the little lame prince-第20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！



〃But；〃　continued　the　princess；　〃how　shall　I　be　sure　my　parrot　is　not　a　sorcerer？〃

〃He　is　more　in　love　than　any　sorcerer　can　be；〃　replied　the　prince。

At　this　moment　Abricotina　entered　the　room；　and　falling　at　her　lovely　mistress'　feet；　gave　her　a　full　account　of　what　had　befallen　her；　and　described　the　prince　in　the　most　glowing　colors。

〃I　should　have　hated　all　men；〃　added　she；　〃had　I　not　seen　him！　Oh；　madam；　how　charming　he　is！　His　air　and　all　his　behavior　have　something　in　them　so　noble；　and　though　whatever　he　spoke　was　infinitely　pleasing；　yet　I　think　I　did　well　in　not　bringing　him　hither。〃

To　this　the　princess　said　nothing；　but　she　asked　Abricotina　a　hundred　other　questions　concerning　the　prince；　whether　she　knew　his　name；　his　country；　his　birth；　from　whence　he　came；　and　whither　he　was　going；　and　after　this　she　fell　into　a　profound　thoughtfulness。

Leander　observed　everything；　and　continued　to　chatter　as　he　had　begun。

〃Abricotina　is　ungrateful；　madam；〃　said　he；　〃that　poor　stranger　will　die　for　grief　if　he　sees　you　not。〃

〃Well；　parrot；　let　him　die；〃　answered　the　princess　with　a　sigh；　〃and　since　thou　under…　takest　to　reason　like　a　person　of　wit；　and　not　a　little　bird；　I　forbid　thee　to　talk　to　me　any　more　of　this　unknown　person。〃

Leander　was　overjoyed　to　find　that　Abricotina's　and　the　parrot's　discourse　had　made　such　an　impression　on　the　princess。　He　looked　upon　her　with　pleasure　and　delight。　〃Can　it　be；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃that　the　masterpiece　of　nature；　that　the　wonder　of　our　age；　should　be　confined　eternally　in　an　island；　and　no　mortal　dare　to　approach　her？　But；〃　continued　he；　〃wherefore　am　I　concerned　that　others　are　banished　hence；　since　I　have　the　happiness　to　be　with　her；　to　hear　and　to　admire　her；　nay；　more；　to　love　her　above　all　the　women　in　the　universe？〃

It　was　late；　and　the　princess　retired　into　a　large　room　of　marble　and　porphyry；　where　several　bubbling　fountains；　refreshed　the　air　with　an　agreeable　coolness。　As　soon　as　she　entered　the　music　began；　a　sumptuous　supper　was　served　up；　and　the　birds　from　several　aviaries　on　each　side　of　the　room；　of　which　Abricotina　had　the　chief　care；　opened　their　little　throats　in　the　most　agreeable　manner。

Leander　had　traveled　a　journey　long　enough　to　give　him　a　good　appetite；　which　made　him　draw　near　the　table；　where　the　very　smell　of　such　viands　was　agreeable　and　refreshing。　The　princess　had　a　curious　tabby…cat；　for　which　she　had　a　great　kindness。　This　cat　one　of　the　maids　of　honor　held　in　her　arms；　saying；　〃Madam；　Bluet　is　hungry！〃　With　that　a　chair　was　presently　brought　for　the　cat；　for　he　was　a　cat　of　quality；　and　had　a　necklace　of　pearl　about　his　neck。　He　was　served　on　a　golden　plate　with　a　laced　napkin　before　him；　and　the　plate　being　supplied　with　meat；　Bluet　sat　with　the　solemn　importance　of　an　alderman。

〃Ho！　ho！〃　cried　Leander　to　himself；　〃an　idle　tabby　malkin；　that　perhaps　never　caught　a　mouse　in　his　life；　and　I　dare　say　is　not　descended　from　a　better　family　than　myself；　has　the　honor　to　sit　at　table　with　my　mistress：　I　would　fain　know　whether　he　loves　her　so　well　as　I　do。〃

