
no
thought
for
her
young
daughters;
she never looked up at her husband when his tears fell on her hot forehead; her
thoughts
were
all
with
her
dead
child;
her
mind
could
recall
only
cherished
memories
of him-his winning ways, his innocent, childish prattle.
The day of the funeral came. For several nights she had not closed her eyes; but
early in the morning of this day, overcome at last by weariness, she fell asleep.
And during her sleep the coffin was carried into a distant room and there the lid
was nailed down, so that she would not hear the sound of the hammering.
When she awoke she demanded to see her child, but her husband replied through his
tears,

And then she was overcome with bitter tears.
The coffin was carried to the grave; the inconsolable mother sat with her young
daughters,
but
she
looked
at
them
without
seeing
them,
for
her
thoughts
had
nothing
more to do with her home. She resigned herself to sorrow, and it tossed her to and
fro as the sea tosses the rudderless ship. Thus passed the day of the funeral, and
several days followed, all dark
with
the same heavy monotony of sorrow.
Her family
watched her with moist eyes and sorrowful glances; she did not heed their words of
comfort. What comfort could they offer when they themselves were grieving?
It
seemed
to
her
as
though
she
would
never
sleep
again,
yet
sleep
could
be
her
best
friend; it could strengthen her body and bring rest to her embittered soul. They
persuaded her to lie down, and she would lie in her bed as quietly as though she
were actually sleeping.
One night her husband listened to her steady breathing and really thought that at
last she had found repose. With folded hands he thanked God, and soon fell into a