the little lame prince- 第7部分

So；　with　one　of　his　active　leaps；　he　sprang　right　into　the　middle　of　the　cloak；　where　he　squatted　down；　wrapping　his　arms　tight　round　his　knees；　for　they　shook　a　little　and　his　heart　beat　fast。　But　there　he　sat；　steady　and　silent；　waiting　for　what　might　happen　next。

Nothing　did　happen；　and　he　began　to　think　nothing　would；　and　to　feel　rather　disappointed；　when　he　recollected　the　words　he　had　been　told　to　repeat〃Abracadabra；　dum　dum　dum！〃

He　repeated　them；　laughing　all　the　while；　they　seemed　such　nonsense。　And　thenand　then

Now　I　don't　expect　anybody　to　believe　what　I　am　going　to　relate；　though　a　good　many　wise　people　have　believed　a　good　many　sillier　things。　And　as　seeing's　believing；　and　I　never　saw　it；　I　cannot　be　expected　implicitly　to　believe　it　myself；　except　in　a　sort　of　a　way；　and　yet　there　is　truth　in　itfor　some　people。

The　cloak　rose；　slowly　and　steadily；　at　first　only　a　few　inches；　then　gradually　higher　and　higher；　till　it　nearly　touched　the　skylight。　Prince　Dolor's　head　actually　bumped　against　the　glass；　or　would　have　done　so　had　he　not　crouched　down；　crying　〃Oh；　please　don't　hurt　me！〃　in　a　most　melancholy　voice。

Then　he　suddenly　remembered　his　godmother's　express　command〃Open　the　skylight！〃

Regaining　his　courage　at　once；　without　a　moment's　delay　he　lifted　up　his　head　and　began　searching　for　the　boltthe　cloak　meanwhile　remaining　perfectly　still；　balanced　in　the　air。　But　the　minute　the　window　was　opened；　out　it　sailedright　out　into　the　clear；　fresh　air；　with　nothing　between　it　and　the　cloudless　blue。

Prince　Dolor　had　never　felt　any　such　delicious　sensation　before。　I　can　understand　it。　Cannot　you？　Did　you　never　think；　in　watching　the　rooks　going　home　singly　or　in　pairs；　soaring　their　way　across　the　calm　evening　sky　till　they　vanish　like　black　dots　in　the　misty　gray；　how　pleasant　it　must　feel　to　be　up　there；　quite　out　of　the　noise　and　din　of　the　world；　able　to　hear　and　see　everything　down　below；　yet　troubled　by　nothing　and　teased　by　no　oneall　alone；　but　perfectly　content？

Something　like　this　was　the　happiness　of　the　little　lame　Prince　when　he　got　out　of　Hopeless　Tower；　and　found　himself　for　the　first　time　in　the　pure　open　air；　with　the　sky　above　him　and　the　earth　below。

True；　there　was　nothing　but　earth　and　sky；　no　houses；　no　trees；　no　rivers；　mountains；　seas　not　a　beast　on　the　ground；　or　a　bird　in　the　air。　But　to　him　even　the　level　plain　looked　beautiful；　and　then　there　was　the　glorious　arch　of　the　sky；　with　a　little　young　moon　sitting　in　the　west　like　a　baby　queen。　And　the　evening　breeze　was　so　sweet　and　freshit　kissed　him　like　his　godmother's　kisses；　and　by　and　by　a　few　stars　came　outfirst　two　or　three；　and　then　quantities　quantities！　so　that　when　he　began　to　count　them　he　was　utterly　bewildered。

By　this　time；　however；　the　cool　breeze　had　become　cold；　the　mist　gathered；　and　as　he　had；　as　he　said；　no　outdoor　clothes；　poor　Prince　Dolor　was　not　very　comfortable。　The　dews　fell　damp　on　his　curlshe　began　to　shiver。

〃Perhaps　I　had　better　go　home；〃　thought　he。

But　how？　For　in　his　excitement　the　other　words　which　his　godmother　had　told　him　to　use　had　slipped　his　memory。　They　were　only　a　little　different　from　the　first；　but　in　that　slight　difference　all　the　importance　lay。　As　he　repeated　his　〃Abracadabra；〃　trying　ever　so　many　other　syllables　after　it；　the　cloak　only　went　faster　and　faster；　skimming　on　through　the　dusky；　empty　air。