Saying　this；　he　placed　himself　in　the　chair　with　the　cat　upon　his　knee；　for　nobody　saw　him；　because　he　had　his　little　red　cap　on；　finding　Bluet's　plate　well　supplied　with　partridge；　quails；　and　pheasants；　he　made　so　free　with　them　that　whatever　was　set　before　Master　Puss　disappeared　in　a　trice。　The　whole　court　said　no　act｛sic｝　ever　ate　with　a　better　appetite。　There　were　excellent　ragouts；　and　the　prince　made　use　of　the　cat's　paw　to　taste　them；　but　he　sometimes　pulled　his　paw　too　roughly；　and　Bluet；　not　understanding　raillery；　began　to　mew　and　be　quite　out　of　patience。　The　princess　observing　it；　〃Bring　that　fricassee　and　that　tart　to　poor　Bluet；〃　said　she；　〃see　how　he　cries　to　have　them。〃

Leander　laughed　to　himself　at　the　pleasantness　of　this　adventure；　but　he　was　very　thirsty；　not　being　accustomed　to　make　such　large　meals　without　drinking。　By　the　help　of　the　cat's　paw　he　got　a　melon；　with　which　he　somewhat　quenched　his　thirst；　and　when　supper　was　quite　over；　he　went　to　the　buffet　and　took　two　bottles　of　delicious　wine。

The　princess　now　retired　into　her　boudoir；　ordering　Abricotina　to　follow　her　and　make　fast　the　door；　but　they　could　not　keep　out　Leander；　who　was　there　as　soon　as　they。　However；　the　princess；　believing　herself　alone　with　her　confidante：

〃Abricotina；〃　said　she；　〃tell　me　truly；　did　you　exaggerate　in　your　description　of　the　unknown　prince；　for　methinks　it　is　impossible　he　should　be　as　amiable　as　you　say？〃

〃Madam；〃　replied　the　damsel；　〃if　I　have　failed　in　anything；　it　was　ln　coming　short　of　what　was　due　to　him。〃

The　princess　sighed　and　was　silent　for　a　time；　then　resuming　her　speech：　〃I　am　glad；〃　said　she；　〃thou　didst　not　bring　him　with　thee。〃

〃But；　madam；〃　answered　Abricotina；　who　was　a　cunning　girl；　and　already　penetrated　her　mistress'　thoughts；　〃suppose　he　had　come　to　admire　the　wonders　of　these　beautiful　mansions；　what　harm　could　he　have　done　us？　Will　you　live　eternally　unknown　in　a　corner　of　the　world；　concealed　from　the　rest　of　human　kind？　Of　what　use　is　all　your　grandeur；　pomp；　magnificence；　if　nobody　sees　it？〃

〃Hold　thy　peace；　prattler；〃　replied　the　princess；　〃and　do　not　disturb　that　happy　repose　which　I　have　enjoyed　so　long。〃

Abricotina　durst　make　no　reply；　and　the　princess；　having　waited　her　answer　for　some　time；　asked　her　whether　she　had　anything　to　say。　Abricotina　then　said　she　thought　it　was　to　very　little　purpose　her　mistress　having　sent　her　picture　to　the　courts　of　several　princes；　where　it　only　served　to　make　those　who　saw　it　miserable；　that　every　one　would　be　desirous　to　marry　her；　and　as　she　could　not　marry　them　all；　indeed　none　of　them；　it　would　make　them　desperate。

〃Yet；　for　all　that；〃　said　the　princess；　I　could　wish　my　picture　were　in　the　hands　of　this　same　stranger。〃

〃Oh；　madam；〃　answered　Abricotina；　〃is　not　his　desire　to　see　you　violent　enough　already？　Would　you　augment　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　cried　the　princess；　〃a　certain　impulse　of　vanity；　which　I　was　never　sensible　of　till　now；　has　bred　this　foolish　fancy　in　me。〃

