the little lame prince-第21节

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leep。　Next　day　he　rose　very　early；　and　looking　about　on　every　side；　he　spied　a　painter's　pallet；　with　colors　ready　prepared　and　pencils。　Remembering　what　the　princess　had　said　to　Abricotina　touching　her　own　portrait；　he　immediately　（for　he　could　paint　as　well　as　the　most　excellent　masters）　seated　himself　before　a　mirror　and　drew　his　own　picture　first；　then；　in　an　oval；　that　of　the　princess。　He　had　all　her　features　so　strong　in　his　imagination　that　he　had　no　occasion　for　her　sitting；　and　as　his　desire　to　please　her　had　set　him　to　work；　never　did　portrait　bear　a　stronger　resemblance。　He　had　painted　himself　upon　one　knee；　holding　the　princess'　picture　in　one　hand；　and　in　the　other　a　label　with　this　inscription；　〃She　is　better　in　my　heart。〃　When　the　princess　went　into　her　cabinet；　she　was　amazed　to　see　the　portrait　of　a　man；　and　she　fixed　her　eyes　upon　it　with　so　much　the　more　surprise；　because　she　also　saw　her　own　with　it；　and　because　the　words　which　were　written　upon　the　label　afforded　her　ample　room　for　curiosity。　She　persuaded　herself　that　it　was　Abricotina's　doing；　and　all　she　desired　to　know　was　whether　the　portrait　was　real　or　imaginary。　Rising　in　haste；　she　called　Abricotina；　while　the　invisible　Leander；　with　his　little　red　cap；　slipped　into　the　cabinet；　impatient　to　know　what　passed。　The　princess　bade　Abricotina　look　upon　the　picture　and　tell　her　what　she　thought　of　it。

After　she　had　viewed　it；　〃I　protest！〃　said　she；　〃'tis　the　picture　of　that　generous　stranger　to　whom　I　am　indebted　for　my　life。　Yes；　yes；　I　am　sure　it　is　he；　his　very　features；　shape；　and　hair。〃

〃Thou　pretendest　surprise；〃　said　the　princess；　〃but　I　know　it　was　thou　thyself　who　put　it　there。〃

〃Who！　I；　madam？〃　replied　Abricotina。　〃I　protest　I　never　saw　the　picture　before　in　my　life。　Should　I　be　so　bold　as　to　conceal　from　your　knowledge　a　thing　that　so　nearly　concerns　you？　And　by　what　miracle　could　I　come　by　it？　I　never　could　paint；　nor　did　any　man　ever　enter　this　place；　yet　here　he　is　painted　with　you？〃

〃Some　spirit；　then；　must　have　brought　it　hither；〃　cried　the　princess。

〃How　I　tremble　for　fear；　madam！〃　said　Abricotina。　〃Was　it　not　rather　some　lover？　And　therefore；　if　you　will　take　my　advice；　let　us　burn　it　immediately。〃

〃'Twere　a　pity　to　burn　it；〃　cried　the　princess；　sighing；　〃a　finer　piece；　methinks；　cannot　adorn　my　cabinet。〃　And　saying　these　words；　she　cast　her　eyes　upon　it。　But　Abricotina　continued　obstinate　in　her　opinion　that　it　ought　to　be　burned；　as　a　thing　that　could　not　come　there　but　by　the　power　of　magic。

〃And　these　words‘She　is　better　in　my　heart；'　〃　said　the　princess；　〃must　we　burn　them　too？〃

〃No　favor　must　be　shown　to　anything；〃　said　Abricotina；　〃not　even　to　your　own　portrait。〃