The　poor　little　Prince　began　to　feel　frightened。　What　if　his　wonderful　traveling…cloak　should　keep　on　thus　traveling；　perhaps　to　the　world's　end；　carrying　with　it　a　poor；　tired；　hungry　boy；　who；　after　all；　was　beginning　to　think　there　was　something　very　pleasant　in　supper　and　bed！

〃Dear　godmother；〃　he　cried　pitifully；　〃do　help　me！　Tell　me　just　this　once　and　I'll　never　forget　again。〃

Instantly　the　words　came　rushing　into　his　head〃Abracadabra；　tum　tum　ti！〃　Was　that　it？　Ah！　yesfor　the　cloak　began　to　turn　slowly。　He　repeated　the　charm　again；　more　distinctly　and　firmly；　when　it　gave　a　gentle　dip；　like　a　nod　of　satisfaction；　and　immediately　started　back；　as　fast　as　ever；　in　the　direction　of　the　tower。

He　reached　the　skylight；　which　he　found　exactly　as　he　had　left　it；　and　slipped　in；　cloak　and　all；　as　easily　as　he　had　got　out。　He　had　scarcely　reached　the　floor；　and　was　still　sitting　in　the　middle　of　his　traveling…cloak；like　a　frog　on　a　water…lily　leaf；　as　his　godmother　had　expressed　it；when　he　heard　his　nurse's　voice　outside。

〃Bless　us！　what　has　become　of　your　Royal　Highness　all　this　time？　To　sit　stupidly　here　at　the　window　till　it　is　quite　dark；　and　leave　the　skylight　open；　too。　Prince！　what　can　you　be　thinking　of？　You　are　the　silliest　boy　I　ever　knew。〃

〃Am　I？〃　said　he　absently；　and　never　heeding　her　crossness；　for　his　only　anxiety　was　lest　she　might　find　out　anything。

She　would　have　been　a　very　clever　person　to　have　done　so。　The　instant　Prince　Dolor　got　off　it；　the　cloak　folded　itself　up　into　the　tiniest　possible　parcel；　tied　all　its　own　knots；　and　rolled　itself　of　its　own　accord　into　the　farthest　and　darkest　corner　of　the　room。　If　the　nurse　had　seen　it；　which　she　didn't；　she　would　have　taken　it　for　a　mere　bundle　of　rubbish　not　worth　noticing。

Shutting　the　skylight　with　an　angry　bang；　she　brought　in　the　supper　and　lit　the　candles　with　her　usual　unhappy　expression　of　countenance。　But　Prince　Dolor　hardly　saw　it；　he　only　saw；　hid　in　the　corner　where　nobody　else　would　see　it；　his　wonderful　traveling…cloak。　And　though　his　supper　was　not　particularly　nice；　he　ate　it　heartily；　scarcely　hearing　a　word　of　his　nurse's　grumbling；　which　to…night　seemed　to　have　taken　the　place　of　her　sullen　silence。

〃Poor　woman！〃　he　thought；　when　he　paused　a　minute　to　listen　and　look　at　her　with　those　quiet；　happy　eyes；　so　like　his　mother's。　〃Poor　woman！　she　hasn't　got　a　traveling…cloak！〃

And　when　he　was　left　alone　at　last；　and　crept　into　his　little　bed；　where　he　lay　awake　a　good　while；　watching　what　he　called　his　〃sky…　garden；〃　all　planted　with　stars；　like　flowers；　his　chief　thought　was〃I　must　be　up　very　early　to…morrow　morning；　and　get　my　lessons　done；　and　then　I'll　go　traveling　all　over　the　world　on　my　beautiful　cloak。〃

So　next　day　he　opened　his　eyes　with　the　sun；　and　went　with　a　good　heart　to　his　lessons。　They　had　hitherto　been　the　chief　amusement　of　his　dull　life；　now；　I　am　afraid；　he　found　them　also　a　little　dull。　But　he　tried　to　be　good；I　don't　say　Prince　Dolor　always　was　good；　but　he　generally　tried　to　be；and　when　his　mind　went　wandering　after　the　dark；　dusty　corner　where　lay　his　precious　treasure；　he　resolutely　called　it　back　again。

〃For；〃　he　said；　〃how　ashamed　my　godmother　would　be　of　me　if　I　grew　up　a　stupid　boy！〃

