(原版)澳大利亞語文第六冊 LESSON 8

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LESSON 8 THE HEROIC DAUGHTER

THE HEROIC DAUGHTER

A captain in the Russian army, who had been sent as an exile [1] for life to a small village in the north of Siberia, had a daughter named Catherine. She saw how unhappy her father and mother were, and she resolved to go to St. Petersburg herself, and ask the Czar [2] to pardon her father.

When she told her father her plan, he only laughed at her; and her mother said that she ought to mind her work instead of talking nonsense. "Here, my dear," said she, "dust the table for dinner, and then you may set off for St. Petersburg at your ease."

But neither her father's laughter nor her mother's sneers turned Catherine from her purpose; and, after waiting patiently for three years, she at length got her father to agree to let her go.

It was a terrible journey for a girl of eighteen to undertake alone. She had to travel on foot for hundreds of miles, through vast forests and across dreary snow-covered plains. She had no clothes with her except the faded ones which she wore; all that she had in her pocket was a single silver rouble [3] ; but she had a brave heart, and unbounded trust in God.

HER FATHER ONLY LAUGHED AT HER

She met with the greatest hardships and dangers on her travels. Once she was caught in a furious storm, at the end of a long day's journey, and had to take refuge [4] from the wind and rain in a thicket by the way. This gave her shelter for a time; but long before morning she was drenched [5] to the skin.

At another time she feared that the wretches with whom she lodged were going to murder her, for the sake

of the money which they thought she had. It was only when they found that she had but a few coppers in her purse, that they let her go unharmed.

She was often driven from the doors of the rich, as a beggar and a cheat. She was spurned [6] by matrons [7] who should have known better, jeered at [8] by thoughtless boys, and even attacked by dogs.

Before her journey was half done, winter overtook her, and greatly increased her hardships; but some carriers with whom she fell in were very kind to her. When her cheek was frostbitten, they rubbed it with snow; when no sheep-skin could be got for her, they gave her theirs by turns, and took every possible care of her.

Her next mishap was to be tumbled out of a barge [9] on the river Volga. This did so much harm to her health, that, before continuing her journey, she had to spend some months in a nunnery, where the nuns were very kind to her.

At last, after a journey of eighteen months, she reached St. Petersburg. She stood day after day for a fortnight on the steps of the Senate House, holding out a petition [10] to the senators [11] ; but without success.

After many failures, she was fortunate enough to find friends who were able to take her to the Empress, who was very kind to her, and promised that she would intercede with the Czar on her father's behalf. The result was, that the Czar pardoned her father, and allowed him to return with his wife from Siberia.

When the Czar, touched with her noble bearing, asked Catherine if she had anything to ask for herself, she replied that she would be quite satisfied if he would also pardon two poor old gentlemen who had been kind to her in her exile. Her request was at once granted.

Very touching was the meeting between the heroic daughter and the parents whom she had delivered. When she came into their presence, they at once fell on their knees to thank her; but she exclaimed, "It is God that we have to thank for your wonderful deliverance!"

THE EMPRESS WAS VERY KIND TO HER

But Catherine's health had been completely broken by her great exertions. She had bought her parents' freedom with her own life. One morning, a few months afterwards, when the nuns with whom she lived went into her room, they found her with her hands clasped, quietly sleeping her last long sleep.

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[1] exile: A person banished from his country.

[2] Czar: The Emperor of Russia.

[3] silver rouble: A coin worth about three shillings.

[4] refuge: Shelter.

[5] drenched: Wet through.

[6] spurned: Driven away.

[7] matrons: Married women.

[8] Jeered at: Mocked.

[9] barge: A large flat-bottomed boat, usually drawn by a tug. At one time the barges on the Volga were drawn by men who trudged along a path on the bank of the river.

[10] petition: A paper containing a request.

[11] Senators: Councillors of the Czar.