Abricotina　ran　away　immediately　for　some　fire；　while　the　princess　went　to　look　out　at　the　window。　Leander；　unwilling　to　let　his　performance　be　burned；　took　this　opportunity　to　convey　it　away　without　being　perceived。　He　had　hardly　quitted　the　cabinet；　when　the　princess　turned　about　to　look　once　more　upon　that　enchanting　picture；　which　had　so　delighted　her。　But　how　was　she　surprised　to　find　it　gone！　She　sought　for　it　all　the　room　over；　and　Abricotina；　returning；　was　no　less　surprised　than　her　mistress；　so　that　this　last　adventure　put　them　both　in　the　most　terrible　fright。

Leander　took　great　delight　in　hearing　and　seeing　his　incomparable　mistress；　even　though　he　had　to　eat　every　day　at　her　table　with　the　tabby…cat；　who　fared　never　the　worse　for　that；　but　his　satisfaction　was　far　from　being　complete；　seeing　he　durst　neither　speak　nor　show　himself；　and　he　knew　it　was　not　a　common　thing　for　ladies　to　fall　in　love　with　persons　invisible。

The　princess　had　a　universal　taste　for　amusement。　One　day；　she　was　saying　to　her　attend…　ants　that　it　would　give　her　great　pleasure　to　know　how　the　ladies　were　dressed　in　all　the　courts　of　the　universe。　There　needed　no　more　words　to　send　Leander　all　over　the　world。　He　wished　himself　in　China；　where　he　bought　the　richest　stuffs　he　could　lay　his　hands　on；　and　got　patterns　of　all　the　court　fashions。　From　thence　he　flew　to　Siam；　where　he　did　the　same；　in　three　days　he　traveled　over　all　the　four　parts　of　the　world；　and　from　time　to　time　brought　what　he　bought　to　the　Palace　of　Calm　Delights；　and　hid　it　all　in　a　chamber；　which　he　kept　always　locked。　When　he　had　thus　collected　together　all　the　rarities　he　could　meet　withfor　he　never　wanted　money；　his　rose　always　supplying　himhe　went　and　bought　five　or　six　dozen　of　dolls；　which　he　caused　to　be　dressed　at　Paris；　the　place　in　the　world　where　most　regard　is　paid　to　fashions。　They　were　all　dressed　differently；　and　as　magnificent　as　could　be；　and　Leander　placed　them　all　in　the　princess'　closet。　When　she　entered　it；　she　was　agreeably　surprised　to　see　such　company　of　little　mutes；　every　one　decked　with　watches　bracelets；　diamond　buckles；　or　necklaces；　and　the　most　remarkable　of　them　held　a　picture　box　in　its　hand；　which　the　princess　opening；　found　it　contained　Leander's　portrait。　She　gave　a　loud　shriek；　and　looking　upon　Abricotina；　〃There　have　appeared　of　late；〃　said　she；　〃so　many　wonders　in　this　place；　that　I　know　not　what　to　think　of　them：　my　birds　are　all　grown　witty；　I　cannot　so　much　as　wish；　but　presently　I　have　my　desires；　twice　have　I　now　seen　the　portrait　of　him　who　rescued　thee　from　the　ruffians；　and　here　are　silks　of　all　sorts；　diamonds；　embroideries；　laces；　and　an　infinite　number　of　other　rarities。　What　fairy　is　it　that　takes　such　care　to　pay　me　these　agreeable　civilities？〃

