金属猪_故事_趣味英语-查字典英语网

金属猪

　　As they passed from hall to hall， beauty everywhere showed itself; and as the Metal Pig went step by step from one picture to the other， the little boy could see it all plainly. One glory eclipsed another; yet there was one picture that fixed itself on the little boy's memory， more especially because of the happy children it represented， for these the little boy had seen in daylight. Many pass this picture by with indifference， and yet it contains a treasure of poetic feeling; it represents Christ descending into Hades. They are not the lost whom the spectator sees， but the heathen of olden times. The Florentine， Angiolo Bronzino， painted this picture; most beautiful is the expression on the face of the two children， who appear to have full confidence that they shall reach heaven at last. They are embracing each other， and one little one stretches out his hand towards another who stands below him， and points to himself， as if he were saying， “I am going to heaven. The older people stand as if uncertain， yet hopeful， and they bow in humble adoration to the Lord Jesus. On this picture the boy's eyes rested longer than on any other： the Metal Pig stood still before it. A low sigh was heard. Did it come from the picture or from the animal? The boy raised his hands towards the smiling children， and then the Pig ran off with him through the open vestibule.