the old house-第2部分

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and　citizens　with　waving　banners。　The　tailors　had　a　flag　with　a　pair

of　scissors　supported　by　two　lions；　and　on　the　shoemakers'　flag

there　were　not　boots；　but　an　eagle　with　two　heads；　for　the

shoemakers　must　have　everything　arranged　so　that　they　can　say；　〃This

is　a　pair。〃　What　a　picture…book　it　was；　and　then　the　old　man　went　into

another　room　to　fetch　apples　and　nuts。　It　was　very　pleasant；

certainly；　to　be　in　that　old　house。

　　　　〃I　cannot　endure　it；〃　said　the　tin　soldier；　who　stood　on　a

shelf；　〃it　is　so　lonely　and　dull　here。　I　have　been　accustomed　to

live　in　a　family；　and　I　cannot　get　used　to　this　life。　I　cannot　bear

it。　The　whole　day　is　long　enough；　but　the　evening　is　longer。　It　is　not

here　like　it　was　in　your　house　opposite；　when　your　father　and　mother

talked　so　cheerfully　together；　while　you　and　all　the　dear　children

made　such　a　delightful　noise。　No；　it　is　all　lonely　in　the　old　man's

house。　Do　you　think　he　gets　any　kisses？　Do　you　think　he　ever　has

friendly　looks；　or　a　Christmas　tree？　He　will　have　nothing　now　but

the　grave。　Oh；　I　cannot　bear　it。〃

　　　　〃You　must　not　look　only　on　the　sorrowful　side；〃　said　the　little

boy；　〃I　think　everything　in　this　house　is　beautiful；　and　all　the　old

pleasant　thoughts　come　back　here　to　pay　visits。〃

　　　　〃Ah；　but　I　never　see　any；　and　I　don't　know　them；〃　said　the　tin

soldier；　〃and　I　cannot　bear　it。〃

　　　　〃You　must　bear　it；〃　said　the　little　boy。　Then　the　old　man　came

back　with　a　pleasant　face；　and　brought　with　him　beautiful　preserved

fruits；　as　well　as　apples　and　nuts；　and　the　little　boy　thought　no　more

of　the　tin　soldier。　How　happy　and　delighted　the　little　boy　was；　and

after　he　returned　home；　and　while　days　and　weeks　passed；　a　great

deal　of　nodding　took　place　from　one　house　to　the　other；　and　then　the

little　boy　went　to　pay　another　visit。　The　carved　trumpeters　blew

〃Tanta…ra…ra。　There　is　the　little　boy。　Tanta…ra…ra。〃　The　swords　and

armor　on　the　old　knight's　pictures　rattled。　The　silk　dresses

rustled；　the　leather　repeated　its　rhyme；　and　the　old　chairs　had　the

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　spar