the neighbouring families-第2章

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　　　　At　these　words　an　icy　shudder　ran　through　the　sparrow…mother。

　　　　Out　of　his　box；　in　which　were　the　most　beautiful　colours；　the

old　man　took　a　quantity　of　shining　leaf…gold；　while　the　boys　had　to　go

and　fetch　some　white　of　egg；　with　which　the　sparrow　was　to　be

smeared　all　over；　the　gold　was　stuck　on　to　this；　and　the

sparrow…mother　was　now　gilded　all　over。　But　she；　trembling　in　every

limb；　did　not　think　of　the　adornment。　Then　the　soap…man　tore　off　a

small　piece　from　the　red　lining　of　his　old　jacket；　and　cutting　it　so

as　to　make　it　look　like　a　cock's　comb；　he　stuck　it　to　the　bird's　head。

　　　　〃Now　you　will　see　the　gold…jacket　fly；〃　said　the　old　man；

letting　the　sparrow　go；　which　flew　away　in　deadly　fear；　with　the　sun

shining　upon　her。　How　she　glittered！　All　the　sparrows；　and　even　a

crow…　and　an　old　boy　he　was　too…　were　startled　at　the　sight；　but　still

they　flew　after　her　to　learn　what　kind　of　strange　bird　she　was。

　　　　Driven　by　fear　and　horror；　she　flew　homeward；　she　was　almost

sinking　fainting　to　the　earth；　while　the　flock　of　pursuing　birds

increased；　some　even　attempting　to　peck　at　her。

　　　　〃Look　at　her！　Look　at　her！〃　they　all　cried。

　　　　〃Look　at　her！　Look　at　her〃　cried　her　little　ones。　as　she

approached　the　nest。　〃That　is　certainly　a　young　peacock；　for　it

glitters　in　all　colours；　it　makes　one's　eyes　ache；　as　mother　told

us。　Peep！　that's　'the　beautiful'。〃　And　then　they　pecked　at　the　bird

with　their　little　beaks　so　that　it　was　impossible　for　her　to　get

into　the　nest；　she　was　so　exhausted　that　she　couldn't　even　say　〃Peep！〃

much　less　〃I　am　your　own　mother！〃　The　other　birds；　too；　now　fell

upon　the　sparrow　and　plucked　off　feather　after　feather　until　she

fell　bleeding　into　the　rose…bush。

　　　　〃Poor　creature！〃　said　all　the　roses；　〃only　be　still；　and　we　will

hide　you。　Lean　your　little　head　against　us。

　　　　The　sparrow　spread　out　her　wings　once　more；　then　drew　them　closely

to　her；　and　lay　dead　near　the　neighbouring　family；　the　beautiful　fresh

roses。

　　　　〃Peep！〃　sounded　from　the　nest。　〃Where　can　mother　be　so　long？

It's　more　than　I　can　understand。　It　cannot　be　a　trick　of　hers；　and

mean　that　we　are　now　to　take　care　of　ourselves。　She　has　left　us　the

house　as　an　inheritance；　but　to　which　of　us　is　it　to　belong　when　we

have　families　of　our　own？〃

　　　　〃Yes；　it　won't　do　for　you　to　stay　with　me　when　I　increase　my

household　with　a　wife　and　children；〃'　said　the　smallest。

　　　　〃I　daresay　I　shall　have　more　wives　and　children　than　you；〃　said

the　second。

　　　　〃But　I　am　the　eldest！〃　exclaimed　the　third。　Then　they　all　got

excited；　they　hit　out　with　their　wings；　pecked　with　their　beaks；　and

flop！　one　after　another　was　thrown　out　of　the　nest。　There　they　lay

with　their　anger；　holding　their　heads　on　one　side　and　blinking　the　eye

that　was　turned　upwards。　That　was　their　way　of　looking　foolish。

　　　　They　could　fly　a　little；　by　practice　they　learned　to　improve；

and　at　last　they　agreed　upon　a　sign　by　which　to　recognise　each　other

if　they　should　meet　in　the　world　later　on。　It　was　to　be　one　〃Peep！〃

and　three　scratches　on　the　ground　with　the　left　foot。

　　　　The　young　one　who　had　remained　behind　in　the　nest　made　himself

as　broad　as　he　could；　for　he　was　the　proprietor。　But　this　greatness

did　not　last　long。　In　the　night　the　red　flames　burst　through　the

window　and　seized　the　roof；　the　dry　straw　blazed　up　high；　and　the

whole　house；　together　with　the　young　sparrow；　was　burned。　The　two

others；　who　wanted　to　marry；　thus　saved　their　lives　by　a　stroke　of

luck。

　　　　When　the　sun　rose　again　and　everything　looked　as　refreshed　as　if

it　had　had　a　quiet　sleep；　there　only　remained　of　the　farmhouse　a　few

black　charred　beams　leaning　against　the　chimney；　which　was　now　its　own

master。　Thick　smoke　still　rose　from　the　ruins；　but　the　rose…bush　stood

yonder；　fresh；　blooming；　and　untouched；　every　flower　and　every　twig

being　reflected　in　the　clear　water。

