the little lame prince(小瘸腿王子)-第17节
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CHAPTER IX
When Prince Dolor sat up in bed； trying to remember where he was；
whither he had been； and what he had seen the day before； he perceived
that his room was empty。
Generally his nurse rather worried him by breaking his slumbers；
coming in and 〃setting things to rights；〃 as she called it。 Now the dust lay
thick upon chairs and tables； there was no harsh voice heard to scold him
for not getting up immediately； which； I am sorry to say； this boy did not
always do。 For he so enjoyed lying still； and thinking lazily about
everything or nothing； that； if he had not tried hard against it； he would
certainly have become like those celebrated
〃Two little men Who lay in their bed till the clock struck ten。〃
It was striking ten now； and still no nurse was to be seen。 He was
rather relieved at first； for he felt so tired； and besides； when he stretched
out his arm； he found to his dismay that he had gone to bed in his clothes。
Very uncomfortable he felt； of course； and just a little frightened。
Especially when he began to call and call again； but nobody answered。
Often he used to think how nice it would be to get rid of his nurse and live
in this tower all by himselflike a sort of monarch able to do everything
he liked； and leave undone all that he did not want to do； but now that this
seemed really to have happened； he did not like it at all。
〃Nurse；dear nurse；please come back！〃 he called out。 〃Come back；
and I will be the best boy in all the land。〃
And when she did not come back； and nothing but silence answered
his lamentable call； he very nearly began to cry。
〃This won't do；〃 he said at last； dashing the tears from his eyes。 〃It's
just like a baby； and I'm a big boyshall be a man some day。 What has
happened； I wonder？ I'll go and see。〃
He sprang out of bed；not to his feet； alas！ but to his poor little weak
knees； and crawled on them from room to room。 All the four chambers
were desertednot forlorn or untidy； for everything seemed to have been
done for his comfort the breakfast and dinner things were laid； the food
spread in order。 He might live 〃like a prince；〃 as the proverb is； for several
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days。 But the place was entirely forsakenthere was evidently not a
creature but himself in the solitary tower。
A great fear came upon the poor boy。 Lonely as his life had been； he
had never known what it was to be absolutely alone。 A kind of despair
seized himno violent anger or terror； but a sort of patient desolation。
〃What in the world am I to do？〃 thought he； and sat down in the
middle of the floor； half inclined to believe that it would be better to give
up entirely； lay himself down； and die。
This feeling； however； did not last long； for he was young and strong；
and； I said before； by nature a very courageous boy。 There came into his
head； somehow or other； a proverb that his nurse had taught himthe
people of Nomansland were very fond of proverbs：
〃For every evil under the sun There is a remedy； or there's none； If
there is one； try to find it If there isn't； never mind it。〃
〃I wonder is there a remedy now； and could I find it？〃 cried the
Prince； jumping up and looking out of the window。
No help there。 He only saw the broad； bleak； sunshiny plainthat is； at
first。 But by and by； in the circle of mud that surrounded the base of the
tower； he perceived distinctly the marks of a horse's feet； and just in the
spot where the deaf…mute was accustomed to tie up his great black charger；
while he himself ascended； there lay the remains of a bundle of hay and a
feed of corn。
〃Yes； that's it。 He has come and gone； taking nurse away with him。
Poor nurse！ how glad she would be to go！〃
That was Prince Dolor's first thought。 His secondwasn't it natural？
was a passionate indignation at her crueltyat the cruelty of all the world
toward him； a poor little helpless boy。 Then he determined； forsaken as he
was； to try and hold on to the last； and not to die as long as he could
possibly help it。
Anyhow； it would be easier to die here than out in the world； among
the terrible doings which he had just beheldfrom the midst of which； it
suddenly struck him； the deaf…mute had come； contriving somehow to
make the nurse understand that the king was dead； and she need have no
fear in going back to the capital； where there was a grand revolution； and
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everything turned upside down。 So； of course； she had gone。 〃I hope she'll
enjoy it； miserable womanif they don't cut off her head too。〃
And then a kind of remorse smote him for feeling so bitterly toward
her； after all the years she had taken care of himgrudgingly； perhaps； and
coldly； still she had taken care of him； and that even to the last： for； as I
have said； all his four rooms were as tidy as possible； and his meals laid
out； that he might have no more trouble than could be helped。
〃Possibly she did not mean to be cruel。 I won't judge her；〃 said he。 And
afterward he was very glad that he had so determined。
For the second time he tried to dress himself； and then to do
everything he could for himself even to sweeping up the hearth and
putting on more coals。 〃It's a funny thing for a prince to have to do；〃 said
he； laughing。 〃But my godmother once said princes need never mind doing
anything。〃
And then he thought a little of his godmother。 Not of summoning her；
or asking her to help him；she had evidently left him to help himself； and
he was determined to try his best to do it； being a very proud and
independent boy； but he remembered her tenderly and regret… fully； as if
even she had been a little hard upon himpoor； forlorn boy that he was。
But he seemed to have seen and learned so much within the last few days
that he scarcely felt like a boy； but a manuntil he went to bed at night。
When I was a child； I used often to think how nice it would be to live
in a little house all by my own selfa house built high up in a tree； or far
away in a forest； or halfway up a hillside so deliciously alone and
independent。 Not a lesson to learnbut no！ I always liked learning my
lessons。 Anyhow； to choose the lessons I liked best； to have as many books
to read and dolls to play with as ever I wanted： above all； to be free and at
rest； with nobody to tease or trouble or scold me； would be charming。 For
I was a lonely little thing； who liked quietnessas many children do；
which other children； and sometimes grown…up people even； cannot
understand。 And so I can understand Prince Dolor。
After his first despair； he was not merely comfortable； but actually
happy in his solitude； doing everything for himself； and enjoying
everything by himselfuntil bedtime。 Then he did not like it at all。 No
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more； I suppose； than other children would have liked my im… aginary
house in a tree when they had had sufficient of their own company。
But the Prince had to bear itand he did bear it； like a princefor fully
five days。 All that time he got up in the morning and went to bed at night
without having spoken to a creature； or； indeed； heard a single sound。 For
even his little lark was silent； and as for his traveling…cloak； either he
never thought about it； or else it had been spirited away for he made no
use of it； nor attempted to do so。
A very strange existence it was； those five lonely days。 He never
entirely forgot it。 It threw him back upon himself； and into himself in a
way that all of us have to learn when we grow up； and are the better for it；
but it is somewhat hard learning。
On the sixth day Prince Dolor had a strange composure in his look； but
he was very grave and thin and white。 He had nearly come to the end of
his provisionsand what
