The journey had also tired Kala; but she was always fatigued， that was the worst of it. So they sent for Sophy， and she was taken into the house to reside with them， and her presence there was a great advantage. Mamma-in-law acknowledged that Sophy was not only a clever housewife， but well-informed and accomplished， though that could hardly be expected in a person of her limited means. She was also a generous-hearted， faithful girl; she showed that thoroughly while Kala lay sick， fading away. When the casket is everything， the casket should be strong， or else all is over. And all was over with the casket， for Kala died.
“She was beautiful，” said her mother; “she was quite different from the beauties they call 'antiques，' for they are so damaged. A beauty ought to be perfect， and Kala was a perfect beauty.”
Alfred wept， and mamma wept， and they both wore mourning. The black dress suited mamma very well， and she wore mourning the longest. She had also to experience another grief in seeing Alfred marry again， marry Sophy， who was nothing at all to look at. “He's gone to the very extreme，” said mamma-in-law; “he has gone from the most beautiful to the ugliest， and he has forgotten his first wife. Men have no constancy. My husband was a very different man，—but then he died before me.”
“'Pygmalion loved his Galatea，' was in the song they sung at my first wedding，” said Alfred; “I once fell in love with a beautiful statue， which awoke to life in my arms; but the kindred soul， which is a gift from heaven， the angel who can feel and sympathize with and elevate us， I have not found and won till now. You came， Sophy， not in the glory of outward beauty， though you are even fairer than is necessary. The chief thing still remains. You came to teach the sculptor that his work is but dust and clay only， an outward form made of a material that decays， and that what we should seek to obtain is the ethereal essence of mind and spirit. Poor Kala! our life was but as a meeting by the way-side; in yonder world， where we shall know each other from a union of mind， we shall be but mere acquaintances.”
“That was not a loving speech，” said Sophy， “nor spoken like a Christian. In a future state， where there is neither marrying nor giving in marriage， but where， as you say， souls are attracted to each other by sympathy; there everything beautiful develops itself， and is raised to a higher state of existence： her soul will acquire such completeness that it may harmonize with yours， even more than mine， and you will then once more utter your first rapturous exclamation of your love， 'Beautiful， most beautiful!'
“真可爱”作者
安徒生(1805-1875)丹麦作家。1805年，安徒生诞生在丹麦奥登塞镇的一座破旧阁楼上。他的父亲用棺材为他做了一个摇篮，他的父亲是个鞋匠，很早就去世了，全家靠母亲给人洗衣服维持生活。安徒生虽然过着十分贫穷的生活，但他却有自己远大的理想。他很小就一人到首都去了，同村的一个巫婆预言他能成为一个著名的人物。开始，他决心当一名演员，起初，他想学习舞蹈和演戏，却遭到了拒绝，后来被一位音乐学校的教授收留，学习唱歌。因为他没有钱只好离开了音乐学校。经过十几年的奋斗，终于踏进了文坛。从三十岁开始，专心从事儿童文学创作，一生中共写了168篇童话故事。