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theOldGrave-StonebyHansChristianAndersen(1852)INahouse,withalargecourtyard,inaprovincialtown,atthattimeoftheyearinwhichpeoplesaytheeveningsaregrowinglonger,afamilycircleweregatheredtogetherattheiroldhome.Alampburnedonthetable,althoughtheweatherwasmildandwarm,andthelongcurtainshungdownbeforetheopenwindows,andwithoutthemoonshonebrightlyinthedark-bluesky.Buttheywerenottalkingofthemoon,butofalarge,oldstonethatlaybelowinthecourtyardnotveryfarfromthekitchendoor.Themaidsoftenlaidthecleancoppersaucepansandkitchenvesselsonthisstone,thattheymightdryinthesun,andthechildrenwerefondofplayingonit.Itwas,infact,anoldgrave-stone.“Yes,”saidthemasterofthehouse, “Ibelievethestonecamefromthegraveyardoftheoldchurchoftheconventwhichwaspulleddown,andthepulpit,themonuments,andthegrave-stonessold.Myfatherboughtthelatter;mostofthemwerecutintwoandusedforpaving-stones,butthatonestonewaspreservedwhole,andlaidinthecourtyard.”“Anyonecanseethatitisagrave-stone,”saidtheeldestofthechildren; “therepresentationofanhour-glassandpartofthefigureofanangelcanstillbetraced,buttheinscriptionbeneathisquitewornout,exceptingthenamePreben,andalargeSclosebyit,andalittlefartherdownthenameofMarthacanbeeasilyread.Butnothingmore,andeventhatcannotbeseenunlessithasbeenraining,orwhenwehavewashedthestone.”“Dearme!howsingular.Whythatmustbethegrave-stoneofPrebenSchwaneandhiswife.”theoldmanwhosaidthislookedoldenoughtobethegrandfatherofallpresentintheroom.“Yes,”hecontinued, “thesepeoplewereamongthelastwhowereburiedinthechurchyardoftheoldconvent.Theywereaveryworthyoldcouple,Icanrememberthemwellinthedaysofmyboyhood.Everyoneknewthem,andtheywereesteemedbyall.Theyweretheoldestresidentsinthetown,andpeoplesaidtheypossessedatonofgold,yettheywerealwaysveryplainlydressed,inthecoarseststuff,butwithlinenofthepurestwhiteness.PrebenandMarthawereafineoldcouple,andwhentheybothsatonthebench,atthetopofthesteepstonesteps,infrontoftheirhouse,withthebranchesofthelinden-treewavingabovethem,andnoddedinagentle,friendlywaytopassersby,itreallymadeonefeelquitehappy.Theywereverygoodtothepoor;theyfedthemandclothedthem,andintheirbenevolencetherewasjudgmentaswellastrueChristianity.Theoldwomandiedfirst;thatdayisstillquitevividlybeforemyeyes.Iwasalittleboy,andhadaccompaniedmyfathertotheoldmanshouse.Marthahadfallenintothesleepofdeathjustaswearrivedthere.Thecorpselayinabedroom,neartotheoneinwhichwesat,andtheoldmanwasinGREatdistressandweepinglikeachild.Hespoketomyfather,andtoafewneighborswhowerethere,ofhowlonelyheshouldfeelnowshewasgone,andhowgoodandtrueshe,hisdeadwife,hadbeenduringthenumberofyearsthattheyhadpassedthroughlifetogether,andhowtheyhadbecomeacquainted,andlearnttoloveeachother.Iwas,asIhavesaid,aboy,andonlystoodbyandlistenedtowhattheotherssaid;butitfilledmewithastrangeemotiontolistentotheoldman,andtowatchhowthecolorroseinhischeeksashespokeofthedaysoftheircourtship,ofhowbeautifulshewas,andhowmanylittletrickshehadbeenguiltyof,thathemightmeether.Andthenhetalkedofhiswedding-day;andhiseyesbrightened,andheseemedtobecarriedback,byhiswords,tothatjoyfultime.Andyetthereshewas,lyinginthenextroom,deadanoldwoman,andhewasanoldman,speakingofthedaysofhope,longpassedaway.Ah,well,soitis;thenIwasbutachild,andnowIamold,asoldasPrebenSchwanethenwas.Timepassesaway,andallthingschanged.Icanrememberquitewellthedayonwhichshewasburied,andhowOldPrebenwalkedclosebehindthecoffin.“Afewyearsbeforethistimetheoldcouplehadhadtheirgrave-stoneprepared,withaninscriptionandtheirnames,butnotthedate.Intheeveningthestonewastakentothechurchyard,andlaidonthegrave.Ayearlateritwastakenup,thatOldPrebenmightbelaidbythesideofhiswife.Theydidnotleavebehindthemwealth,theyleftbehindthemfarlessthanpeoplehadbelievedtheypossessed;whattherewaswenttofamiliesdistantlyrelatedtothem,ofwhom,tillthen,noonehadeverheard.Theoldhouse,withitsbalconyofwickerwork,andthebenchatthetopofthehighsteps,underthelime-tree,wasconsidered,bytheroad-inspectors,toooldandrottentobeleftstanding.Afterwards,whenthesamefatebefelltheconventchurch,andthegraveyardwasdestroyed,thegrave-stoneofPrebenandMartha,likeeverythingelse,wassoldtowhoeverwouldbuyit.Andsoithappenedthat
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