Leander　heard　all　this　discourse；　and　lost　not　a　tittle　of　what　she　said；　some　of　her　expressions　gave　him　hope；　others　absolutely　destroyed　it。　The　princess　presently　asked　Abricotina　whether　she　had　seen　anything　extraordinary　during　her　short　travels。

〃Madam；〃　said　she；　〃I　passed　through　one　forest　where　I　saw　certain　creatures　that　resembled　little　children：　they　skip　and　dance　upon　the　trees　like　squirrels；　they　are　very　ugly；　but　have　wonderful　agility　and　address。〃

〃I　wish　I　had　one　of　them；〃　said　the　princess；　〃but　if　they　are　so　nimble　as　you　say　they　are；　it　is　impossible　to　catch　one。〃

Leander；　who　passed　through　the　same　forest；　knew　what　Abricotina　meant；　and　presently　wished　himself　in　the　place。　He　caught　a　dozen　of　little　monkeys；　some　bigger；　some　less；　and　all　of　different　colors；　and　with　much　ado　put　them　into　a　large　sack；　then；　wishing　himself　at　Paris；　where；　he　had　heard；　a　man　might　have　everything　for　money；　he　went　and　bought　a　little　gold　chariot。　He　taught　six　green　monkeys　to　draw　it；　they　were　harnessed　with　fine　traces　of　flame…　colored　morocco　leather。　He　went　to　another　place；　where　he　met　with　two　monkeys　of　merit；　the　most　pleasant　of　which　was　called　Briscambril；　the　other　Pierceforestboth　very　spruce　and　well　educated。　He　dressed　Briscambril　like　a　king　and　placed　him　in　the　coach；　Pierceforest　he　made　the　coachman；　the　others　were　dressed　like　pages；　all　which　he　put　into　his　sack；　coach　and　all。

The　princess　not　being　gone　to　bed；　heard　a　rumbling　of　a　little　coach　in　the　long　gallery；　at　the　same　time；　her　ladies　came　to　tell　her　that　the　king　of　the　dwarfs　was　arrived；　and　the　chariot　immediately　entered　her　chamber　with　all　the　monkey　train。　The　country　monkeys　began　to　show　a　thousand　tricks；　which　far　surpassed　those　of　Briscambril　and　Pierceforest。　To　say　the　truth；　Leander　conducted　the　whole　machine。　He　drew　the　chariot　where　Briscambril　sat　arrayed　as　a　king；　and　making　him　hold　a　box　of　diamonds　in　his　hand；　he　presented　it　with　a　becoming　grace　to　the　princess。　The　princess'　surprise　may　be　easily　imagined。　Moreover；　Briscambril　made　a　sign　for　Pierceforest　to　come　and　dance　with　him。　The　most　celebrated　dancers　were　not　to　be　compared　with　them　in　activity。　But　the　princess；　troubled　that　she　could　not　guess　from　whence　this　curious　present　came；　dismissed　the　dancers　sooner　than　she　would　otherwise　have　done；　though　she　was　extremely　pleased　with　them。

Leander；　satisfied　with　having　seen　the　delight　the　princess　had　taken　in　beholding　the　monkeys；　thought　of　nothing　now　but　to　get　a　little　repose；　which　he　greatly　wanted。　He　stayed　sometime　in　the　great　gallery；　afterward；　going　down　a　pair　of　stairs；　and　finding　a　door　open；　he　entered　into　an　apartment　the　most　delightful　that　ever　was　seen。　There　was　in　it　a　bed　of　cloth…of…gold；　enriched　with　pearls；　intermixed　with　rubies　and　emeralds：　for　by　this　time　there　appeared　daylight　sufficient　for　him　to　view　and　admire　the　magnificence　of　this　sumptuous　furniture。　Having　made　fast　the　door；　he　composed　himself　to　sleep。　Next　day　he　rose　very　early；　and　looking　about　on　every　side；　he　spied