Leander　was　overjoyed　to　hear　and　see　her　so　much　interested　about　his　picture；　and　calling　to　mind　that　there　was　in　a　grotto　which　she　often　frequented　a　certain　pedestal；　on　which　a　Diana；　not　yet　finished；　was　to　be　erected；　on　this　pedestal　he　resolved　to　place　himself；　crowned　with　laurel；　and　holding　a　lyre　in　his　hand；　on　which　he　played　like　another　Apollo。　He　most　anxiously　waited　the　princess'　retiring　to　the　grotto；　which　she　did　every　day　since　her　thoughts　had　taken　up　with　this　unknown　person；　for　what　Abricotina　had　said；　joined　to　the　sight　of　the　picture；　had　almost　destroyed　her　repose：　her　lively　humor　changed　into　a　pensive　melancholy；　and　she　grew　a　great　lover　of　solitude。　When　she　entered　the　grotto；　she　made　a　sign　that　nobody　should　follow　her；　so　that　her　young　damsels　dispersed　themselves　into　the　neighboring　walks。　The　princess　threw　herself　upon　a　bank　of　green　turf；　sighed；　wept；　and　even　talked；　but　so　softly　that　Leander　could　not　hear　what　she　said。　He　had　put　his　red　cap　on；　that　she　might　not　see　him　at　first；　but　having　taken　it　off；　she　beheld　him　standing　on　the　pedestal。　At　first　she　took　him　for　a　real　statue；　for　he　observed　exactly　the　attitude　in　which　he　had　placed　himself；　without　moving　so　much　as　a　finger。　She　beheld　with　a　kind　of　pleasure　intermixed　with　fear；　but　pleasure　soon　dispelled　her　fear；　and　she　continued　to　view　the　pleasing　figure；　which　so　exactly　resembled　life。　The　prince　having　tuned　his　lyre；　began　to　play；　at　which　the　princess；　greatly　surprised；　could　not　resist　the　fear　that　seized　her；　she　grew　pale　and　fell　into　a　swoon。　Leander　leaped　from　the　pedestal；　and　putting　on　his　little　red　cap；　that　he　might　not　be　perceived；　took　the　princess　in　his　arms　and　gave　her　all　the　assistance　that　his　zeal　and　tenderness　could　inspire。　At　length　she　opened　her　charming　eyes　and　looked　about　in　search　of　him；　but　she　could　perceive　nobody；　yet　she　felt　somebody　who　held　her　hands；　kissed　them；　and　bedewed　them　with　his　tears。　It　was　a　long　time　before　she　durst　speak；　and　her　spirits　were　in　a　confused　agitation　between　fear　and　hope。　She　was　afraid　of　the　spirit；　but　loved　the　figure　of　the　unknown。　At　length　she　said：　〃Courtly　invisible；　why　are　you　not　the　person　I　desire　you　should　be？〃　At　these　words　Leander　was　going　to　declare　himself；　but　durst　not　do　it　yet。　〃For；〃　thought　he；　〃if　I　again　affright　the　object　I　adore　and　make　her　fear　me；　she　will　not　love　me。〃　This　consideration　caused　him　to　keep　silence。

The　princess；　then；　believing　herself　alone；　called　Abricotina　and　told　her　all　the　wonders　of　the　animated　statue；　that　it　had　played　divinely；　and　that　the　invisible　person　had　given　her　great　assistance　when　she　lay　in　a　swoon。

〃What　pity　'tis；〃　said　she；　〃that　this　person　should　be　so　frightful；　for　nothing　can　be　more　amiable　or　acceptable　than　his　behavior！〃

〃Who　told　you；　madam；〃　answered　Abricotina；　〃that　he　is　frightful？　If　he　is　the　youth　who　saved　me；　he　is　beautiful　as　Cupid　himself。〃

〃If　Cupid　and　the　unknown　are　the　same；〃　replied　the　princess；　blushing；　〃I　could　be　content　to　love　Cupid；　but　alas！　how　far　am　I　from　such　a　happiness！　I　love　a　mere　shadow；　and　this　fatal　picture；　joined　to　what　thou　hast　told　me；　have　inspired　me　with　inclinations　so　contrary　to　the　precepts　which　I　received　from　my　mother　that　I　am　daily　afraid　of　being　punished　for　them。〃

〃Oh！　madam；〃　said　Abricotina；　interrupting　her；　〃have　you　not　troubles　enough　already？　Why　should　you　anticipate　afflictions　which　may　never　come　to　pass？〃

It　is　easy　to　imagine　what　pleasure　Leander　took　in　this　conversation。

In　the　meantime　the　little　Furibon；　still　enamored　of　the　princess　whom　he　had　never　seen；　expected　with　impatience　the　retu