13-the invisible prince-第1节

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　THE　INVISIBLE　PRINCE



Once　upon　a　time　there　lived　a　Fairy　who　had　power　over　the

earth；　the　sea；　fire；　and　the　air；　and　this　Fairy　had　four　sons。　

The　eldest；　who　was　quick　and　lively；　with　a　vivid　imagination；

she　made　Lord　of　Fire；　which　was　in　her　opinion　the　noblest　of

all　the　elements。　　To　the　second　son；　whose　wisdom　and　prudence

made　amends　for　his　being　rather　dull；　she　gave　the　government　of

the　earth。　　The　third　was　wild　and　savage；　and　of　monstrous

stature；　and　the　Fairy；　his　mother；　who　was　ashamed　of　his

defects；　hoped　to　hide　them　by　creating　him　King　of　the　Seas。　

The　youngest；　who　was　the　slave　of　his　passions　and　of　a　very

uncertain　temper；　became　Prince　of　the　Air。



Being　the　youngest；　he　was　naturally　his　mother's　favourite；　but

this　did　not　blind　her　to　his　weaknesses；　and　she　foresaw　that

some　day　he　would　suffer　much　pain　through　falling　in　love。　　So

she　thought　the　best　thing　she　could　do　was　to　bring　him　up　with

a　horror　of　women；　and；　to　her　great　delight；　she　saw　this

dislike　only　increased　as　he　grew　older。　　From　his　earliest

childhood　he　heard　nothing　but　stories　of　princes　who　had　fallen

into　all　sorts　of　troubles　through　love；　and　she　drew　such

terrible　pictures　of　poor　little　Cupid　that　the　young　man　had　no

difficulty　in　believing　that　he　was　the　root　of　all　evil。



All　the　time　that　this　wise　mother　could　spare　from　filling　her

son　with　hatred　for　all　womenkind　she　passed　in　giving　him　a　love

of　the　pleasures　of　the　chase；　which　henceforth　became　his　chief

joy。　　For　his　amusement　she　had　made　a　new　forest；　planted　with

the　most　splendid　trees；　and　turned　loose　in　it　every　animal　that

could　be　found　in　any　of　the　four　quarters　of　the　globe。　　In　the

midst　of　this　forest　she　built　a　palace　which　had　not　its　equal

for　beauty　in　the　whole　world；　and　then　she　considered　that　she

had　done　enough　to　make　any　prince　happy。



Now　it　is　all　very　well　to　abuse　the　God　of　Love；　but　a　man

cannot　struggle　against　his　fate。　　In　his　secret　heart　the　Prince

got　tired　of　his　mother's　constant　talk　on　this　subject；　and　when

one　day　she　quitted　the　palace　to　attend　to　some　business；

begging　him　never　to　go　beyond　the　grounds；　he　at　once　jumped　at

the　chance　of　disobeying　her。



Left　to　himself　the　Prince　soon　forgot　the　wise　counsels　of　his

mother；　and　feeling　very　much　bored　with　his　own　company；　he

ordered　some　of　the　spirits　of　the　air　to　carry　him　to　the　court

of　a　neighbouring　sovereign。　　This　kingdom　was　situated　in　the

Island　of　Roses；　where　the　climate　is　so　delicious　that　the　grass

is　always　green　and　the　flowers　always　sweet。　　The　waves；　instead

of　beating　on　the　rocks；　seemed　to　die　gently　on　the　shore；

clusters　of　golden　bushes　covered　the　land；　and　the　vines　were

bent　low　with　grapes。



The　King　of　this　island　had　a　daughter　named　Rosalie；　who　was

more　lovely　than　any　girl　in　the　whole　world。　　No　sooner　had　the

eyes　of　the　Prince　of　the　Air　rested　on　her　than　he　forgot　all

the　terrible　woes　which　had　been　prophesied　to　him　ever　since　he

was　born；　for　in　one　single　moment　the　plans　of　years　are　often

upset。　　He　instantly　began　to　think　how　best　to　make　himself

happy；　and　the　shortest　way　that　occurred　to　him　was　to　have

Rosalie　carried　off　by　his　attendant　spirits。



It　is　easy　to　imagine　the　feelings　of　the　King　when　he　found　that

his　daughter　had　vanished。　　He　wept　her　loss　night　and　day；　and

his　only　comfort　was　to　talk　over　it　with　a　young　and　unknown

prince；　who　had　just　arrived　at　the　Court。　　Alas！　　he　did　not

know　what　a　deep　interest　the　stranger　had　in　Rosalie；　for　he　too

had　seen　her；　and　had　fallen　a　victim　to　her　charms。



One　day　the　King；　more　sorrowful　than　usual；　was　walking　sadly

along　the　sea…shore；　when　after　a　long　silence　the　unknown

Prince；　who　was　his　only　companion；　suddenly　spoke。　　'There　is　no

evil　without　a　remedy；'　he　said　to　the　unhappy　father；　'and　if

you　will　promise　me　your　daughter　in　marriage；　I　will　undertake

to　bring　her　back　to　you。'



'You　are　trying　to　soothe　me　by　vain　promises；'　answered　the

King。　　'Did　I　not　see　her　caught　up　into　the　air；　in　spite　of

cries　which　would　have　softened　the　heart　of　any　one　but　the

barbarian　who　has　robbed　me　of　her？　　The　unfortunate　girl　is

pining　away　in　some　unknown　land；　where　perhaps　no　foot　of　man

has　ever　trod；　and　I　shall　see　her　no　more。　　But　go；　generous

stranger；　bring　back　Rosalie　if　you　can；　and　live　happy　with　her

ever　after　in　this　country；　of　which　I　now　declare　you　heir。'　



