the little lame prince-第15部分

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nceforth　there　should　be　no　such　thing　as　the　punishment　of　death　in　Nomansland。　All　capital　criminals　were　to　be

sent　to　perpetual　imprisonment　in　Hopeless　Tower　and　the　plain　round　about　it；　where　they　could　do　no　harm　to　anybody；　and　might　in　time　do　a　little　good；　as　the　woman　had　done。

Another　surprise　he　shortly　afterward　gave　the　nation。　He　recalled　his　uncle's　family；　who　had　fled　away　in　terror　to　another　country；　and　restored　them　to　all　their　honors　in　their　own。　By　and　by　he　chose　the　eldest　son　of　his　eldest　cousin　（who　had　been　dead　a　year）；　and　had　him　educated　in　the　royal　palace；　as　the　heir　to　the　throne。　This　little　prince　was　a　quiet；　unobtrusive　boy；　so　that　everybody　wondered　at　the　King's　choosing　him　when　there　were　so　many　more；　but　as　he　grew　into　a　fine　young　fellow；　good　and　brave；　they　agreed　that　the　King　judged　more　wisely　than　they。

〃Not　a　lame　prince；　either；〃　his　Majesty　observed　one　day；　watching　him　affectionately；　for　he　was　the　best　runner；　the　highest　leaper；　the　keenest　and　most　active　sportsman　in　the　country。　〃One　cannot　make　one's　self；　but　one　can　sometimes　help　a　little　in　the　making　of　somebody　else。　It　is　well。〃

This　was　said；　not　to　any　of　his　great　lords　and　ladies；　but　to　a　good　old　womanhis　first　homely　nurse　whom　he　had　sought　for　far　and　wide；　and　at　last　found　in　her　cottage　among　the　Beautiful　Mountains。　He　sent　for　her　to　visit　him　once　a　year；　and　treated　her　with　great　honor　until　she　died。　He　was　equally　kind；　though　somewhat　less　tender；　to　his　other　nurse；　who；　after　receiving　her　pardon；　returned　to　her　native　town　and　grew　into　a　great　lady；　and　I　hope　a　good　one。　But　as　she　was　so　grand　a　personage　now；　any　little　faults　she　had　did　not　show。

Thus　King　Dolor's　reign　passed　year　after　year；　long　and　prosperous。　Whether　he　were　happy〃as　happy　as　a　king〃is　a　question　no　human　being　can　decide。　But　I　think　he　was；　because　he　had　the　power　of　making　everybody　about　him　happy；　and　did　it　too；　also　because　he　was　his　godmother's　godson；　and　could　shut　himself　up　with　her　whenever　he　liked；　in　that　quiet　little　room　in　view　of　the　Beautiful　Mountains；　which　nobody　else　ever　saw　or　cared　to　see。　They　were　too　far　off；　and　the　city　lay　so　low。　But　there　they　were；　all　the　time。　No　change　ever　came　to　them；　and　I　think；　at　any　day　throughout　his　long　reign；　the　King　would　sooner　have　lost　his　crown　than　have　lost　sight　of　the　Beautiful　Mountains。

In　course　of　time；　when　the　little　Prince；　his　cousin；　was　grown　into　a　tall　young　man；　capable　of　all　the　duties　of　a　man；　his　Majesty　did　one　of　the　most　extraordinary　acts　ever　known　in　a　sovereign　beloved　by　his　people　and　prosperous　in　his　reign。　He　announced　that　he　wished　to　invest　his　heir　with　the　royal　purpleat　any　rate；　for　a　timewhile　he　himself　went　away　on　a　distant　journey；　whither　he　had　long　desired　to　go。

Everybody　marveled；　but　nobody　opposed　him。　Who　could　oppose　the　good　King；　who　was　not　a　young　king　now？　And　besides；　the　nation　had　a　great　admiration　for　the　young　regentand　possibly　a　lurking　pleasure　in　change。

So　there　was　a　fixed　day　when　all　the　people　whom　it　would　hold　assembled　in　the　great　square　of　the　capital；　to　see　the　young　prince　installed　solemnly　in　his　new　duties；　and　undertaking　his　new　vows。　He　was　a　very　fine　young　fellow；　tall　and　straight　as　a　poplar　tree；　with　a　frank；　handsome　facea　great　deal　handsomer　than　the　king；　some　people　said；　but　others　thought　differently。　However；　as　his　Majesty　sat　on　his　throne；　with　his　gray　hair　falling　from　underneath　his　crown；　and　a　few　wrinkles　showing　in　spite　of　his　smile；　there　was　something　about　his　countenance　which　made　his　people；　even　while　they　shouted；　regard　him　with　a　tenderness　mixed　with　awe。

