Ib and Little Christina · page 31 2 3201She could say no more.202Then Ib brought out another match, and lighted a piece of candle which he found in the room, and it threw a glimmering light over the wretched dwelling.203Ib looked at the little girl, and thought of Christina in her young days.204For her sake, could he not love this child, who was a stranger to him?205As he thus reflected, the dying woman opened her eyes, and gazed at him.206Did she recognize him?207He never knew; for not another word escaped her lips.208* * * * *209In the forest by the river Gudenau, not far from the heath, and beneath the ridge of land, stood the little farm, newly painted and whitewashed.210The air was heavy and dark; there were no blossoms on the heath; the autumn winds whirled the yellow leaves towards the boatman's hut, in which strangers dwelt; but the little farm stood safely sheltered beneath the tall trees and the high ridge.211The turf blazed brightly on the hearth, and within was sunlight, the sparkling light from the sunny eyes of a child; the birdlike tones from the rosy lips ringing like the song of a lark in spring.212All was life and joy.213Little Christina sat on Ib's knee.214Ib was to her both father and mother; her own parents had vanished from her memory, as a dream-picture vanishes alike from childhood and age.215Ib's house was well and prettily furnished; for he was a prosperous man now, while the mother of the little girl rested in the churchyard at Copenhagen, where she had died in poverty.216Ib had money now--money which had come to him out of the black earth; and he had Christina for his own, after all.1 2 3← previousHolger Danskenext →I. Little Rudy↑ back to Fairy Tales of Hans Christian AndersenThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/51/page/3/