按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
魔鬼说：“是吗，等着看吧！”但他对姑娘具有千里眼的法力不以为然。他背起口袋，说：“这包脏东西怎么这么重啊！”
姑娘说：“那当然，你有多少年没洗过一样东西了？”
银鼻子上路了。但走到半路，他想：姑娘的话没错！不过我还是得看一下，也许她是以送该洗的脏东西为借口，想偷我的东西。于是，他把口袋放在地上，要打开看看。
“我看见你了！我看见你了！”姐姐从口袋里立即喊起来。
“啊，是真的！她真是千里眼！”银鼻子说着又背起口袋，一直走到露琪亚妈妈的家。“您的女儿让我把这袋东西带回来洗，她还想问问您身体怎么样……”
银鼻子一走，洗衣妇就打开了口袋，当她看到自己的大女儿时，高兴的样子就可想而知了。
一个星期后，露琪亚又假装忧心忡忡，她对银鼻子说还想知道妈妈的消息。
她又让他带上另一袋的脏东西去她家。于是，银鼻子又背起她二姐上路了，这一次他又没看成袋子里的东西，因为他听到有人叫着：“我看见你了！我看见你了！”
此时，洗衣妇已知道这个银鼻子就是魔鬼了，看到他又背着一袋东西来了，紧张得不得了，生怕银鼻子向她要上次洗好的东西，但银鼻子把肩上的口袋往地上一放，说：“洗好的东西，我下一次再来取，这包东西太重，压得我骨头都快断了，我要空手回去。”
等银鼻子一走远，洗衣妇万分焦急地打开了口袋，紧紧抱住了自己的二女儿。但随后就开始替露琪亚担心，她现在一个人只身留在魔鬼的手里。
露琪亚怎么办呢？过了不久，她又假装想了解母亲的情况。魔鬼此时已经厌倦了替她带脏衣服回家，不过想到她这么听话，也就不忍拒绝。临行前的晚上，露琪亚说她头疼得厉害，要先去睡了。“我把准备好的口袋给你留下，这样，明天即使我不舒服，起不了床，你也可以自己把口袋带去。”
现在，要知道露琪亚早就缝制了一个玩具布娃娃，跟她自己一样大。她把布娃娃放在床上，盖上被子，然后剪掉自己的辫子安在布娃娃的头上，看上去就像她自己睡在床上一样。随后，她又把自己藏在了口袋里。
早上，魔鬼看到姑娘躺在被窝里，就背起口袋上路了，边走边想：今天她病了，不可能再注意我。这是偷看口袋里边到底是不是脏东西的好机会。他放下口袋，刚想打开来看。“我看见你了！我看见你了！”露琪亚喊道。
“啊！她的声音真真切切的，好像就在耳旁！最好别再跟这姑娘开这种玩笑了。”他背起口袋，一直把它送给了洗衣妇。“我以后来把洗好的东西取走，”他急急忙忙地说，“现在我得赶快回去，因为露琪亚病了。”
就这样，一家人又团聚了，而且因为露琪亚还从魔鬼那里带回很多金币，足够全家人幸福、满足地生活着。她们在家门口立起了一个十字架，魔鬼再也不敢靠近了。
Silver Nose
There was once a widowed washerwoman with three daughters。 All four of them worked their fingers to the bone washing； but they still went hungry。 One day the oldest daughter said to her mother； 〃I intend to leave home； even if I have to go and work for the Devil。〃
〃Don't talk like that； daughter；〃 replied the mother。 〃Goodness knows what might happen to you。〃
Not many days afterward； they received a visit from a gentleman attired in black。 He was the height of courtesy and had a silver nose。
〃I am aware of the fact that you have three daughters；〃 he said to the mother。 〃Would you let one e and work for me？〃
The mother would have consented at once； had it not been for that silver nose which she didn't like the looks of。 She called her oldest girl aside and said； 〃No man on earth has a silver nose。 If you go off with him you might well live to regret it； so watch out。〃
The daughter； who was dying to leave home； paid no attention to her mother and left with the man。 They walked for miles and miles； crossing woods and mountains； and finally came in sight of an intense glow in the distance like that of a fire。 〃What is that I see way down there in the valley？〃 asked the girl； growing uneasy。
〃My house。 That's just where we are going；〃 replied Silver Nose。
The girl followed along； but couldn't keep from trembling。 They came to a large palace； and Silver Nose took her through it and showed her every room； each one more beautiful than the other； and he gave her the key to each one。 When they reached the door of the last room； Silver Nose gave her the key and said； 〃You must never open this door for any reason whatever； or you'll wish you hadn't！ You're in charge of all the rooms but this one。〃
He's hiding something from me； thought the girl； and resolved to open that door the minute Silver Nose left the house。 That night； while she was sleeping in her little room； in tiptoed Silver Nose and placed a rose in her hair。 Then he left just as quietly as he had entered。
The next morning Silver Nose went out on business。 Finding herself alone with all her keys； the girl ran and unlocked the forbidden door。 No sooner had she cracked it than smoke and flames shot out； while she caught sight of a crowd of damned souls in agony inside the fiery room。 She then realized that Silver Nose was the Devil and that the room was Hell。 She screamed； slammed the door； and took to her heels。 But a tongue of fire had scorched the rose she wore in her hair。
Silver Nose came home and saw the singed rose。 〃So that's how you obey me！〃 he said。 He snatched her up； opened the door to Hell； and flung her into the flames。
The next day he went back to the widow。 〃Your daughter is getting along very well at my house； but the work is so heavy she needs help。 Could you send us your second daughter too？〃 So Silver Nose returned home with one of the girl's sisters。 He showed her around the house； gave her all the keys； and told her she could open all the rooms except the last。 〃Do you think；〃 said the girl； 〃I would have any reason to open it？ I am not interested in your personal business。〃 That night after the girl went to sleep； Silver Nose tiptoed in and put a carnation in her hair。
When Silver Nose went out the next morning； the first thing the girl did was go and open the forbidden door。 She was instantly assailed by smoke； flames； and howls of the damned souls； in whose midst she spotted her sister。 〃Sister； free me from this Hell！〃 screamed the first girl。 But the middle girl grew weak in the knees； slammed the door； and ran。 She was now sure that Silver Nose was the Devil； from whom she couldn't hide or escape。 Silver Nose returned and noticed her hair right away。 The carnation was withered； so without a word he snatched her up and threw her into Hell too。
The next day； in his customary aristocratic attire； he reappeared at the washerwoman's house。 〃There is so much work to be done at my house that not even two girls are enough。 Could I have your third daughter as well？〃 He thus returned home with the third sister； Lucia； who was the most cunning of them all。 She too was shown around the house and given the same instructions as her sisters。 She too had a flower put in her hair while she was sleeping： a jasmine blossom。 The first thing Lucia did when she got up next morning was arrange her hair。 Looking in the mirror； she noticed the jasmine。 〃Well； well！〃 she said。 〃Silver Nose pinned a jasmine on me。 How thoughtful of him！ Who knows why he did it？ In any case I'll keep it fresh。〃 She put it into a glass of water； bed her hair； then said； 〃Now let's take a look at that mysterious door。〃
She just barely opened it； and out rushed a flame。 She glimpsed countless people burning； and there in the middle of the crowd were her big sisters。 〃Lucia！ Lucia！〃 they screamed。 〃Get us out of here！ Save us！〃
At once Lucia shut the door tightly and began thinking how she might rescue her sisters。
By