the neighbouring families-第3章

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married；　or　whatever　you　like　to　call　it。　They　had　little　ones；　and　of

course　each　one　thought　his　own　the　handsomest　and　cleverest；　one　flew

this　way；　another　that；　and　when　they　met　they　recognised　each　other

by　their　〃Peep！〃　and　the　three　scrapes　with　the　left　foot。　The

eldest　had　remained　an　old　maid　and　had　no　nest　nor　young　ones。　It　was

her　pet　idea　to　see　a　great　city；　so　she　flew　to　Copenhagen。

　　　　There　was　a　large　house　painted　in　many　gay　colours　standing　close

to　the　castle　and　the　canal；　upon　which　latter　were　to　be　seen　many

ships　laden　with　apples　and　pottery。　The　windows　of　the　house　were

broader　at　the　bottom　than　at　the　top；　and　when　the　sparrows　looked

through　them；　every　room　appeared　to　them　like　a　tulip　with　the

brightest　colours　and　shades。　But　in　the　middle　of　the　tulip　stood

white　men；　made　of　marble；　a　few　were　of　plaster；　still；　looked　at

with　sparrows'　eyes；　that　comes　to　the　same　thing。　Up　on　the　roof

stood　a　metal　chariot　drawn　by　metal　horses；　and　the　goddess　of

Victory；　also　of　metal；　was　driving。　It　was　Thorwaldsen's　Museum。

　　　　〃How　it　shines！　how　it　shines！〃　said　the　maiden　sparrow。　〃I

suppose　that　is　'the　beautiful。'　Peep！　But　here　it　is　larger　than　a

peacock。〃　She　still　remembered　what　in　her　childhood's　days　her　mother

had　looked　upon　as　the　greatest　among　the　beautiful。　She　flew　down

into　the　courtyard：　there　everything　was　extremely　fine。　Palms　and

branches　were　painted　on　the　walls；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　court

stood　a　great　blooming　rose…tree　spreading　out　its　fresh　boughs；

covered　with　roses；　over　a　grave。　Thither　flew　the　maiden　sparrow；　for

she　saw　several　of　her　own　kind　there。　A　〃peep〃　and　three

foot…scrapings…　in　this　way　she　had　often　greeted　throughout　the　year；

and　no　one　here　had　responded；　for　those　who　are　once　parted　do　not

meet　every　day；　and　so　this　greeting　had　become　a　habit　with　her。

But　to…day　two　old　sparrows　and　a　young　one　answered　with　a　〃peep〃　and

the　thrice…repeated　scrape　with　the　left　foot。

　　　　〃Ah！　Good…day！　good…day！〃　They　were　two　old　ones　from　the　nest　and

a　little　one　of　the　family。　〃Do　we　meet　here？　It's　a　grand　place；

but　there's　not　much　to　eat。　This　is　'the　beautiful。'　Peep！〃

　　　　Many　people　came　out　of　the　side　rooms　where　the　beautiful

marble　statues　stood　and　approached　the　grave　where　lay　the　great

master　who　had　created　these　works　of　art。　All　stood　with　enraptured

faces　round　Thorwaldsen's　grave；　and　a　few　picked　up　the　fallen

rose…leaves　and　preserved　them。　They　had　come　from　afar：　one　from

mighty　England；　others　from　Germany　and　France。　The　fairest　of　the

ladies　plucked　one　of　the　roses　and　hid　it　in　her　bosom。　Then　the

sparrows　thought　that　the　roses　reigned　here；　and　that　the　house　had

been　built　for　their　sake。　That　appeared　to　them　to　be　really　too

much；　but　since　all　the　people　showed　their　love　for　the　roses；　they

did　not　wish　to　be　behindhand。　〃Peep！〃　they　said　sweeping　the　ground

with　their　tails；　and　blinking　with　one　eye　at　the　roses；　they　had　not

looked　at　them　long　before　they　were　convinced　that　they　were　their

old　neighbours。　And　so　they　really　were。　The　painter　who　had　drawn　the

rose…bush　near　the　ruined　house；　had　afterwards　obtained　permission　to

dig　it　up；　and　had　given　it　to　the　architect；　for　finer　roses　had

never　been　seen。　The　architect　had　planted　it　upon　Thorwaldsen's

grave；　where　it　bloomed　as　an　emblem　of　'the　beautiful'　and　yielded

fragrant　red　rose…leaves　to　be　carried　as　mementoes　to　distant　lands。

　　　　〃Have　you　obtained　an　appointment　here　in　the　city？〃　asked　the

sparrows。　The　roses　nodded；　they　recognized　their　grey　neighbours

and　were　pleased　to　see　them　again。　〃How　glorious　it　is　to　live　and　to

bloom；　to　see　old　friends　again；　and　happy　faces　every　day。　It　is　as

if　every　day　were　a　festival。〃　〃Peep！〃　said　the　sparrows。　〃Yes；　they

are　really　our　old　neighbours；　we　remember　their　origin　near　the　pond。

Peep！　how　they　have　got　on。　Yes；　some　succeed　while　they　are　asleep。

Ah！　there's　a　faded　leaf；　I　can　see　that　quite　plainly。〃　And　they

pecked　at　it　till　it　fell　off。　But　the　tree　stood　there　fresher　and

greener　than　ever；　the　roses　bloomed　in　the　sunshine　on

Thorwaldsen's　grave　and　became　associated　with　his　immortal　name。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。