the little lame prince- 第20部分

〃Nothing　that　my　daughter　does；〃　said　she；　〃escapes　my　knowledge。　The　Prince　Leander　is　now　in　her　palace；　he　loves　her；　and　she　has　a　tenderness　for　him。　All　my　cares　and　precepts　have　not　been　able　to　guard　her　from　the　tyranny　of　love；　and　she　is　now　under　its　fatal　dominion。　But　it　is　the　decree　of　destiny；　and　I　must　submit；　therefore；　Abricotina；　begone！　nor　let　me　hear　a　word　more　of　a　daughter　whose　behavior　has　so　much　displeased　me。〃

Abricotina　returned　with　these　ill　tidings；　whereat　the　princess　was　almost　distracted；　and　this　was　soon　perceived　by　Leander；　who　was　near　her；　though　she　did　not　see　him。　He　beheld　her　grief　with　the　greatest　pain。　However；　he　durst　not　then　open　his　lips；　but　recollecting　that　Furibon　was　exceedingly　covetous；　he　thought　that；　by　giving　him　a　sum　of　money；　he　might　perhaps　prevail　with　him　to　retire。　Thereupon；　he　dressed　himself　like　an　Amazon；　and　wished　himself　in　the　forest；　to　catch　his　horse。　He　had　no　sooner　called　him　than　Gris…de…line　came　leaping；　prancing；　and　neighing　for　joy；　for　he　was　grown　quite　weary　of　being　so　long　absent　from　his　dear　master；　but　when　he　beheld　him　dressed　as　a　woman　he　hardly　knew　him。　However；　at　the　sound　of　his　voice；　he　suffered　the　prince　to　mount；　and　they　soon　arrived　in　the　camp　at　Furibon；　where　they　gave　notice　that　a　lady　was　come　to　speak　with　him　from　the　Princess　of　Calm　Delights。　Immediately　the　little　fellow　put　on　his　royal　robes；　and　having　placed　himself　upon　his　throne；　he　looked　like　a　great　toad　counterfeiting　a　king。

Leander　harangued　him；　and　told　him　that　the　princess；　preferring　a　quiet　and　peaceable　life　to　the　fatigues　of　war；　had　sent　to　offer　his　majesty　as　much　money　as　he　pleased　to　demand；　provided　he　would　suffer　her　to　continue　in　peace；　but　if　he　refused　her　proposal；　she　would　omit　no　means　that　might　serve　for　her　defense。　Furibon　replied　that　he　took　pity　on　her；　and　would　grant　her　the　honor　of　his　protection；　but　that　he　demanded　a　hundred　thousand　millions　of　pounds；　and　without　which　he　would　not　return　to　his　kingdom。　Leander　answered　that　such　a　vast　sum　would　be　too　long　a…counting；　and　therefore；　if　he　would　say　how　many　rooms　full　he　desired　to　have；　the　princess　was　generous　and　rich　enoug　hto｛sic｝　satisfy　him。　Furibon　was　astonished　to　hear　that；　instead　of　entreating；　she　would　rather　offer　more；　and　it　came　into　his　wicked　mind　to　take　all　the　money　he　could　get；　and　then　seize　the　Amazon　and　kill　her；　that　she　might　never　return　to　her　mistress。　He　told　Leander；　therefore；　that　he　would　have　thirty　chambers　of　gold；　all　full　to　the　ceiling。　Leander；　being　conducted　into　the　chambers；　took　his　rose　and　shook　it；　till　every　room　was　filled　with　all　sorts　of　coin。　Furibon　was　in　an　ecstasy；　and　the　more　gold　he　saw　the　greater　was　his　desire　to　get　hold　of　the　Amazon；　so　that　when　all　the　rooms　were　full；　he　commanded　his　guards　to　seize　her；　alleging　she　had　brought　him　counterfeit　money。　Immediately　Leander　put　on　his　little　red　cap　and　disappeared。　The　guards；　believing　that　the　lady　had　escaped；　ran　out　and　left　Furibon　alone；　when　Leander；　availing　himself　of　the　opportunity；　took　the　tyrant　by　the　hair；　and　twisted　his　head　off　with　the　same　ease　he　would　a　pullet's；　nor　did　the　little　wretch　of　a　king　see　that　hand　that　killed　him。

