the neighbouring families-第3部分

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　　　　〃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

。