But　the　instant　lessons　were　done；　and　he　was　alone　in　the　empty　room；　he　crept　across　the　floor；　undid　the　shabby　little　bundle；　his　fingers　trembling　with　eagerness；　climbed　on　the　chair；　and　thence　to　the　table；　so　as　to　unbar　the　skylight；he　forgot　nothing　now；said　his　magic　charm；　and　was　away　out　of　the　window；　as　children　say；　〃in　a　few　minutes　less　than　no　time。〃

Nobody　missed　him。　He　was　accustomed　to　sit　so　quietly　always　that　his　nurse；　though　only　in　the　next　room；　perceived　no　difference。　And　besides；　she　might　have　gone　in　and　out　a　dozen　times；　and　it　would　have　been　just　the　same；　she　never　could　have　found　out　his　absence。

For　what　do　you　think　the　clever　godmother　did？　She　took　a　quantity　of　moonshine；　or　some　equally　convenient　material；　and　made　an　image；　which　she　set　on　the　window…sill　reading；　or　by　the　table　drawing；　where　it　looked　so　like　Prince　Dolor　that　any　common　observer　would　never　have　guessed　the　deception；　and　even　the　boy　would　have　been　puzzled　to　know　which　was　the　image　and　which　was　himself。

And　all　this　while　the　happy　little　fellow　was　away；　floating　in　the　air　on　his　magic　cloak；　and　seeing　all　sorts　of　wonderful　thingsor　they　seemed　wonderful　to　him；　who　had　hitherto　seen　nothing　at　all。

First；　there　were　the　flowers　that　grew　on　the　plain；　which；　whenever　the　cloak　came　near　enough；　he　strained　his　eyes　to　look　at；　they　were　very　tiny；　but　very　beautifulwhite　saxifrage；　and　yellow　lotus；　and　ground…thistles；　purple　and　bright；　with　many　others　the　names　of　which　I　do　not　know。　No　more　did　Prince　Dolor；　though　he　tried　to　find　them　out　by　recalling　any　pictures　he　had　seen　of　them。　But　he　was　too　far　off；　and　though　it　was　pleasant　enough　to　admire　them　as　brilliant　patches　of　color；　still　he　would　have　liked　to　examine　them　all。　He　was；　as　a　little　girl　I　know　once　said　of　a　playfellow；　〃a　very　examining　boy。〃

〃I　wonder；〃　he　thought；　〃whether　I　could　see　better　through　a　pair　of　glasses　like　those　my　nurse　reads　with；　and　takes　such　care　of。　How　I　would　take　care　of　them；　too；　if　I　only　had　a　pair！〃

Immediately　he　felt　something　queer　and　hard　fixing　itself　to　the　bridge　of　his　nose。　It　was　a　pair　of　the　prettiest　gold　spectacles　ever　seen；　and　looking　downward；　he　found　that；　though　ever　so　high　above　the　ground；　he　could　see　every　minute　blade　of　grass；　every　tiny　bud　and　flowernay；　even　the　insects　that　walked　over　them。

〃Thank　you；　thank　you！〃　he　cried；　in　a　gush　of　gratitudeto　anybody　or　everybody；　but　especially　to　his　dear　godmother；　who　he　felt　sure　had　given　him　this　new　present。　He　amused　himself　with　it　for　ever　so　long；　with　his　chin　pressed　on　the　rim　of　the　cloak；　gazing　down　upon　the　grass；　every　square　foot　of　which　was　a　mine　of　wonders。

Then；　just　to　rest　his　eyes；　he　turned　them　up　to　the　skythe　blue；　bright；　empty　sky；　which　he　had　looked　at　so　often　and　seen　nothing。

Now　surely　there　was　something。　A　long；　black；　wavy　line；　moving　on　in　the　distance；　not　by　chance；　as　the　clouds　move　apparently；　but　deliberately；　as　if　it　were　alive。　He　might　have　seen　it　beforehe　almost　thought　he　had；　but　then　he　could　not　tell　what　it　was。　Looking　at　it　through　his　spectacles；　he　discovered　that　it　really　was　alive；　being　a　long　string　of　birds；　flying　one　after　the　other；　their　wings　moving　steadily　and　their　heads　pointed　in　one　direction；　as　steadily　as　if　each　were　a　little　ship；　guided　invisibly　by　an　unerring　helm。

〃They　must　be　the　passage…birds　flying　seaward！〃　cried　the　boy；　who　had　read　a　little　about　them；　and　had　a　great　talent　for　putting　two　and　two　together　an