安徒生童话-第165章

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So　their　chatter　ran　on；　and　so　it　will　run　on　for　thousands　ofyears。　The　sparrows　ate　lustily；　they　listened　attentively；　and　evenstood　in　the　ranks　with　the　others；　but　it　did　not　suit　them　at　all。They　were　full；　and　so　they　left　the　pigeons；　exchanging　opinionsabout　them；　slipped　in　under　the　garden　palings；　and　when　they　foundthe　door　leading　into　the　house　open；　one　of　them；　who　was　more　thanfull；　and　therefore　felt　brave；　hopped　on　to　the　threshold。　〃Peep！〃said　he；　〃I　may　venture　that。〃

〃Peep！〃　said　the　other；　〃so　may　I；　and　something　more　too！〃　and　hehopped　into　the　room。　No　one　was　there；　the　third　sparrow；　seeingthis；　flew　still　farther　into　the　room；　exclaiming；　〃All　or　nothing！It　is　a　curious　man's　nest　all　the　same；　and　what　have　they　put　uphere？　What　is　it？〃

Close　to　the　sparrows　the　roses　were　blooming；　they　were　reflectedin　the　water；　and　the　charred　beams　leaned　against　the　overhangingchimney。　〃Do　tell　me　what　this　is。　How　es　this　in　a　room　at　theHall？〃　And　all　three　sparrows　wanted　to　fly　over　the　roses　and　thechimney；　but　flew　against　a　flat　wall。　It　was　all　a　picture；　a　greatsplendid　picture；　which　the　artist　had　painted　from　a　sketch。

〃Peep！〃　said　the　sparrows；　〃it's　nothing。　It　only　looks　likesomething。　Peep！　that　is　'the　beautiful。'　Do　you　understand　it？　Idon't。〃

And　they　flew　away；　for　some　people　came　into　the　room。

Days　and　years　went　by。　The　pigeons　had　often　cooed；　not　to　saygrowled…　the　spiteful　creatures；　the　sparrows　had　been　frozen　inwinter　and　had　lived　merrily　in　summer：　they　were　all　betrothed；　ormarried；　or　whatever　you　like　to　call　it。　They　had　little　ones；　and　ofcourse　each　one　thought　his　own　the　handsomest　and　cleverest；　one　flewthis　way；　another　that；　and　when　they　met　they　recognised　each　otherby　their　〃Peep！〃　and　the　three　scrapes　with　the　left　foot。　Theeldest　had　remained　an　old　maid　and　had　no　nest　nor　young　ones。　It　washer　pet　idea　to　see　a　great　city；　so　she　flew　to　Copenhagen。

There　was　a　large　house　painted　in　many　gay　colours　standing　closeto　the　castle　and　the　canal；　upon　which　latter　were　to　be　seen　manyships　laden　with　apples　and　pottery。　The　windows　of　the　house　werebroader　at　the　bottom　than　at　the　top；　and　when　the　sparrows　lookedthrough　them；　every　room　appeared　to　them　like　a　tulip　with　thebrightest　colours　and　shades。　But　in　the　middle　of　the　tulip　stoodwhite　men；　made　of　marble；　a　few　were　of　plaster；　still；　looked　atwith　sparrows'　eyes；　that　es　to　the　same　thing。　Up　on　the　roofstood　a　metal　chariot　drawn　by　metal　horses；　and　the　goddess　ofVictory；　also　of　metal；　was　driving。　It　was　Thorwaldsen's　Museum。

〃How　it　shines！　how　it　shines！〃　said　the　maiden　sparrow。　〃Isuppose　that　is　'the　beautiful。'　Peep！　But　here　it　is　larger　than　apeacock。〃　She　still　remembered　what　in　her　childhood's　days　her　motherhad　looked　upon　as　the　greatest　among　the　beautiful。　She　flew　downinto　the　courtyard：　there　everything　was　extremely　fine。　Palms　andbranches　were　painted　on　the　walls；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　courtstood　a　great　blooming　rose…tree　spreading　out　its　fresh　boughs；covered　with　roses；　over　a　grave。　Thither　flew　the　maiden　sparrow；　forshe　saw　several　of　her　own　kind　there。　A　〃peep〃　and　threefoot…scrapings…　in　this　way　she　had　often　greeted　throughout　the　year；and　no　one　here　had　responded；　for　those　who　are　once　parted　do　notmeet　every　day；　and　so　this　greeting　had　bee　a　habit　with　her。But　to…day　two　old　sparrows　and　a　young　one　answered　with　a　〃peep〃　andthe　thrice…repeated　scrape　with　the　left　foot。