Leander　having　got　his　enemy's　head；　wished　himself　in　the　Palace　of　Calm　Delights；　where　he　found　the　princess　walking；　and　with　grief　considering　the　message　which　her　mother　had　sent　her；　and　on　the　means　to　repel　Furibon。

Suddenly　she　beheld　a　head　hanging　in　the　air；　with　nobody　to　hold　it。　This　prodigy　astonished　her　so　that　she　could　not　tell　what　to　think　of　it；　but　her　amazement　was　increased　when　she　saw　the　head　laid　at　her　feet；　and　heard　a　voice　utter　these　words：

　　　　　〃Charming　Princess；　cease　your　fear　　　　　　Of　Furibon；　whose　head　see　here。〃


Abricotina；　knowing　Leander's　voice；　cried：

〃I　protest；　madam；　the　invisible　person　who　speaks　is　the　very　stranger　that　rescued　me。〃

The　princess　seemed　astonished；　but　yet　pleased。

〃Oh；〃　said　she；　〃if　it　be　true　that　the　invisible　and　the　stranger　are　the　same　person；　I　confess　I　shall　be　glad　to　make　him　my　acknowledgments。〃

Leander；　still　invisible；　replied；　〃I　will　yet　do　more　to　deserve　them；〃　and　so　saying　he　returned　to　Furibon's　army；　where　the　report　of　the　king's　death　was　already　spread　throughout　the　camp。　As　soon　as　Leander　appeared　there　in　his　usual　habit；　everybody　knew　him；　all　the　officers　and　soldiers　surrounded　him；　uttering　the　loudest　acclamations　of　joy。　In　short；　they　acknowledged　him　for　their　king；　and　that　the　crown　of　right　belonged　to　him；　for　which　he　thanked　them；　and；　as　the　first　mark　of　his　royal　bounty；　divided　the　thirty　rooms　of　gold　among　the　soldiers。　This　done　he　returned　to　his　princess；　ordering　his　army　to　march　back　into　his　kingdom。

The　princess　was　gone　to　bed。　Leander；　therefore；　retired　into　his　own　apartment；　for　he　was　very　sleepyso　sleepy　that　he　forgot　to　bolt　his　door；　and　so　it　happened　that　the　princess；　rising　early　to　taste　the　morning　air；　chanced　to　enter　into　this　very　chamber；　and　was　astonished　to　find　a　young　prince　asleep　upon　the　bed。　She　took　a　full　view　of　him；　and　was　convinced　that　he　was　the　person　whose　picture　she　had　in　her　diamond　box。　〃It　is　impossible；〃　said　she；　〃that　this　should　be　a　spirit；　for　can　spirits　sleep？　Is　this　a　body　composed　of　air　and　fire；　without　substance；　as　Abricotina　told　me？〃　She　softly　touched　his　hair；　and　heard　him　breathe；　and　looked　at　him　as　if　she　could　have　looked　forever。　While　she　was　thus　occupied；　her　mother；　the　fairy　entered　with　such　a　noise　that　Leander　started　out　of　his　sleep。　But　how　deeply　was　he　afflicted　to　behold　his　beloved　princess　in　the　most　deplorable　condition！　Her　mother　dragged　her　by　the　hair　and　loaded　her　with　a　thousand　bitter　reproaches。　In　what　grief　and　consternation　were　the　two　young　lovers；　who　saw　themselves　now　upon　the　point　of　being　separated　forever！　The　princess　durst　not　open　her　lips；　but　cast　her　eyes　upon　Leander；　as　if　to　beg　his　assistance。　He　judged　rightly　that　he　ought　not　to　deal　rudely　with　a　power　superior　to　his　own；　and　therefore　he　sought；　by　his　eloquence　and　submission；　to　move　the　incensed　fairy。　He　ran　to　her；　threw　himself　at　her　feet；　and　besought　her　to　have　pity　upon　a　young　prince　who　would　never　change　in　his　affection　for　her　daughter。　The　princess；　encouraged；　also　embraced　her　mother's　knees；　and　declared　that　without　Leander　she　should　never　be　happy。

〃Happy！〃　cried　the　fairy；　〃you　know　not　the　miseries　of　love　nor　the　treacheries　of　which　lovers　are　capable。　They　bewitch　us　only　to　poison　our　lives；　I　have　known　it　by　experience；　and　will　you　suffer　the　same？〃

〃Is　there　no　exception；　madam？〃　replied　Leander；　and　his　countenance　showed　him　to　be　one。

