13-the invisible prince-第2节

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he　laid　on　the　bed　beside　her。　　This　done；　he　thought　of　nothing

but　how　best　to　deliver　Rosalie；　and　he　resolved　to　take

advantage　of　a　visit　which　the　Prince　of　the　Air　paid　every　year

to　his　mother　and　brothers　in　order　to　strike　the　blow。



One　day　Rosalie　was　sitting　alone　in　her　room　thinking　of　her

troubles　when　she　suddenly　saw　a　pen　get　up　from　off　the　desk　and

begin　to　write　all　by　itself　on　a　sheet　of　white　paper。　　As　she

did　not　know　that　it　was　guided　by　an　invisible　hand　she　was　very

much　astonished；　and　the　moment　that　the　pen　had　ceased　to　move

she　instantly　went　over　to　the　table；　where　she　found　some　lovely

verses；　telling　her　that　another　shared　her　distresses；　whatever

they　might　be；　and　loved　her　with　all　his　heart；　and　that　he

would　never　rest　until　he　had　delivered　her　from　the　hands　of　the

man　she　hated。　　Thus　encouraged；　she　told　him　all　her　story；　and

of　the　arrival　of　a　young　stranger　in　her　father's　palace；　whose

looks　had　so　charmed　her　that　since　that　day　she　had　thought　of

no　one　else。　　At　these　words　the　Prince　could　contain　himself　no

longer。　　He　took　the　pebble　from　his　mouth；　and　flung　himself　at

Rosalie's　feet。



When　they　had　got　over　the　first　rapture　of　meeting　they　began　to

make　plans　to　escape　from　the　power　of　the　Prince　of　the　Air。　

But　this　did　not　prove　easy；　for　the　magic　stone　would　only　serve

for　one　person　at　a　time；　and　in　order　to　save　Rosalie　the　Prince

of　the　Golden　Isle　would　have　to　expose　himself　to　the　fury　of

his　enemy。　　But　Rosalie　would　not　hear　of　this。



'No；　Prince；'　she　said；　'since　you　are　here　this　island　no

longer　feels　a　prison。　　Besides；　you　are　under　the　protection　of

a　Fairy；　who　always　visits　your　father's　court　at　this　season。　

Go　instantly　and　seek　her；　and　when　she　is　found　implore　the　gift

of　another　stone　with　similar　powers。　　Once　you　have　that；　there

will　be　no　further　difficulty　in　the　way　of　escape。'



The　Prince　of　the　Air　returned　a　few　days　later　from　his　mother's

palace；　but　the　Invisible　Prince　had　already　set　out。　　He　had；

however；　entirely　forgotten　the　road　by　which　he　had　come；　and

lost　himself　for　so　long　in　the　forest；　that　when　at　last　he

reached　home　the　Fairy　had　already　left；　and；　in　spite　of　all　his

grief；　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　wait　till　the　Fairy's　next

visit；　and　allow　Rosalie　to　suffer　three　months　longer。　　This

thought　drove　him　to　despair；　and　he　had　almost　made　up　his　mind

to　return　to　the　place　of　her　captivity；　when　one　day；　as　he　was

strolling　along　an　alley　in　the　woods；　he　saw　a　huge　oak　open　its

trunk；　and　out　of　it　step　two　Princes　in　earnest　conversation。　

As　our　hero　had　the　magic　stone　in　his　mouth　they　imagined

themselves　alone；　and　did　not　lower　their　voices。



'What！'　said　one；　'are　you　always　going　to　allow　yourself　to　be

tormented　by　a　passion　which　can　never　end　happily；　and　in　your

whole　kingdom　can　you　find　nothing　else　to　satisfy　you？'



'What　is　the　use；'　replied　the　other；　'of　being　Prince　of　the

Gnomes；　and　having　a　mother　who　is　queen　over　all　the　four

elements；　if　I　cannot　win　the　love　of　the　Princess　Argentine？　

From　the　moment　that　I　first　saw　her；　sitting　in　the　forest

surrounded　by　flowers；　I　have　never　ceased　to　think　of　her　night

and　day；　and；　although　I　love　her；　I　am　quite　convinced　that　she

will　never　care　for　me。　　You　know　that　I　have　in　my　palace　the

cabinets　of　the　years。　　In　the　first；　great　mirrors　reflect　the

past；　in　the　second；　we　contemplate　the　present；　in　the　third；

the　future　can　be　read。　　It　was　here　that　I　fled　after　I　had

gazed　on　the　Princess　Argentine；　but　instead　of　love　I　only　saw

scorn　and　contempt。　　Think　how　great　must　be　my　devotion；　when；

in　spite　of　my　fate；　I　still　love　on！'



Now　the　Prince　of　the　Golden　Isle　was　enchanted　with　this

conversation；　for　the　Princess　Argentine　was　his　sister；　and　he

hoped；　by　means　of　her　influence　over　the　Prince　of　the　Gnomes；

to　obtain　from　his　brother　the　release　of　Rosalie。　　So　he

joyfully　returned　to　his　father's　palace；　where　he　found　his

friend　the　Fairy；　who　at　once　presented　him　with　a　magic　pebble

like　his　own。　　As　may　be　imagined；　he　lost　no　time　in　setting　out

to　deliver　Rosalie；　and　travelled　so　fast　that　he　soon　arrived　at

the　forest；　in　the　midst　of　which　she　lay　a　captive。　　But　though

he　found　the　palace　he　did　not　find　Rosalie。　　He　hunted　high　and

low；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　her；　and　his　despair　was　so　great

