the light princess-第8节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



diving　in　every　depth　that　remained；　all　that　he　could　do　was　to

put　an　extra　polish　on　the　dainty　pair　of　boots　that　was　never

called　for。



For　the　princess　kept　her　room；　with　the　curtains　drawn　to　shut　out

the　dying　lake；　But　she　could　not　shut　it　out　of　her　mind　for　a

moment。　　It　haunted　her　imagination　so　that　she　felt　as　if　the　lake

were　her　soul；　drying　up　within　her；　first　to　mud；　then　to　madness

and　death。　　She　thus　brooded　over　the　change；　with　all　its　dreadful

accompaniments；　till　she　was　nearly　distracted。　　As　for　the　prince；

she　had　forgotten　him。　　However　much　she　had　enjoyed　his　company　in

the　water；　she　did　not　care　for　him　without　it。　　But　she　seemed　to

have　forgotten　her　father　and　mother　too。　　The　lake　went　on　sinking。

Small　slimy　spots　began　to　appear；　which　glittered　steadily　amidst

the　changeful　shine　of　the　water。　　These　grew　to　broad　patches　of

mud；　which　widened　and　spread；　with　rocks　here　and　there；　and

floundering　fishes　and　crawling　eels　swarming。　　The　people　went

everywhere　catching　these；　and　looking　for　anything　that　might　have

dropped　from　the　royal　boats。



At　length　the　lake　was　all　but　gone；　only　a　few　of　the　deepest

pools　remaining　unexhausted。



It　happened　one　day　that　a　party　of　youngsters　found　themselves　on

the　brink　of　one　of　these　pools　in　the　very　centre　of　the　lake。　　it

was　a　rocky　basin　of　considerable　depth。　　Looking　in；　they　saw　at

the　bottom　something　that　shone　yellow　in　the　sun。　　A　little　boy

jumped　in　and　dived　for　it。　　It　was　a　plate　of　gold　covered　with

writing。　　They　carried　it　to　the　king。　　On　one　side　of　it　stood　these

words：





〃Death　alone　from　death　can　save。

Love　is　death；　and　so　is　brave

Love　can　fill　the　deepest　grave。

Love　loves　on　beneath　the　wave。〃





Now　this　was　enigmatical　enough　to　the　king　and　courtiers。　　But　the

reverse　of　the　plate　explained　it　a　little。　　Its　writing　amounted　to

this：





〃If　the　lake　should　disappear；　they　must　find　the　hole　through

which　the　water　ran。　　But　it　would　be　useless　to　try　to　stop　it　by

any　ordinary　means。　　There　was　but　one　effectual　mode。The　body　of

a　living　man　could　alone　stanch　the　flow。　　The　man　must　give　himself

of　his　own　will；　and　the　lake　must　take　his　life　as　it　filled。

Otherwise　the　offering　would　be　of　no　avail。　　If　the　nation　could

not　provide　one　hero；　it　was　time　it　should　perish。〃







13。　　Here　I　Am。





This　was　a　very　disheartening　revelation　to　the　kingnot　that　he

was　unwilling　to　sacrifice　a　subject；　but　that　he　was　hopeless　of

finding　a　man　willing　to　sacrifice　himself。　　No　time　was　to　be　lost；

however；　for　the　princess　was　lying　motionless　on　her　bed；　and

taking　no　nourishment　but　lake…water；　which　was　now　none　of　the

best。　　Therefore　the　king　caused　the　contents　of　the　wonderful　plate

of　gold　to　be　published　throughout　the　country。



No　one；　however；　came　forward。



The　prince；　having　gone　several　days'　journey　into　the　forest；　to

consult　a　hermit　whom　he　had　met　there　on　his　way　to　Lagobel；　knew

nothing　of　the　oracle　till　his　return。



When　he　had　acquainted　himself　with　all　the　particulars；　he　sat

down　and　thought；



〃She　will　die　if　I　don't　do　it；　and　life　would　be　nothing　to　me

without　her；　so　I　shall　lose　nothing　by　doing　it。　　And　life　will　be

as　pleasant　to　her　as　ever；　for　she　will　soon　forget　me。　　And　there

will　be　so　much　more　beauty　and　happiness　in　the　world！To　be

sure；　I　shall　not　see　it。〃　　（Here　the　poor　prince　gave　a　sigh。）　〃How

lovely　the　lake　will　be　in　the　moonlight；　with　that　glorious

creature　sporting　in　it　like　a　wild　goddess！It　is　rather　hard　to

be　drowned　by　inches；　though。　　Let　me　seethat　will　be　seventy

inches　of　me　to　drown。〃　　（Here　he　tried　to　laugh；　but　could　not。）

〃The　longer　the　better；　however；〃　he　resumed：　〃for　can　I　not

bargain　that　the　princess　shall　be　beside　me　all　the　time？　　So　I

shall　see　her　once　more；　kiss　her　perhaps；who　knows？and　die

looking　in　her　eyes。　　It　will　be　no　death。　　At　least；　I　shall　not

feel　it。　　And　to　see　the　lake　filling　for　the　beauty　again！All

right！　　I　am　ready。〃



He　kissed　the　princess's　boot；　laid　it　down；　and　hurried　to　the

king's　apartment。　　But　feeling；　as　he　went；　that　anything

sentimental　would　be　disagreeable；　he　resolved　to　carry　off　the

whole　affair　with　nonchalance。　　So　he　knocked　at　the　door　of　the

king's　counting…house；　where　it　was　all　but　a　capital　crime　to

disturb　him。