But　neither　tears　nor　entreaties　could　move　the　implacable　fairy；　and　it　is　very　probable　that　she　would　have　never　pardoned　them；　had　not　the　lovely　Gentilla　appeared　at　that　instant　in　the　chamber；　more　brilliant　than　the　sun。　Embracing　the　old　fairy：

〃Dear　sister；〃　said　she；　〃I　am　persuaded　you　cannot　have　forgotten　the　good　office　I　did　you　when；　after　your　unhappy　marriage；　you　besought　a　readmittance　into　Fairyland；　since　then　I　never　desired　any　favor　at　your　hands；　but　now　the　time　is　come。　Pardon；　then；　this　lovely　princess；　consent　to　her　nuptials　with　this　young　prince。　I　will　engage　he　shall　be　ever　constant　to　her；　the　thread　of　their　days　shall　be　spun　of　gold　and　silk；　they　shall　live　to　complete　your　happiness；　and　I　will　never　forget　the　obligation　you　lay　upon　me。〃

〃Charming　Gentilla；〃　cried　the　fairy；　〃I　consent　to　whatever　you　desire。　Come；　my　dear　children；　and　receive　my　love。〃　So　saying；　she　embraced　them　both。

Abricotina；　just　then　entering；　cast　her　eyes　upon　Leander；　she　knew　him　again；　and　saw　he　was　perfectly　happy；　at　which　she；　too；　was　quite　satisfied。

〃Prince；〃　condescendingly　said　the　fairy…　mother；　〃I　will　remove　the　Island　of　Calm　Delights　into　your　own　kingdom；　live　with　you　myself；　and　do　you　great　services。〃

Whether　or　not　Prince　Leander　appreciated　this　offer；　he　bowed　low；　and　assured　his　mother…　in…law　that　no　favor　could　be　equal　to　the　one　he　had　that　day　received　from　her　hands。　This　short　compliment　pleased　the　fairy　exceedingly；　for　she　belonged　to　those　ancient　days　when　people　used　to　stand　a　whole　day　upon　one　leg　complimenting　one　another。　The　nuptials　were　performed　in　a　most　splendid　manner；　and　the　young　prince　and　princess　lived　together　happily　many　years；　beloved　by　all　around　them。



PRINCE　CHERRY



PRINCE　CHERRY

LONG　ago　there　lived　a　monarch；　who　was　such　a　very；　honest　man　that　his　subjects　entitled　him　the　Good　King。　One　day；　when　he　was　out　hunting；　a　little　white　rabbit；　which　had　been　half…killed　by　his　hounds；　leaped　right　into　his　majesty's　arms。　Said　he；　caressing　it：　〃This　poor　creature　has　put　itself　under　my　protection；　and　I　will　allow　no　one　to　injure　it。〃　So　he　carried　it　to　his　palace；　had　prepared　for　it　a　neat　little　rabbit…hutch；　with　abundance　of　the　daintiest　food；　such　as　rabbits　love；　and　there　he　left　it。

The　same　night；　when　he　was　alone　in　his　chamber；　there　appeared　to　him　a　beautiful　lady。　She　was　dressed　neither　in　gold；　nor　silver；　nor　brocade；　but　her　flowing　robes　were　white　as　snow；　and　she　wore　a　garland　of　white　roses　on　her　head。　The　Good　King　was　greatly　astonished　at　the　sight；　for　his　door　was　locked；　and　he　wondered　how　so　dazzling　a　lady　could　possibly　enter；　but　she　soon　removed　his　doubts。

〃I　am　the　fairy　Candide；〃　said　she；　with　a　smiling　and　gracious　air。　〃Passing　through　the　wood　where　you　were　hunting；　I　took　a　desire　to　know　if　you　were　as　good　as　men　say　you　are　I　therefore　changed　myself　into　a　white　rabbit　and　took　refuge　in　your　arms。　You　saved　me　and　now　I　know　that　those　who　are　merciful　to　dum　beasts　will　be　ten　times　more　so　to　human　beings。　You　merit　the　name　your　subjects　give　you：　you　are　the　Good　King。　I　thank　you　for　your　protection；　and　shall　be　always　one　of　your　best　friends。　You　have　but　to　say　what　you　most　desire；　and　I　promise　you　your　wish　shall　be　granted。〃

〃Madam；〃　replied　the　king；　〃if　you　are　a　fair