thentheoldmancamein,withaboxcontainingmanycuriousthingstoshowhim.rouge-pots,scent-boxes,andoldcards,solargeandsorichlygilded,thatnoneareeverseenliketheminthesedays.andthereweresmallerboxestolookat,andthepianowasopened,andinsidethelidwerepaintedlandscapes.butwhentheoldmanplayed,thepianosoundedquiteoutoftune.thenhelookedatthepicturehehadboughtatthebroker's,andhiseyessparkledbrightlyashenoddedatit,andsaid,"ah,shecouldsingthattune."

"iwillgotothewars!iwillgotothewars!"criedthetinsoldierasloudashecould,andthrewhimselfdownontherecouldhehavefallen?theoldmansearched,andthelittleboysearched,buthewasgone,andcouldnotbefound."ishallfindhimagain,"saidtheoldman,buthedidnotfindhim.theboardsofthefloorwereopenandfullofholes.thetinsoldierhadfallenthroughacrackbetweentheboards,andlaytherenowinanopengrave.thedaywentby,andthelittleboyreturnedhome;theweekpassed,andmanymoreweeks.itwaswinter,andthewindowswerequitefrozen,sothelittleboywasobligedtobreatheonthepanes,andrubaholetopeepthroughattheoldhouse.snowdriftswerelyinginallthescrollsandontheinscriptions,andthestepswerecoveredwithsnowasifnoonewereathome.andindeednobodywashome,fortheoldmanwasdead.intheevening,ahearsestoppedatthedoor,andtheoldmaninhiscoffinwasplacedinit.hewastobetakentothecountrytobeburiedthereinhisowngrave;sotheycarriedhimaway;noonefollowedhim,forallhisfriendsweredead;andthelittleboykissedhishandtothecoffinasthehearsemovedawaywithit.afewdaysafter,therewasanauctionattheoldhouse,andfromhiswindowthelittleboysawthepeoplecarryingawaythepicturesofoldknightsandladies,theflower-potswiththelongears,theoldchairs,andthecup-boards.someweretakenoneway,someanother.herportrait,whichhadbeenboughtatthepicturedealer's,wentbackagaintohisshop,andthereitremained,fornooneseemedtoknowher,ortocarefortheoldpicture.inthespring;theybegantopullthehouseitselfdown;peoplecalleditcompleterubbish.fromthestreetcouldbeseentheroominwhichthewallswerecoveredwithleather,raggedandtorn,andthegreeninthebalconyhungstragglingoverthebeams;theypulleditdownquickly,foritlookedreadytofall,andatlastitwasclearedawayaltogether."whatagoodriddance,"saidtheneighbors'houses.veryshortly,afinenewhousewasbuiltfartherbackfromtheroad;ithadloftywindowsandsmoothwalls,butinfront,onthespotwheretheoldhousereallystood,alittlegardenwasplanted,andwildvinesgrewupovertheneighboringwalls;infrontofthegardenwerelargeironrailingsandagreatgate,whichlookedverystately.peopleusedtostopandpeepthroughtherailings.thesparrowsassembledindozensuponthewildvines,andchatteredalltogetherasloudastheycould,butnotabouttheoldhouse;noneofthemcouldrememberit,formanyyearshadpassedby,somanyindeed,thatthelittleboywasnowaman,andareallygoodmantoo,andhisparentswereveryproudofhim.hewasjustmarried,andhadcome,withhisyoungwife,toresideinthenewhousewiththegardeninfrontofit,andnowhestoodtherebyhersidewhilesheplantedafieldflowerthatshethoughtverypretty.shewasplantingitherselfwithherlittlehands,andpressingdowntheearthwithherfingers."ohdear,whatwasthat?"