安徒生童话-第83章
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in and the thinmist came and crumbled and washed the names away； and the drummer'sname also； and that of his little son。
〃Peter's name will last a full year and a half longer！〃 said thefather。
〃Fool！〃 thought the Fire…drum； but it only said； 〃Dub； dub； dub；rub…a…dub！〃
He was a boy full of life and gladness； this drummer's son withthe red hair。 He had a lovely voice。 He could sing； and he sang like abird in the woodland。 There was melody； and yet no melody。
〃He must bee a chorister boy；〃 said his mother。 〃He shallsing in the church； and stand among the beautiful gilded angels whoare like him！〃
〃Fiery cat！〃 said some of the witty ones of the town。
The Drum heard that from the neighbors' wives。
〃Don't go home； Peter；〃 cried the street boys。 〃If you sleep inthe garret； there'll be a fire in the house； and the fire…drum willhave to be beaten。〃
〃Look out for the drumsticks；〃 replied Peter； and； small as hewas； he ran up boldly； and gave the foremost such a punch in thebody with his fist； that the fellow lost his legs and tumbled over；and the others took their legs off with themselves very rapidly。
The town musician was very genteel and fine。 He was the son of theroyal plate…washer。 He was very fond of Peter； and would sometimestake him to his home； and he gave him a violin； and taught him to playit。 It seemed as if the whole art lay in the boy's fingers； and hewanted to be more than a drummer… he wanted to bee musician tothe town。
〃I'll be a soldier；〃 said Peter； for he was still quite a littlelad； and it seemed to him the finest thing in the world to carry agun； and to be able to march one； two… one； two； and to wear a uniformand a sword。
〃Ah； you learn to long for the drum…skin； drum； dum； dum！〃 saidthe Drum。
〃Yes； if he could only march his way up to be a general！〃 observedhis father； 〃but before he can do that； there must be war。〃
〃Heaven forbid！〃 said his mother。
〃We have nothing to lose；〃 remarked the father。
〃Yes； we have my boy；〃 she retorted。
〃But suppose he came back a general！〃 said the father。
〃Without arms and legs！〃 cried the mother。 〃No； I would ratherkeep my golden treasure with me。〃
〃Drum； dum； dum！〃 The Fire…drum and all the other drums werebeating； for war had e。 The soldiers all set out； and the son ofthe drummer followed them。 〃Red…head。 Golden treasure！〃
The mother wept； the father in fancy saw him 〃famous；〃 the townmusician was of opinion that he ought not to go to war； but shouldstay at home and learn music。
〃Red…head；〃 said the soldiers； and little Peter laughed； butwhen one of them sometimes said to another； 〃Foxey；〃 he would bite histeeth together and look another way… into the wide world。 He did notcare for the nickname。
The boy was active； pleasant of speech； and good…humored； thatis the best canteen； said his old rades。
And many a night he had to sleep under the open sky； wet throughwith the driving rain or the falling mist； but his good humor neverforsook him。 The drum…sticks sounded； 〃Rub…a…dub； all up； all up！〃Yes； he was certainly born to be a drummer。
The day of battle dawned。 The sun had not yet risen； but themorning was e。 The air was cold； the battle was hot； there was mistin the air； but still more gunpowder…smoke。 The bullets and shellsflew over the soldiers' heads； and into their heads… into their bodiesand limbs； but still they pressed forward。 Here or there one orother of them would sink on his knees； with bleeding temples and aface as white as chalk。 The little drummer still kept his healthycolor； he had suffered no damage； he looked cheerfully at the dog ofthe regiment； which was jumping along as merrily as if the whole thinghad been got up for his amusement； and as if the bullets were onlyflying about that he might have a game of play with them。
〃March！ Forward！ March！〃 This； was the word of mand for thedrum。 The word had not yet been given to fall back； though theymight have done so； and perhaps there would have been much sense init； and now at last the word 〃Retire〃 was given； but our littledrummer beat 〃Forward！ march！〃 for he had understood the mand thus；and the soldiers obeyed the sound of the drum。 That was a good roll；and proved the summons to victory for the men； who had already begunto give way。
Life and limb were lost in the battle。 Bombshells tore away theflesh in red strips； bombshells lit up into a terrible glow thestrawheaps to which the wounded had dragged themselves； to lieuntended for many hours； perhaps for all the hours they had to live。
