the old house-第2节

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gout　in　their　backs；　and　cried；　〃Creak；〃　it　was　all　exactly　like　the

first　time；　for　in　that　house；　one　day　and　one　hour　were　just　like

another。　〃I　cannot　bear　it　any　longer；〃　said　the　tin　soldier；　〃I

have　wept　tears　of　tin；　it　is　so　melancholy　here。　Let　me　go　to　the

wars；　and　lose　an　arm　or　a　leg；　that　would　be　some　change；　I　cannot

bear　it。　Now　I　know　what　it　is　to　have　visits　from　one's　old

recollections；　and　all　they　bring　with　them。　I　have　had　visits　from

mine；　and　you　may　believe　me　it　is　not　altogether　pleasant。　I　was　very

nearly　jumping　from　the　shelf。　I　saw　you　all　in　your　house　opposite；

as　if　you　were　really　present。　It　was　Sunday　morning；　and　you　children

stood　round　the　table；　singing　the　hymn　that　you　sing　every　morning。

You　were　standing　quietly；　with　your　hands　folded；　and　your　father　and

mother。　You　were　standing　quietly；　with　your　hands　folded；　and　your

father　and　mother　were　looking　just　as　serious；　when　the　door

opened；　and　your　little　sister　Maria；　who　is　not　two　years　old；　was

brought　into　the　room。　You　know　she　always　dances　when　she　hears　music

and　singing　of　any　sort；　so　she　began　to　dance　immediately；　although

she　ought　not　to　have　done　so；　but　she　could　not　get　into　the　right

time　because　the　tune　was　so　slow；　so　she　stood　first　on　one　leg　and

then　on　the　other；　and　bent　her　head　very　low；　but　it　would　not　suit

the　music。　You　all　stood　looking　very　grave；　although　it　was　very

difficult　to　do　so；　but　I　laughed　so　to　myself　that　I　fell　down　from

the　table；　and　got　a　bruise；　which　is　there　still；　I　know　it　was　not

right　to　laugh。　So　all　this；　and　everything　else　that　I　have　seen；

keeps　running　in　my　head；　and　these　must　be　the　old　recollections　that

bring　so　many　thoughts　with　them。　Tell　me　whether　you　still　sing　on

Sundays；　and　tell　me　about　your　little　sister　Maria；　and　how　my　old

comrade　is；　the　other　tin　soldier。　Ah；　really　he　must　be　very　happy；　I

cannot　endure　this　life。〃

　　　　〃You　are　given　away；〃　said　the　little　boy；　〃you　must　stay。　Don't

you　see　that？〃　Then　the　old　man　came　in；　with　a　box　containing　many

curious　things　to　show　him。　Rouge…pots；　scent…boxes；　and　old　cards；　so

large　and　so　richly　gilded；　that　none　are　ever　seen　like　them　in　these

days。　And　there　were　smaller　boxes　to　look　at；　and　the　piano　was

opened；　and　inside　the　lid　were　painted　landscapes。　But　when　the　old

man　played；　the　piano　sounded　quite　out　of　tune。　Then　he　looked　at　the

picture　he　had　bought　at　the　broker's；　and　his　eyes　sparkled

brightly　as　he　nodded　at　it；　and　said；　〃Ah；　she　could　sing　that　tune。〃

　　　　〃I　will　go　to　the　wars！　I　will　go　to　the　wars！〃　cried　the　tin

soldier　as　loud　as　he　could；　and　threw　himself　down　on　the　floor。

Where　could　he　have　fallen？　The　old　man　searched；　and　the　little　boy

searched；　but　he　was　gone；　and　could　not　be　found。　〃I　shall　find　him

again；〃　said　the　old　man；　but　he　did　not　find　him。　The　boards　of　the

floor　were　open　and　full　of　holes。　The　tin　soldier　had　fallen

through　a　crack　between　the　boards；　and　lay　there　now　in　an　open

grave。　The　day　went　by；　and　the　little　boy　returned　home；　the　week

passed；　and　many　more　weeks。　It　was　winter；　and　the　windows　were　quite

frozen；　so　the　little　boy　was　obliged　to　breathe　on　the　panes；　and　rub

a　hole　to　peep　through　at　the　old　house。　Snow　drifts　were　lying　in　all

the　scrolls　and　on　the　inscriptions；　and　the　steps　were　covered　with

snow　as　if　no　one　were　at　home。　And　indeed　nobody　was　home；　for　the

old　man　was　dead。　In　the　evening；　a　hearse　stopped　at　the　door；　and

the　old　man　in　his　coffin　was　placed　in　it。　He　was　to　be　taken　to

the　country　to　be　buried　there　in　his　own　grave；　so　they　carried　him

away；　no　one　followed　him；　for　all　his　friends　were　dead；　and　the

little　boy　kissed　his　hand　to　the　coffin　as　the　hearse　moved　away　with

it。　A　few　days　after；　there　was　an　auction　at　the　old　house；　and

