She danced over the churchyard, but the dead did not dance; they had
something better to do than to dance. She wished to seat herself on a
poor man's grave, where the bitter tansy grew; but for her there was
neither peace nor rest; and when she danced towards the open
church-door, she saw an angel standing there. He wore long white
garments, he had wings which reached from his shoulders to the earth,
his countenance was severe and grave, and in his hand he held a sword,
broad and glittering.
"Dance shalt thou!" said he, "dance in thy red shoes till thou art pale
and cold! Dance shalt thou from door to door; and where proud, vain
children dwell, thou shalt stand and knock, that they may hear thee and
tremble! Dance shalt thou!--"
"Mercy!" cried Karen. But she did not hear the angel's reply, for the
shoes carried her through the gate into the fields, across roads and
bridges, and she must keep ever dancing.
One morning she danced past a door she well knew. Within sounded a
psalm; a coffin decked with flowers was borne forth. Then she knew that
the old lady was dead, and that she was abandoned by all. She danced,
and she was forced to dance through the gloomy night. The shoes carried
her over stock and stone; she was torn till she bled.
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