It's no use thinking of it； and yet one cannot help thinking ofit； even far away in the peaceful town。 The drummer and his wifealso thought of it； for Peter was at the war。
〃Now； I'm tired of these plaints；〃 said the Fire…drum。
Again the day of battle dawned； the sun had not yet risen； butit was morning。 The drummer and his wife were asleep。 They had beentalking about their son； as； indeed； they did almost every night；for he was out yonder in God's hand。 And the father dreamt that thewar was over； that the soldiers had returned home； and that Peter worea silver cross on his breast。 But the mother dreamt that she hadgone into the church； and had seen the painted pictures and the carvedangels with the gilded hair； and her own dear boy； the golden treasureof her heart； who was standing among the angels in white robes；singing so sweetly； as surely only the angels can sing； and that hehad soared up with them into the sunshine； and nodded so kindly at hismother。
〃My golden treasure！〃 she cried out； and she awoke。 〃Now thegood God has taken him to Himself！〃 She folded her hands； and hidher face in the cotton curtains of the bed； and wept。 〃Where does herest now？ among the many in the big grave that they have dug for thedead？ Perhaps he's in the water in the marsh！ Nobody knows hisgrave； no holy words have been read over it！〃 And the Lord's Prayerwent inaudibly over her lips； she bowed her head； and was so wearythat she went to sleep。
And the days went by； in life as in dreams！
It was evening。 Over the battle…field a rainbow spread； whichtouched the forest and the deep marsh。
It has been said； and is preserved in popular belief； that wherethe rainbow touches the earth a treasure lies buried； a goldentreasure； and here there was one。 No one but his mother thought of thelittle drummer； and therefore she dreamt of him。
And the days went by； in life as in dreams！
Not a hair of his head had been hurt； not a golden hair。
〃Drum…ma…rum！ drum…ma…rum！ there he is！〃 the Drum might have said；and his mother might have sung； if she had seen or dreamt it。
With hurrah and song； adorned with green wreaths of victory；they came home； as the war was at an end； and peace had been signed。The dog of the regiment sprang on in front with large bounds； and madethe way three times as long for himself as it really was。
And days and weeks went by； and Peter came into his parents' room。He was as brown as a wild man； and his eyes were bright； and hisface beamed like sunshine。 And his mother held him in her arms； shekissed his lips； his forehead； and his red hair。 She had her boyback again； he had not a silver cross on his breast； as his father haddreamt； but he had sound limbs； a thing the mother had not dreamt。 Andwhat a rejoicing was there！ They laughed and they wept； and Peterembraced the old Fire…drum。
〃There stands the old skeleton still！〃 he said。
And the father beat a roll upon it。
〃One would think that a great fire had broken out here；〃 saidthe Fire…drum。 〃Bright day！ fire in the heart！ golden treasure！ skrat！skr…r…at！ skr…r…r…r…at！〃
And what then？ What then！… Ask the town musician。
〃Peter's far outgrowing the drum；〃 he said。 〃Peter will be greaterthan I。〃
And yet he was the son of a royal plate…washer； but all that hehad learned in half a lifetime； Peter learned in half a year。
There was something so merry about him； something so trulykind…hearted。 His eyes gleamed； and his hair gleamed too… there was nodenying that！
〃He ought to have his hair dyed；〃 said the neighbor's wife。〃That answered capitally with the policeman's daughter； and she gota husband。〃
〃But her hair turned as green as duckweed； and was always havingto be colored up。〃
〃She knows how to manage for herself；〃 said the neighbors； 〃and socan Peter。 He es to the most genteel houses； even to theburgomaster's where he gives Miss Charlotte piano…forte lessons。〃
He could play！ He could play； fresh out of his heart； the mostcharming pieces； that had never been put upon music…paper。 He playedin the bright nights； and in the dark nights； too。 The neighborsdeclared it was unbearable； and the Fire…drum was of the same opinion。
He played until his thoughts soared up； and burst forth in greatplans for the future：
〃To be famous！〃
And burgomaster's Charlotte sat at the piano。 Her delicate fingersdanced over the keys； and made them ring into Peter's heart。 It seemedtoo much for him to bear； and this happened not once； but manytimes； and at last one day he seized the delicate fingers and thewhite hand； and kissed it； and looked into her great brown eyes。Heaven knows what he said； but we may be allowed to guess at it。Charlotte blushed to guess at it。 She reddened from brow to neck；a