Although　the　stranger's　name　and　rank　were　unknown　to　Rosalie's

father；　he　was　really　the　son　of　the　King　of　the　Golden　Isle；

which　had　for　capital　a　city　that　extended　from　one　sea　to

another。　　The　walls；　washed　by　the　quiet　waters；　were　covered

with　gold；　which　made　one　think　of　the　yellow　sands。　　Above　them

was　a　rampart　of　orange　and　lemon　trees；　and　all　the　streets　were

paved　with　gold。



The　King　of　this　beautiful　island　had　one　son；　for　whom　a　life　of

adventure　had　been　foretold　at　his　birth。　　This　so　frightened　his

father　and　mother　that　in　order　to　comfort　them　a　Fairy；　who

happened　to　be　present　at　the　time；　produced　a　little　pebble

which　she　told　them　to　keep　for　the　Prince　till　he　grew　up；　as　by

putting　it　in　his　mouth　he　would　become　invisible；　as　long　as　he

did　not　try　to　speak；　for　if　he　did　the　stone　would　lose　all　its

virtue。　　In　this　way　the　good　fairy　hoped　that　the　Prince　would

be　protected　against　all　dangers。



No　sooner　did　the　Prince　begin　to　grow　out　of　boyhood　than　he

longed　to　see　if　the　other　countries　of　the　world　were　as

splendid　as　the　one　in　which　he　lived。　　So；　under　pretence　of

visiting　some　small　islands　that　belonged　to　his　father；　he　set

out。　　But　a　frightful　storm　drove　his　ship　on　to　unknown　shores；

where　most　of　his　followers　were　put　to　death　by　the　savages；　and

the　Prince　himself　only　managed　to　escape　by　making　use　of　his

magic　pebble。　　By　this　means　he　passed　through　the　midst　of　them

unseen；　and　wandered　on　till　he　reached　the　coast；　where　he

re…embarked　on　board　his　ship。



The　first　land　he　sighted　was　the　Island　of　Roses；　and　he　went　at

once　to　the　court　of　the　King；　Rosalie's　father。　　The　moment　his

eyes　beheld　the　Princess；　he　fell　in　love　with　her　like　everyone

else。



He　had　already　spent　several　months　in　this　condition　when　the

Prince　of　the　Air　whirled　her　away；　to　the　grief　and　despair　of

every　man　on　the　island。　　But　sad　though　everybody　was；　the

Prince　of　the　Golden　Isle　was　perfectly　inconsolable；　and　he

passed　both　days　and　nights　in　bemoaning　his　loss。



'Alas！'　he　cried；　'shall　I　never　see　my　lovely　Princess　again？'

Who　knows　where　she　may　be；　and　what　fairy　may　have　her　in　his

keeping？　　I　am　only　a　man；　but　I　am　strong　in　my　love；　and　I　will

seek　the　whole　world　through　till　I　find　her。'



So　saying；　he　left　the　court；　and　made　ready　for　his　journey。



He　travelled　many　weary　days　without　hearing　a　single　word　of　the

lost　Princess；　till　one　morning；　as　he　was　walking　through　a

thick　forest；　he　suddenly　perceived　a　magnificent　palace　standing

at　the　end　of　a　pine　avenue；　and　his　heart　bounded　to　think　that

he　might　be　gazing　on　Rosalie's　prison。　　He　hastened　his　steps；

and　quickly　arrived　at　the　gate　of　the　palace；　which　was　formed

of　a　single　agate。　　The　gate　swung　open　to　let　him　through；　and

he　next　passed　successively　three　courts；　surrounded　by　deep

ditches　filled　with　running　water；　with　birds　of　brilliant

plumage　flying　about　the　banks。　　Everything　around　was　rare　and

beautiful；　but　the　Prince　scarcely　raised　his　eyes　to　all　these

wonders。　　He　thought　only　of　the　Princess　and　where　he　should

find　her；　but　in　vain　he　opened　every　door　and　searched　in　every

corner；　he　neither　saw　Rosalie　nor　anyone　else。　　At　last　there

was　no　place　left　for　him　to　search　but　a　little　wood；　which

contained　in　the　centre　a　sort　of　hall　built　entirely　of

orange…trees；　with　four　small　rooms　opening　out　of　the　corners。　

Three　of　these　were　empty　except　for　statues　and　wonderful

things；　but　in　the　fourth　the　Invisible　Prince　caught　sight　of

Rosalie。　　His　joy　at　beholding　her　again　was；　however；　somewhat

lessened　by　seeing　that　the　Prince　of　the　Air　was　kneeling　at　her

feet；　and　pleading　his　own　cause。　　But　it　was　in　vain　that　he

implored　her　to　listen；　she　only　shook　her　head。　　'No；'　was　all

she　would　say；　'you　snatched　me　from　my　father　whom　I　loved；　and

all　the　splendour　in　the　world　can　never　console　me。　　Go！　　I　can

never　feel　anything　towards　you　but　hate　and　contempt。'　　With

these　words　she　turned　away　and　entered　her　own　apartments。



Unknown　to　herself　the　Invisible　Prince　had　followed　her；　but

fearing　to　be　discovered　by　the　Princess　in　the　presence　of

others；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　wait　quietly　till　dark；　and

employed　the　long　hours　in　writing　a　poem　to　the　Princess；　which

he　laid　on　the　bed　beside　her。　　This　done；　he　thought　of　not