that　he　was　ready；　a　thousand　times　over；　to　take　his　own　life。　

At　last　he　remembered　the　conversation　of　the　two　Princes　about

the　cabinets　of　the　years；　and　that　if　he　could　manage　to　reach

the　oak　tree；　he　would　be　certain　to　discover　what　had　become　of

Rosalie。　　Happily；　he　soon　found　out　the　secret　of　the　passage

and　entered　the　cabinet　of　the　present；　where　he　saw　reflected　in

the　mirrors　the　unfortunate　Rosalie　sitting　on　the　floor　weeping

bitterly；　and　surrounded　with　genii；　who　never　left　her　night　or

day。



This　sight　only　increased　the　misery　of　the　Prince；　for　he　did

not　know　where　the　castle　was；　nor　how　to　set　about　finding　it。　

However；　he　resolved　to　seek　the　whole　world　through　till　he　came

to　the　right　place。　　He　began　by　setting　sail　in　a　favourable

wind；　but　his　bad　luck　followed　him　even　on　the　sea。　　He　had

scarcely　lost　sight　of　the　land　when　a　violent　storm　arose；　and

after　several　hours　of　beating　about；　the　vessel　was　driven　on　to

some　rocks；　on　which　it　dashed　itself　to　bits。　　The　Prince　was

fortunate　enough　to　be　able　to　lay　hold　of　a　floating　spar；　and

contrived　to　keep　himself　afloat；　and；　after　a　long　struggle　with

the　winds　and　waves；　he　was　cast　upon　a　strange　island。　　But　what

was　his　surprise；　on　reaching　the　shore；　to　hear　sounds　of　the

most　heartrending　distress；　mingled　with　the　sweetest　songs　which

had　ever　charmed　him！　　His　curiosity　was　instantly　roused；　and　he

advanced　cautiously　till　he　saw　two　huge　dragons　guarding　the

gate　of　a　wood。　　They　were　terrible　indeed　to　look　upon。　　Their

bodies　were　covered　with　glittering　scales；　their　curly　tails

extended　far　over　the　land；　flames　darted　from　their　mouths　and

noses；　and　their　eyes　would　have　made　the　bravest　shudder；　but　as

the　Prince　was　invisible　and　they　did　not　see　him；　he　slipped

past　them　into　the　wood。　　He　found　himself　at　once　in　a

labyrinth；　and　wandered　about　for　a　long　time　without　meeting

anyone；　in　fact；　the　only　sight　he　saw　was　a　circle　of　human

hands；　sticking　out　of　the　ground　above　the　wrist；　each　with　a

bracelet　of　gold；　on　which　a　name　was　written。　　The　farther　he

advanced　in　the　labyrinth　the　more　curious　he　became；　till　he　was

stopped　by　two　corpses　lying　in　the　midst　of　a　cypress　alley；

each　with　a　scarlet　cord　round　his　neck　and　a　bracelet　on　his　arm

on　which　were　engraved　their　own　names；　and　those　of　two

Princesses。



The　invisible　Prince　recognised　these　dead　men　as　Kings　of　two

large　islands　near　his　own　home；　but　the　names　of　the　Princesses

were　unknown　to　him。　　He　grieved　for　their　unhappy　fate；　and　at

once　proceeded　to　bury　them；　but　no　sooner　had　he　laid　them　in

their　graves；　than　their　hands　started　up　through　the　earth　and

remained　sticking　up　like　those　of　their　fellows。



The　Prince　went　on　his　way；　thinking　about　this　strange

adventure；　when　suddenly　at　the　turn　of　the　walk　he　perceived　a

tall　man　whose　face　was　the　picture　of　misery；　holding　in　his

hands　a　silken　cord　of　the　exact　colour　of　those　round　the　necks

of　the　dead　men。　　A　few　steps　further　this　man　came　up　with

another　as　miserable　to　the　full　as　he　himself；　they　silently

embraced；　and　then　without　a　word　passed　the　cords　round　their

throats；　and　fell　dead　side　by　side。　　In　vain　the　Prince　rushed

to　their　assistance　and　strove　to　undo　the　cord。　　He　could　not

loosen　it；　so　he　buried　them　like　the　others　and　continued　his

path。



He　felt；　however；　that　great　prudence　was　necessary；　or　he

himself　might　become　the　victim　of　some　enchantment；　and　he　was

thankful　to　slip　past　the　dragons；　and　enter　a　beautiful　park；

with　clear　streams　and　sweet　flowers；　and　a　crowd　of　men　and

maidens。　　But　he　could　not　forget　the　terrible　things　he　had

seen；　and　hoped　eagerly　for　a　clue　to　the　mystery。　　Noticing　two

young　people　talking　together；　he　drew　near　thinking　that　he

might　get　some　explanation　of　what　puzzled　him。　　And　so　he　did。



'You　swear；'　said　the　Prince；　'that　you　will　love　me　till　you

die；　but　I　fear　your　faithless　heart；　and　I　feel　that　I　shall

soon　have　to　seek　the　Fairy　Despair；　ruler　of　half　this　island。　

She　carries　off　the　lovers　who　have　been　cast　away　by　their

mistresses；　and　wish　to　have　done　with　life。　　She　places　them　in

a　labyrinth　where　they　are　condemned　to　walk　for　ever；　with　a

bracelet　on　their　arms　and　a　cord　round　their　necks；　unless　they

meet　another　as　miserable　as　themselves。　　Then　the　cord　is　pulled

and　they　lie　where　they　fall；　till　they　are　buried　by　the　first

pa