14-graciosa and percinet-第1节

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GRACIOSA　AND　PERCINET



ONCE　upon　a　time　there　lived　a　King　and　Queen　who　had　one

charming　daughter。　She　was　so　graceful　and　pretty　and

clever　that　she　was　called　Graciosa；　and　the　Queen　was　so　fond　of

her　that　she　could　think　of　nothing　else。



Everyday　she　gave　the　Princess　a　lovely　new　frock　of　gold　brocade；

or　satin；　or　velvet；　and　when　she　was　hungry　she　had　bowls　full　of

sugar…plums；　and　at　least　twenty　pots　of　jam。　Everybody　said　she

was　the　happiest　Princess　in　the　world。　Now　there　lived　at　this

same　court　a　very　rich　old　duchess　whose　name　was　Grumbly。

She　was　more　frightful　than　tongue　can　tell；　her　hair　was　red　as

fire；　and　she　had　but　one　eye；　and　that　not　a　pretty　one！　Her　face

was　as　broad　as　a　full　moon；　and　her　mouth　was　so　large　that

everybody　who　met　her　would　have　been　afraid　they　were　going　to　be

eaten　up；　only　she　had　no　teeth。　As　she　was　as　cross　as　she　was

ugly；　she　could　not　bear　to　hear　everyone　saying　how　pretty　and

how　charming　Graciosa　was；　so　she　presently　went　away　from　the

court　to　her　own　castle；　which　was　not　far　off。　But　if　anybody　who

went　to　see　her　happened　to　mention　the　charming　Princess；　she

would　cry　angrily：



‘It's　not　true　that　she　is　lovely。　I　have　more　beauty　in　my　little

finger　than　she　has　in　her　whole　body。'



Soon　after　this；　to　the　great　grief　of　the　Princess；　the　Queen　was

taken　ill　and　died；　and　the　King　became　so　melancholy　that　for　a

whole　year　he　shut　himself　up　in　his　palace。　At　last　his　physicians；

fearing　that　he　would　fall　ill；　ordered　that　he　should　go　out　and

amuse　himself；　so　a　hunting　party　was　arranged；　but　as　it　was　very

hot　weather　the　King　soon　got　tired；　and　said　he　would　dismount

and　rest　at　a　castle　which　they　were　passing。



This　happened　to　be　the　Duchess　Grumbly's　castle；　and　when

she　heard　that　the　King　was　coming　she　went　out　to　meet　him；　and

said　that　the　cellar　was　the　coolest　place　in　the　whole　castle　if　he

would　condescend　to　come　down　into　it。　So　down　they　went

together；　and　the　King　seeing　about　two　hundred　great　casks　ranged

side　by　side；　asked　if　it　was　only　for　herself　that　she　had　this

immense　store　of　wine。



‘Yes；　sire；'　answered　she；　‘it　is　for　myself　alone；　but　I　shall　be

most　happy　to　let　you　taste　some　of　it。　Which　do　you　like；　canary；

St。　Julien；　champagne；　hermitage　sack；　raisin；　or　cider？'



‘Well；'　said　the　King；　‘since　you　are　so　kind　as　to　ask　me；　I

prefer　champagne　to　anything　else。'



Then　Duchess　Grumbly　took　up　a　little　hammer　and　tapped

upon　the　cask　twice；　and　out　came　at　least　a　thousand　crowns。



‘What's　the　meaning　of　this？'　said　she　smiling。



Then　she　tapped　the　next　cask；　and　out　came　a　bushel　of　gold　pieces。



‘I　don't　understand　this　at　all；'　said　the　Duchess；　smiling　more

than　before。



Then　she　went　on　to　the　third　cask；　tap；　tap；　and　out　came　such

a　stream　of　diamonds　and　pearls　that　the　ground　was　covered　with　them。



‘Ah！'　she　cried；　‘this　is　altogether　beyond　my　comprehension；

sire。　Someone　must　have　stolen　my　good　wine　and　put　all　this

rubbish　in　its　place。'



‘Rubbish；　do　you　call　it；　Madam　Grumbly？'　cried　the　King。

‘Rubbish！　why　there　is　enough　there　to　buy　ten　kingdoms。'



‘Well；'　said　she；　‘you　must　know　that　all　those　casks　are　full

of　gold　and　jewels；　and　if　you　like　to　marry　me　it　shall　all　be

yours。'



Now　the　King　loved　money　more　than　anything　else　in　the　world；

so　he　cried　joyfully：



‘Marry　you？　why　with　all　my　heart！　to…morrow　if　you　like。'



‘But　I　make　one　condition；'　said　the　Duchess；　‘I　must　have

entire　control　of　your　daughter　to　do　as　I　please　with　her。'



‘Oh　certainly；　you　shall　have　your　own　way；　let　us　shake　hands

upon　the　bargain；'　said　the　King。



So　they　shook　hands　and　went　up　out　of　the　cellar　of　treasure　together；

and　the　Duchess　locked　the　door　and　gave　the　key　to　the　King。



When　he　got　back　to　his　own　palace　Graciosa　ran　out　to　meet

him；　and　asked　if　he　had　had　good　sport。



‘I　have　caught　a　dove；'　answered　he。



‘Oh！　do　give　it　to　me；'　said　the　Princess；　‘and　I　will　keep　it　and

take　care　of　it。'



‘I　can　hardly　do　that；'　said　he；　‘for；　to　speak　more　plainly；　I

mean　that　I　met　the　Duchess　Grumbly；　and　have　promised　to

marry　her。'



‘And　you　call　her　a　dove？'　cried　the　Princess。　‘_I_　should　have

called　her　a　screech　owl。'