When　the　king　heard　the　knock　he　started　up；　and　opened　the　door　in

a　rage。　　Seeing　only　the　shoeblack；　he　drew　his　sword。　　This；　I　am

sorry　to　say；　was　his　usual　mode　of　asserting　his　regality　when　he

thought　his　dignity　was　in　danger。　　But　the　prince　was　not　in　the

least　alarmed。



〃Please　your　Majesty；　I'm　your　butler；〃　said　he。



〃My　butler！　you　lying　rascal！　　What　do　you　mean？〃



〃I　mean；　I　will　cork　your　big　bottle。〃



〃Is　the　fellow　mad？〃　bawled　the　king；　raising　the　point　of　his

sword。



〃I　will　put　a　stopperplugwhat　you　call　it；　in　your　leaky　lake；

grand　monarch；〃　said　the　prince。



The　king　was　in　such　a　rage　that　before　he　could　speak　he　had　time

to　cool；　and　to　reflect　that　it　would　be　great　waste　to　kill　the

only　man　who　was　willing　to　be　useful　in　the　present　emergency；

seeing　that　in　the　end　the　insolent　fellow　would　be　as　dead　as　if

he　had　died　by　his　Majesty's　own　hand。　　〃Oh！〃　said　he　at　last；

putting　up　his　sword　with　difficulty；　it　was　so　long；　〃I　am　obliged

to　you；　you　young　fool！　　Take　a　glass　of　wine？〃



'No；　thank　you；〃　replied　the　prince。



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　king。　　〃Would　you　like　to　run　and　see　your

parents　before　you　make　your　experiment？〃



〃No；　thank　you；〃　said　the　prince。



〃Then　we　will　go　and　look　for　the　hole　at　once；〃　said　his　Majesty；

and　proceeded　to　call　some　attendants。



〃Stop；　please　your　Majesty；　I　have　a　condition　to　make；〃　interposed

the　prince。



〃What！〃　exclaimed　the　king；　〃a　condition！　and　with　me！　　How　dare

you？〃



〃As　you　please；〃　returned　the　prince；　coolly。　　〃I　wish　your　Majesty

a　good　morning。〃



〃You　wretch！　　I　will　have　you　put　in　a　sack；　and　stuck　in　the　hole。〃



〃Very　well；　your　Majesty；〃　replied　the　prince；　becoming　a　little

more　respectful；　lest　the　wrath　of　the　king　should　deprive　him　of

the　pleasure　of　dying　for　the　princess。　　〃But　what　good　will　that　do

your　Majesty？　　Please　to　remember　that　the　oracle　says　the　victim

must　offer　himself。〃



〃Well；　you　have　offered　yourself；〃　retorted　the　king。



〃Yes；　upon　one　condition。〃



〃Condition　again！〃　roared　the　king；　once　more　drawing　his　sword。

〃Begone！　　Somebody　else　will　be　glad　enough　to　take　the　honour　off

your　shoulders。〃



〃Your　Majesty　knows　it　will　not　be　easy　to　get　another　to　take　my

place。〃



〃Well；　what　is　your　condition？〃　growled　the　king；　feeling　that　the

prince　was　right。



〃Only　this；〃　replied　the　prince：　〃that；　as　I　must　on　no　account　die

before　I　am　fairly　drowned；　and　the　waiting　will　be　rather

wearisome；　the　princess；　your　daughter；　shall　go　with　me；　feed　me

with　her　own　hands；　and　look　at　me　now　and　then　to　comfort　me；　for

you　must　confess　it　IS　rather　hard。　　As　soon　as　the　water　is　up　to

my　eyes；　she　may　go　and　be　happy；　and　forget　her　poor　shoeblack。〃





Here　the　prince's　voice　faltered；　and　he　very　nearly　grew

sentimental；　in　spite　of　his　resolution。



〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　before　what　your　condition　was？　　Such　a　fuss

about　nothing！〃　exclaimed　the　king。



〃Do　you　grant　it？〃　persisted　the　prince。

〃Of　course　I　do；〃　replied　the　king。



〃Very　well。　　I　am　ready。〃



〃Go　and　have　some　dinner；　then；　while　I　set　my　people　to　find　the

place。〃



The　king　ordered　out　his　guards；　and　gave　directions　to　the

officers　to　find　the　hole　in　the　lake　at　once。　　So　the　bed　of　the

lake　was　marked　out　in　divisions　and　thoroughly　examined；　and　in　an

hour　or　so　the　hole　was　discovered。　　It　was　in　the　middle　of　a

stone；　near　the　centre　of　the　lake；　in　the　very　pool　where　the

golden　plate　had　been　found。　　It　was　a　three…cornered　hole　of　no

great　size。　　There　was　water　all　round　the　stone；　but　very　little

was　flowing　through　the　hole。





14。This　Is　Very　Kind　of　You。





The　prince　went　to　dress　for　the　occasion；　for　he　was　resolved　to

die　like　a　prince。



When　the　princess　heard　that　a　man　had　offered　to　die　for　her；　she

was　so　transported　that　she　jumped　off　the　bed；　feeble　as　she　was；

and　danced　about　the　room　for　joy。　　She　did　not　care　who　the　man

was；　that　was　nothing　to　her。　　The　hole　wanted　stopping；　and　if　only

a　man　would　do；　why；　take　one。　　In　an　hour　or　two　more　everything

was　ready。　　Her　maid　dressed　her　in　haste；　and　they　carried　her　to

the　side　of　the　lake。　　When　she　saw　it　she　shrieked；　and　covered　her

face　with　her　hands。　　They　bore　her　across　to　the　stone　where　they

had　already　placed　a　little　boat　for　her。



The　water　was　not　deep　enough　to　float　it；　but　they　hoped　it　would