He　lifted　up　his　thin；　slender　hand；　and　there　came　a　silence　over　the　vast　crowd　immediately。　Then　he　spoke；　in　his　own　accustomed　way；　using　no　grand　words；　but　saying　what　he　had　to　say　in　the　simplest　fashion；　though　with　a　clearness　that　struck　their　ears　like　the　first　song　of　a　bird　in　the　dusk　of　the　morning。

〃My　people；　I　am　tired：　I　want　to　rest。　I　have　had　a　long　reign；　and　done　much　workat　least；　as　much　as　I　was　able　to　do。　Many　might　have　done　it　better　than　Ibut　none　with　a　better　will。　Now　I　leave　it　to　others；　I　am　tired；　very　tired。　Let　me　go　home。〃

There　arose　a　murmurof　content　or　discontent　none　could　well　tell；　then　it　died　down　again；　and　the　assembly　listened　silently　once　more。

〃I　am　not　anxious　about　you；　my　peoplemy　children；〃　continued　the　King。　〃You　are　prosperous　and　at　peace。　I　leave　you　in　good　hands。　The　Prince　Regent　will　be　a　fitter　king　for　you　than　I。〃

〃No；　no；　no！〃　rose　the　universal　shoutand　those　who　had　sometimes　found　fault　with　him　shouted　louder　than　anybody。　But　he　seemed　as　if　he　heard　them　not。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　he；　as　soon　as　the　tumult　had　a　little　subsided：　and　his　voice　sounded　firm　and　clear；　and　some　very　old　people；　who　boasted　of　having　seen　him　as　a　child；　declared　that　his　face　took　a　sudden　change；　and　grew　as　young　and　sweet　as　that　of　the　little　Prince　Dolor。　〃Yes；　I　must　go。　It　is　time　for　me　to　go。　Remember　me　sometimes；　my　people；　for　I　have　loved　you　well。　And　I　am　going　a　long　way；　and　I　do　not　think　I　shall　come　back　any　more。〃

He　drew　a　little　bundle　out　of　his　breast　pocketa　bundle　that　nobody　had　ever　seen　before。　It　was　small　and　shabby…looking；　and　tied　up　with　many　knots；　which　untied　themselves　in　an　instant。　With　a　joyful　countenance；　he　muttered　over　it　a　few　half…intelligible　words。　Then；　so　suddenly　that　even　those　nearest　to　his　Majesty　could　not　tell　how　it　came　about；　the　King　was　awayawayfloating　right　up　in　the　airupon　something；　they　knew　not　what；　except　that　it　appeared　to　be　as　safe　and　pleasant　as　the　wings　of　a　bird。

And　after　him　sprang　a　birda　dear　little　lark；　rising　from　whence　no　one　could　say；　since　larks　do　not　usually　build　their　nests　in　the　pavement　of　city　squares。　But　there　it　was；　a　real　lark；　singing　far　over　their　heads；　louder　and　clearer　and　more　joyful　as　it　vanished　further　into　the　blue　sky。

Shading　their　eyes；　and　straining　their　ears；　the　astonished　people　stood　until　the　whole　vision　disappeared　like　a　speck　in　the　clouds　the　rosy　clouds　that　overhung　the　Beautiful　Mountains。

King　Dolor　was　never　again　beheld　or　heard　of　in　his　own　country。　But　the　good　he　had　done　there　lasted　for　years　and　years；　he　was　long　missed　and　deeply　mournedat　least；　so　far　as　anybody　could　mourn　one　who　was　gone　on　such　a　happy　journey。

Whither　he　went；　or　who　went　with　him；　it　is　impossible　to　say。　But　I　myself　believe　that　his　godmother　took　him　on　his　traveling…cloak　to　the　Beautiful　Mountains。　What　he　did　there；　or　where　he　is　now；　who　can　tell？　I　cannot。　But　one　thing　I　am　quite　sure　of；　that；　wherever　he　is；　he　is　perfectly　happy。