〃Ah！　Good…day！　good…day！〃　They　were　two　old　ones　from　the　nest　anda　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　beautifulmarble　statues　stood　and　approached　the　grave　where　lay　the　greatmaster　who　had　created　these　works　of　art。　All　stood　with　enrapturedfaces　round　Thorwaldsen's　grave；　and　a　few　picked　up　the　fallenrose…leaves　and　preserved　them。　They　had　e　from　afar：　one　frommighty　England；　others　from　Germany　and　France。　The　fairest　of　theladies　plucked　one　of　the　roses　and　hid　it　in　her　bosom。　Then　thesparrows　thought　that　the　roses　reigned　here；　and　that　the　house　hadbeen　built　for　their　sake。　That　appeared　to　them　to　be　really　toomuch；　but　since　all　the　people　showed　their　love　for　the　roses；　theydid　not　wish　to　be　behindhand。　〃Peep！〃　they　said　sweeping　the　groundwith　their　tails；　and　blinking　with　one　eye　at　the　roses；　they　had　notlooked　at　them　long　before　they　were　convinced　that　they　were　theirold　neighbours。　And　so　they　really　were。　The　painter　who　had　drawn　therose…bush　near　the　ruined　house；　had　afterwards　obtained　permission　todig　it　up；　and　had　given　it　to　the　architect；　for　finer　roses　hadnever　been　seen。　The　architect　had　planted　it　upon　Thorwaldsen'sgrave；　where　it　bloomed　as　an　emblem　of　'the　beautiful'　and　yieldedfragrant　red　rose…leaves　to　be　carried　as　mementoes　to　distant　lands。

〃Have　you　obtained　an　appointment　here　in　the　city？〃　asked　thesparrows。　The　roses　nodded；　they　recognized　their　grey　neighboursand　were　pleased　to　see　them　again。　〃How　glorious　it　is　to　live　and　tobloom；　to　see　old　friends　again；　and　happy　faces　every　day。　It　is　asif　every　day　were　a　festival。〃　〃Peep！〃　said　the　sparrows。　〃Yes；　theyare　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　theypecked　at　it　till　it　fell　off。　But　the　tree　stood　there　fresher　andgreener　than　ever；　the　roses　bloomed　in　the　sunshine　onThorwaldsen's　grave　and　became　associated　with　his　immortal　name。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

THE　NIGHTINGALE

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　China；　you　know；　the　emperor　is　a　Chinese；　and　all　thoseabout　him　are　Chinamen　also。　The　story　I　am　going　to　tell　you　happeneda　great　many　years　ago；　so　it　is　well　to　hear　it　now　before　it　isforgotten。　The　emperor's　palace　was　the　most　beautiful　in　the　world。It　was　built　entirely　of　porcelain；　and　very　costly；　but　so　delicateand　brittle　that　whoever　touched　it　was　obliged　to　be　careful。　Inthe　garden　could　be　seen　the　most　singular　flowers；　with　pretty　silverbells　tied　to　them；　which　tinkled　so　that　every　one　who　passed　couldnot　help　noticing　the　flowers。　Indeed；　everything　in　the　emperor'sgarden　was　remarkable；　and　it　extended　so　far　that　the　gardenerhimself　did　not　know　where　it　ended。　Those　who　travelled　beyond　itslimits　knew　that　there　was　a　noble　forest；　with　lofty　trees；　slopingdown　to　the　deep　blue　sea；　and　the　great　ships　sailed　under　the　shadowof　its　branches。　In　one　of　these　trees　lived　a　nightingale；　who　sangso　beautifully　that　even　the　poor　fishermen；　who　had　so　many　otherthings　to　do；　would　stop　and　listen。　Sometimes；　when　they　went　atnight　to　spread　their　s；　they　would　hear　her　sing；　and　say；　〃Oh；　isnot　that　beautiful？〃　But　when　they　returned　to　their　fishing；　theyforgot　the　bird　until　the　next　night。　Then　they　would　hear　it　again；and　exclaim　〃Oh；　how　beautiful　is　the　nightingale's　song！〃

Travellers　from　every　country　in　the　world　came　to　the　city　of　theemperor；　which　they　admired　very　muc