‘Hold　your　tongue；'　said　the　King；　very　crossly。　‘I　intend　you

to　behave　prettily　to　her。　So　now　go　and　make　yourself　fit　to　be

seen；　as　I　am　going　to　take　you　to　visit　her。'



So　the　Princess　went　very　sorrowfully　to　her　own　room；　and　her

nurse；　seeing　her　tears；　asked　what　was　vexing　her。



‘Alas！　who　would　not　be　vexed？'　answered　she；　‘for　the　King

intends　to　marry　again；　and　has　chosen　for　his　new　bride　my

enemy；　the　hideous　Duchess　Grumbly。'



‘Oh；　well！'　answered　the　nurse；　‘you　must　remember　that　you

are　a　Princess；　and　are　expected　to　set　a　good　example　in　making

the　best　of　whatever　happens。　You　must　promise　me　not　to　let　the

Duchess　see　how　much　you　dislike　her。'



At　first　the　Princess　would　not　promise；　but　the　nurse　showed

her　so　many　good　reasons　for　it　that　in　the　end　she　agreed　to　be

amiable　to　her　step…mother。



Then　the　nurse　dressed　her　in　a　robe　of　pale　green　and　gold

brocade；　and　combed　out　her　long　fair　hair　till　it　floated　round　her

like　a　golden　mantle；　and　put　on　her　head　a　crown　of　roses　and

jasmine　with　emerald　leaves。



When　she　was　ready　nobody　could　have　been　prettier；　but　she

still　could　not　help　looking　sad。



Meanwhile　the　Duchess　Grumbly　was　also　occupied　in　attiring

herself。　She　had　one　of　her　shoe　heels　made　an　inch　or　so　higher

than　the　other；　that　she　might　not　limp　so　much；　and　put　in　a

cunningly　made　glass　eye　in　the　place　of　the　one　she　had　lost。　She

dyed　her　red　hair　black；　and　painted　her　face。　Then　she　put　on　a

gorgeous　robe　of　lilac　satin　lined　with　blue；　and　a　yellow　petticoat

trimmed　with　violet　ribbons；　and　because　she　had　heard　that　queens

always　rode　into　their　new　dominions；　she　ordered　a　horse　to　be

made　ready　for　her　to　ride。



While　Graciosa　was　waiting　until　the　King　should　be　ready　to

set　out；　she　went　down　all　alone　through　the　garden　into　a　little

wood；　where　she　sat　down　upon　a　mossy　bank　and　began　to　think。

And　her　thoughts　were　so　doleful　that　very　soon　she　began　to　cry；

and　she　cried；　and　cried；　and　forgot　all　about　going　back　to　the

palace；　until　she　suddenly　saw　a　handsome　page　standing　before

her。　He　was　dressed　in　green；　and　the　cap　which　he　held　in　his

hand　was　adorned　with　white　plumes。　When　Graciosa　looked　at

him　he　went　down　on　one　knee；　and　said　to　her：



‘Princess；　the　King　awaits　you。'



The　Princess　was　surprised；　and；　if　the　truth　must　be　told；　very

much　delighted　at　the　appearance　of　this　charming　page；　whom　she

could　not　remember　to　have　seen　before。　Thinking　he　might　belong

to　the　household　of　the　Duchess；　she　said：



‘How　long　have　you　been　one　of　the　King's　pages？'



‘I　am　not　in　the　service　of　the　King；　madam；'　answered　he；　‘but

in　yours。'



‘In　mine？'　said　the　Princess　with　great　surprise。　‘Then　how

is　it　that　I　have　never　seen　you　before？'



‘Ah；　Princess！'　said　he；　‘I　have　never　before　dared　to　present

myself　to　you；　but　now　the　King's　marriage　threatens　you　with　so

many　dangers　that　I　have　resolved　to　tell　you　at　once　how　much　I

love　you　already；　and　I　trust　that　in　time　I　may　win　your　regard。　I

am　Prince　Percinet；　of　whose　riches　you　may　have　heard；　and　whose

fairy　gift　will；　I　hope；　be　of　use　to　you　in　all　your　difficulties；　if　you

will　permit　me　to　accompany　you　under　this　disguise。'



‘Ah；　Percinet！'　cried　the　Princess；　‘is　it　really　you？　I　have

so　often　heard　of　you　and　wished　to　see　you。　If　you　will　indeed　be

my　friend；　I　shall　not　be　afraid　of　that　wicked　old　Duchess　any

more。'



So　they　went　back　to　the　palace　together；　and　there　Graciosa

found　a　beautiful　horse　which　Percinet　had　brought　for　her　to　ride。

As　it　was　very　spirited　he　led　it　by　the　bridle；　and　this　arrangement

enabled　him　to　turn　and　look　at　the　Princess　often；　which　he　did　not

fail　to　do。　Indeed；　she　was　so　pretty　that　it　was　a　real　pleasure　to

look　at　her。　When　the　horse　which　the　Duchess　was　to　ride　appeared

beside　Graciosa's；　it　looked　no　better　than　an　old　cart　horse；　and　as

to　their　trappings；　there　was　simply　no　comparison　between　them；

as　the　Princess's　saddle　and　bridle　were　one　glittering　mass　of

diamonds。　The　King　had　so　many　other　things　to　think　of　that

he　did　not　notice　this；　but　all　his　courtiers　were　entirely　taken　up

with　admiring　the　Princess　and　her　charming　Page　in　green；　who

was　more　handsome　and　distinguished…looking　than　all　the　rest　of

the　court　put　together。



When　they　met　the　Duchess　Grumbly　she　was　seated　in　an

open　carriage　trying　in　vain　to　look　dignified。　The　King　and　the

Princess　saluted　her；　and　her　horse　was　brought　forward　for　her　to

mount。