the light princess-第10节

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15。　　Look　at　the　Rain！





The　princess　burst　into　a　passion　of　tears；　and　fell　on　the　floor。

There　she　lay　for　an　hour；　and　her　tears　never　ceased。　　All　the

pent…up　crying　of　her　life　was　spent　now。　　And　a　rain　came　on；　such

as　had　never　been　seen　in　that　country。　　The　sun　shone　all　the　time；

and　the　great　drops；　which　fell　straight　to　the　earth；　shone

likewise。　　The　palace　was　in　the　heart　of　a　rainbow。　　It　was　a　rain

of　rubies；　and　sapphires；　and　emeralds；　and　topazes。　　The　torrents

poured　from　the　mountains　like　molten　gold；　and　if　it　had　not　been

for　its　subterraneous　outlet；　the　lake　would　have　overflowed　and

inundated　the　country。　　It　was　full　from　shore　to　shore。



But　the　princess　did　not　heed　the　lake。　　She　lay　on　the　floor　and

wept；　and　this　rain　within　doors　was　far　more　wonderful　than　the

rain　out　of　doors。



For　when　it　abated　a　little；　and　she　proceeded　to　rise；　she　found；

to　her　astonishment；　that　she　could　not。　　At　length；　after　many

efforts；　she　succeeded　in　getting　upon　her　feet。　　But　she　tumbled

down　again　directly。　　Hearing　her　fall；　her　old　nurse　uttered　a　yell

of　delight；　and　ran　to　her；　screaming；



〃My　darling　child！　she's　found　her　gravity！〃



〃Oh；　that's　it！　is　it？〃　said　the　princess；　rubbing　her　shoulder　and

her　knee　alternately。　　〃I　consider　it　very　unpleasant。　　I　feel　as　if

I　should　be　crushed　to　pieces。〃



〃Hurrah！〃　cried　the　prince　from　the　bed。　　〃If　you've　come　round；

princess；　so　have　I。　　How's　the　lake？〃



〃Brimful；〃　answered　the　nurse。



〃Then　we're　all　happy。〃



〃That　we　are　indeed！〃　answered　the　princess；　sobbing。



And　there　was　rejoicing　all　over　the　country　that　rainy　day。　　Even

the　babies　forgot　their　past　troubles；　and　danced　and　crowed

amazingly。　　And　the　king　told　stories；　and　the　queen　listened　to

them。　　And　he　divided　the　money　in　his　box；　and　she　the　honey　in　her

pot；　among　all　the　children。　　And　there　was　such　jubilation　as　was

never　heard　of　before。



Of　course　the　prince　and　princess　were　betrothed　at　once。　　But　the

princess　had　to　learn　to　walk；　before　they　could　be　married　with

any　propriety。　　And　this　was　not　so　easy　at　her　time　of　life；　for

she　could　walk　no　more　than　a　baby。　　She　was　always　falling　down　and

hurting　herself。



〃Is　this　the　gravity　you　used　to　make　so　much　of？〃　said　she　one　day

to　the　prince；　as　he　raised　her　from　the　floor。　　〃For　my　part；　I　was

a　great　deal　more　comfortable　without　it。〃



〃No；　no；　that's　not　it。　　This　is　it；〃　replied　the　prince；　as　he　took

her　up；　and　carried　her　about　like　a　baby；　kissing　her　all　the

time。　　〃This　is　gravity。〃



〃That's　better；〃　said　she。　　〃I　don't　mind　that　so　much。〃



And　she　smiled　the　sweetest；　loveliest　smile　in　the　prince's　face。

And　she　gave　him　one　little　kiss　in　return　for　all　his；　and　he

thought　them　overpaid；　for　he　was　beside　himself　with　delight。　　I

fear　she　complained　of　her　gravity　more　than　once　after　this；

notwithstanding。



It　was　a　long　time　before　she　got　reconciled　to　walking。　　But　the

pain　of　learning　it　was　quite　counterbalanced　by　two　things；　either

of　which　would　have　been　sufficient　consolation。　　The　first　was；

that　the　prince　himself　was　her　teacher；　and　the　second；　that　she

could　tumble　into　the　lake　as　often　as　she　pleased。　　Still；　she

preferred　to　have　the　prince　jump　in　with　her；　and　the　splash　they

made　before　was　nothing　to　the　splash　they　made　now。



The　lake　never　sank　again。　　In　process　of　time；　it　wore　the　roof　of

the　cavern　quite　through；　and　was　twice　as　deep　as　before。



The　only　revenge　the　princess　took　upon　her　aunt　was　to　tread

pretty　hard　on　her　gouty　toe　the　next　time　she　saw　her。　　But　she　was

sorry　for　it　the　very　next　day；　when　she　heard　that　the　water　had

undermined　her　house；　and　that　it　had　fallen　in　the　night；　burying

her　in　its　ruins；　whence　no　one　ever　ventured　to　dig　up　her　body。

There　she　lies　to　this　day。



So　the　prince　and　princess　lived　and　were　happy；　and　had　crowns　of

gold；　and　clothes　of　cloth；　and　shoes　of　leather；　and　children　of

boys　and　girls；　not　one　of　whom　was　ever　known；　on　the　most

critical　occasion；　to　lose　the　smallest　atom　of　his　or　her　due　

proportion　of　gravity。











End