　　　　〃How　beautifully　the　roses　bloom　before　the　ruined　house；〃

exclaimed　a　passer…by。　〃A　pleasanter　picture　cannot　be　imagined。　I

must　have　that。〃　And　the　man　took　out　of　his　portfolio　a　little　book

with　white　leaves：　he　was　a　painter；　and　with　his　pencil　he　drew　the

smoking　house；　the　charred　beams　and　the　overhanging　chimney；　which

bent　more　and　more；　in　the　foreground　he　put　the　large；　blooming

rose…bush；　which　presented　a　charming　view。　For　its　sake　alone　the

whole　picture　had　been　drawn。

　　　　Later　in　the　day　the　two　sparrows　who　had　been　born　there　came　by。

〃Where　is　the　house？〃　they　asked。　〃Where　is　the　nest？　Peep！　All　is

burned　and　our　strong　brother　too。　That's　what　he　has　now　for

keeping　the　nest。　The　roses　got　off　very　well；　there　they　still

stand　with　their　red　cheeks。　They　certainly　do　not　mourn　at　their

neighbours'　misfortunes。　I　don't　want　to　talk　to　them；　and　it　looks

miserable　here…　that's　my　opinion。〃　And　away　they　went。

　　　　On　a　beautiful　sunny　autumn　day…　one　could　almost　have　believed　it

was　still　the　middle　of　summer…　there　hopped　about　in　the　dry

clean…swept　courtyard　before　the　principal　entrance　of　the　Hall　a

number　of　black；　white；　and　gaily…coloured　pigeons；　all　shining　in　the

sunlight。　The　pigeon…mothers　said　to　their　young　ones：　〃Stand　in

groups；　stand　in　groups！　for　that　looks　much　better。〃

　　　　〃What　kind　of　creatures　are　those　little　grey　ones　that　run

about　behind　us？〃　asked　an　old　pigeon；　with　red　and　green　in　her　eyes。

〃Little　grey　ones！　Little　grey　ones！〃　she　cried。

　　　　〃They　are　sparrows；　and　good　creatures。　We　have　always　had　the

reputation　of　being　pious；　so　we　will　allow　them　to　pick　up　the　corn

with　us；　they　don't　interrupt　our　talk；　and　they　scrape　so　prettily

when　they　bow。〃

　　　　Indeed　they　were　continually　making　three　foot…scrapings　with

the　left　foot　and　also　said　〃Peep！〃　By　this　means　they　recognised　each

other；　for　they　were　the　sparrows　from　the　nest　on　the　burned　house。

　　　　〃Here　is　excellent　fare！〃　said　the　sparrow。　The　pigeons　strutted

round　one　another；　puffed　out　their　chests　mightily；　and　had　their　own

private　views　and　opinions。

　　　　〃Do　you　see　that　pouter　pigeon？〃　said　one　to　the　other。　〃Do　you

see　how　she　swallows　the　peas？　She　eats　too　many；　and　the　best　ones

too。　Curoo！　Curoo！　How　she　lifts　her　crest；　the　ugly；　spiteful

creature！　Curoo！　Curoo！〃　And　the　eyes　of　all　sparkled　with　malice。

〃Stand　in　groups！　Stand　in　groups！　Little　grey　ones；　little　grey　ones！

Curoo；　curoo；　curoo！〃

　　　　So　their　chatter　ran　on；　and　so　it　will　run　on　for　thousands　of

years。　The　sparrows　ate　lustily；　they　listened　attentively；　and　even

stood　in　the　ranks　with　the　others；　but　it　did　not　suit　them　at　all。

They　were　full；　and　so　they　left　the　pigeons；　exchanging　opinions

about　them；　slipped　in　under　the　garden　palings；　and　when　they　found

the　door　leading　into　the　house　open；　one　of　them；　who　was　more　than

full；　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　he

hopped　into　the　room。　No　one　was　there；　the　third　sparrow；　seeing

this；　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　up

here？　What　is　it？〃

　　　　Close　to　the　sparrows　the　roses　were　blooming；　they　were　reflected

in　the　water；　and　the　charred　beams　leaned　against　the　overhanging

chimney。　〃Do　tell　me　what　this　is。　How　comes　this　in　a　room　at　the

Hall？〃　And　all　three　sparrows　wanted　to　fly　over　the　roses　and　the

chimney；　but　flew　against　a　flat　wall。　It　was　all　a　picture；　a　great

splendid　picture；　which　the　artist　had　painted　from　a　sketch。

　　　　〃Peep！〃　said　the　sparrows；　〃it's　nothing。　It　only　looks　like

something。　Peep！　that　is　'the　beautiful。'　Do　you　understand　it？　I

don't。〃

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

　　　　Days　and　years　went　by。　The　pigeons　had　often　cooed；　not　to　say

growled…　the　spiteful　creatures；　the　sparrows　had　been　frozen　in

winter　and　had　lived　merrily　in　summer：　they　were　all　betrothed；　or

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

course　each　one　thought