from　his　window　the　little　boy　saw　the　people　carrying　away　the

pictures　of　old　knights　and　ladies；　the　flower…pots　with　the　long

ears；　the　old　chairs；　and　the　cup…boards。　Some　were　taken　one　way；

some　another。　Her　portrait；　which　had　been　bought　at　the　picture

dealer's；　went　back　again　to　his　shop；　and　there　it　remained；　for　no

one　seemed　to　know　her；　or　to　care　for　the　old　picture。　In　the　spring；

they　began　to　pull　the　house　itself　down；　people　called　it　complete

rubbish。　From　the　street　could　be　seen　the　room　in　which　the　walls

were　covered　with　leather；　ragged　and　torn；　and　the　green　in　the

balcony　hung　straggling　over　the　beams；　they　pulled　it　down　quickly；

for　it　looked　ready　to　fall；　and　at　last　it　was　cleared　away

altogether。　〃What　a　good　riddance；〃　said　the　neighbors'　houses。　Very

shortly；　a　fine　new　house　was　built　farther　back　from　the　road；　it　had

lofty　windows　and　smooth　walls；　but　in　front；　on　the　spot　where　the

old　house　really　stood；　a　little　garden　was　planted；　and　wild　vines

grew　up　over　the　neighboring　walls；　in　front　of　the　garden　were

large　iron　railings　and　a　great　gate；　which　looked　very　stately。

People　used　to　stop　and　peep　through　the　railings。　The　sparrows

assembled　in　dozens　upon　the　wild　vines；　and　chattered　all　together　as

loud　as　they　could；　but　not　about　the　old　house；　none　of　them　could

remember　it；　for　many　years　had　passed　by；　so　many　indeed；　that　the

little　boy　was　now　a　man；　and　a　really　good　man　too；　and　his　parents

were　very　proud　of　him。　He　was　just　married；　and　had　come；　with　his

young　wife；　to　reside　in　the　new　house　with　the　garden　in　front　of　it；

and　now　he　stood　there　by　her　side　while　she　planted　a　field　flower

that　she　thought　very　pretty。　She　was　planting　it　herself　with　her

little　hands；　and　pressing　down　the　earth　with　her　fingers。　〃Oh

dear；　what　was　that？〃　she　exclaimed；　as　something　pricked　her。　Out

of　the　soft　earth　something　was　sticking　up。　It　was…　only　think！…　it

was　really　the　tin　soldier；　the　very　same　which　had　been　lost　up　in

the　old　man's　room；　and　had　been　hidden　among　old　wood　and　rubbish　for

a　long　time；　till　it　sunk　into　the　earth；　where　it　must　have　been

for　many　years。　And　the　young　wife　wiped　the　soldier；　first　with　a

green　leaf；　and　then　with　her　fine　pocket…handkerchief；　that　smelt

of　such　beautiful　perfume。　And　the　tin　soldier　felt　as　if　he　was

recovering　from　a　fainting　fit。　〃Let　me　see　him；〃　said　the　young

man；　and　then　he　smiled　and　shook　his　head；　and　said；　〃It　can　scarcely

be　the　same；　but　it　reminds　me　of　something　that　happened　to　one　of　my

tin　soldiers　when　I　was　a　little　boy。〃　And　then　he　told　his　wife　about

the　old　house　and　the　old　man；　and　of　the　tin　soldier　which　he　had

sent　across；　because　he　thought　the　old　man　was　lonely；　and　he　related

the　story　so　clearly　that　tears　came　into　the　eyes　of　the　young　wife

for　the　old　house　and　the　old　man。　〃It　is　very　likely　that　this　is

really　the　same　soldier；〃　said　she；　and　I　will　take　care　of　him；　and

always　remember　what　you　have　told　me；　but　some　day　you　must　show　me

the　old　man's　grave。〃

　　　　〃I　don't　know　where　it　is；〃　he　replied；　〃no　one　knows。　All　his

friends　are　dead；　no　one　took　care　of　him；　and　I　was　only　a　little

boy。〃

　　　　〃Oh；　how　dreadfully　lonely　he　must　have　been；〃　said　she。

　　　　〃Yes；　terribly　lonely；〃　cried　the　tin　soldier；　〃still　it　is

delightful　not　to　be　forgotten。〃

　　　　〃Delightful　indeed；〃　cried　a　voice　quite　near　to　them；　no　one

but　the　tin　soldier　saw　that　it　came　from　a　rag　of　the　leather　which

hung　in　tatters；　it　had　lost　all　its　gilding；　and　looked　like　wet

earth；　but　it　had　an　opinion；　and　it　spoke　it　thus：…



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Gilding　will　fade　in　damp　weather；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　To　endure；　there　is　nothing　like　leather。〃



　　　　But　the　tin　soldier　did　not　believe　any　such　thing。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。