And　so；　when　I　think　of　him；　am　I。



THE　INVISIBLE　PRINCE

THERE　were　a　king　and　queen　who　were　dotingly　fond　of　their　only　son；　notwithstanding　that　he　was　equally　deformed　in　mind　and　person。　The　king　was　quite　sensible　of　the　evil　disposition　of　his　son；　but　the　queen　in　her　excessive　fondness　saw　no　fault　whatever　in　her　dear　Furibon；　as　he　was　named。　The　surest　way　to　win　her　favor　was　to　praise　Furibon　for　charms　he　did　not　possess。　When　he　came　of　age　to　have　a　governor；　the　king　made　choice　of　a　prince　who　had　an　ancient　right　to　the　crown；　but　was　not　able　to　support　it。　This　prince　had　a　son；　named　Leander；　handsome；　accomplished；　amiablein　every　respect　the　opposite　of　Prince　Furibon。　The　two　were　frequently　together；　which　only　made　the　deformed　prince　more　repulsive。

One　day；　certain　ambassadors　having　arrived　from　a　far　country；　the　prince　stood　in　a　gallery　to　see　them；　when；　taking　Leander　for　the　king's　son；　they　made　their　obeisance　to　him；　treating　Furibon　as　a　mere　dwarf；　at　which　the　latter　was　so　offended　that　he　drew　his　sword；　and　would　have　done　them　a　mischief　had　not　the　king　just　then　appeared。　As　it　was；　the　affair　produced　a　quarrel；　which　ended　in　Leander's　being　sent　to　a　far…away　castle　belonging　to　his　father。

There；　however；　he　was　quite　happy；　for　he　was　a　great　lover　of　hunting；　fishing；　and　walking：　he　understood　painting；　read　much；　and　played　upon　several　instruments；　so　that　he　was　glad　to　be　freed　from　the　fantastic　humors　of　Furibon。　One　day　as　he　was　walking　in　the　garden；　finding　the　heat　increase；　he　retired　into　a　shady　grove　and　began　to　play　upon　the　flute　to　amuse　himself。　As　he　played；　he　felt　something　wind　about　his　leg；　and　looking　down　saw　a　great　adder：　he　took　his　handkerchief；　and　catching　it　by　the　head　was　going　to　kill　it。　But　the　adder；　looking　steadfastly　in　his　face；　seemed　to　beg　his　pardon。　At　this　instant　one　of　the　gardeners　happened　to　come　to　the　place　where　Leander　was；　and　spying　the　snake；　cried　out　to　his　master：　〃Hold　him　fast；　sir；　it　is　but　an　hour　since　we　ran　after　him　to　kill　him：　it　is　the　most　mischievous　creature　in　the　world。〃

Leander；　casting　his　eyes　a　second　time　upon　the　snake；　which　was　speckled　with　a　thousand　extraordinary　colors；　perceived　the　poor　creature　still　looked　upon　him　with　an　aspect　that　seemed　to　implore　compassion；　and　never　tried　in　the　least　to　defend　itself。

〃Though　thou　hast　such　a　mind　to　kill　it；〃　said　he　to　the　gardener；　〃yet；　as　it　came　to　me　for　refuge；　I　forbid　thee　to　do　it　any　harm；　for　I　will　keep　it；　and　when　it　has　cast　its　beautiful　skin　I　will　let　it　go。〃　He　then　returned　home；　and　carrying　the　snake　with　him；　put　it　into　a　large　chamber；　the　key　of　which　he　kept　himself；　and　ordered　bran；　milk；　and　flowers　to　be　given　to　it；　for　its　delight　and　sustenance；　so　that　never　was　snake　so　happy。　Leander　went　sometimes　to　see　it；　and　when　it　perceived　him　it　made　haste　to　meet　him；　showing　him　all　the　little　marks　of　love　and　gratitude　of　which　a　poor　snake　was　capable；　which　did　not　a　little　surprise　him；　though　he　took　no　further　notice　of　it。

In　the　meantime　all　the　court　ladies　were　extremely　troubled　at　his　absence；　and　he　was　the　subject　of　all　their　discourse。　〃Alas！〃　cried　they；　〃there　is　no　pleasure　at　court　since　Leander　is　gone；　of　whose　absence　the　wicked　Furibon　is　the　cause！〃　Furibon　also　had　his　parasites；　for　his　power　over　the　queen