the little lame prince-第7节

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ther　ashamed。　〃Spread　it　out　on　the　floor；　and　wait　till　the　split　closes　and　the　edges　turn　up　like　a　rim　all　round。　Then　go　and　open　the　skylight；mind；　I　say　OPEN　THE　SKYLIGHT；set　yourself　down　in　the　middle　of　it；　like　a　frog　on　a　water…lily　leaf；　say　‘Abracadabra；　dum　dum　dum；'　andsee　what　will　happen！〃

The　Prince　burst　into　a　fit　of　laughing。　It　all　seemed　so　exceedingly　silly；　he　wondered　that　a　wise　old　woman　like　his　godmother　should　talk　such　nonsense。

〃Stuff…and…nonsense；　you　mean；〃　said　she；　answering；　to　his　great　alarm；　his　unspoken　thoughts。　〃Did　I　not　tell　you　some　people　called　me　by　that　name？　Never　mind；　it　doesn't　harm　me。〃

And　she　laughedher　merry　laughas　child…　like　as　if　she　were　the　Prince's　age　instead　of　her　own；　whatever　that　might　be。　She　certainly　was　a　most　extraordinary　old　woman。

〃Believe　me　or　not；　it　doesn't　matter；〃　said　she。　〃Here　is　the　cloak：　when　you　want　to　go　traveling　on　it；　say　‘Abracadabra；　dum；　dum；　dum'；　when　you　want　to　come　back　again；　say　‘Abracadabra；　tum　tum　ti。'　That's　all；　good…by。〃

A　puff　of　most　pleasant　air　passing　by　him。　and　making　him　feel　for　the　moment　quite　strong　and　well；　was　all　the　Prince　was　conscious　of。　His　most　extraordinary　godmother　was　gone。

〃Really　now；　how　rosy　your　Royal　Highness'　cheeks　have　grown！　You　seem　to　have　got　well　already；〃　said　the　nurse；　entering　the　room。

〃I　think　I　have；〃　replied　the　Prince　very　gentlyhe　felt　gently　and　kindly　even　to　his　grim　nurse。　〃And　now　let　me　have　my　dinner；　and　go　you　to　your　sewing　as　usual。〃

The　instant　she　was　gone；　however；　taking　with　her　the　plates　and　dishes；　which　for　the　first　time　since　his　illness　he　had　satisfactorily　cleared；　Prince　Dolor　sprang　down　from　his　sofa；　and　with　one　or　two　of　his　frog…like　jumps　reached　the　cupboard　where　he　kept　his　toys；　and　looked　everywhere　for　his　traveling…cloak。

Alas！　it　was　not　there。

While　he　was　ill　of　the　doldrums；　his　nurse；　thinking　it　a　good　opportunity　for　putting　things　to　rights；　had　made　a　grand　clearance　of　all　his　〃rubbish〃as　she　considered　it：　his　beloved　headless　horses；　broken　carts；　sheep　without　feet；　and　birds　without　wingsall　the　treasures　of　his　baby　days；　which　he　could　not　bear　to　part　with。　Though　he　seldom　played　with　them　now；　he　liked　just　to　feel　they　were　there。

They　were　all　gone　and　with　them　the　traveling…cloak。　He　sat　down　on　the　floor；　looking　at　the　empty　shelves；　so　beautifully　clean　and　tidy；　then　burst　out　sobbing　as　if　his　heart　would　break。

But　quietlyalways　quietly。　He　never　let　his　nurse　hear　him　cry。　She　only　laughed　at　him；　as　he　felt　she　would　laugh　now。

〃And　it　is　all　my　own　fault！〃　he　cried。　〃I　ought　to　have　taken　better　care　of　my　godmother's　gift。　Oh；　godmother；　forgive　me！　I'll　never　be　so　careless　again。　I　don't　know　what　the　cloak　is　exactly；　but　I　am　sure　it　is　something　precious。　Help　me　to　find　it　again。　Oh；　don't　let　it　be　stolen　from　medon't；　please！〃

〃Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　laughed　a　silvery　voice。　〃Why；　that　traveling…cloak　is　the　one　thing　in　the　world　which　nobody　can　steal。　It　is　of　no　use　to　anybody　except　the　owner。　Open　your　eyes；　my　Prince；　and　see　what　you　shall　see。〃

His　dear　old　godmother；　he　thought；　and　turned　eagerly　round。　But　no；　he　only　beheld；　lying　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　all　dust　and　cobwebs；　his　precious　traveling…cloak。

Prince　Dolor　darted　toward　it；　tumbling　several　times　on　the　way；　as　he　often　did　tumble；　poor　boy！　and　pick　himself　up　again；　never　complaining。　Snatching　it　to　his　breast；　he　hugged　and　kissed　it；　cobwebs　and　all；　as　if　it　had　been　something　alive。　Then　he　began　unrolling　it；　wondering　each　minute　what　would　happen。　What　did　happen　was　so　curious　that　I　must　leave　it　for　another　chapter。



CHAPTER　V

If　any　reader；　big　or　little；　should　wonder　whether　there　is　a　meaning　in　this　story　deeper　than　that　of　an　ordinary　fairy　tale；　I　will　own　that　there　is。　But　I　have　hidden　it　so　carefully　that　the　smaller　people；　and　many　larger　folk；　will　never　find　it　out；　and　meantime　the　book　may　be　read　straight　on；　like　〃Cinderella；〃　or　〃Blue…Beard；〃　or　〃Hop…o'…　my…Thumb；〃　for　what　interest　it　has；　or　what　amusement　it　may　bring。

Having　said　this；　I　return　to　Prince　Dolor；　that　little　lame　boy　whom　many　may　think　so　exceedingly　to　be　pitied。　But　if　you　had　seen　him　as　he　sat　patiently　untying　his　wonderful　cloak；　which　was　done　up　in　a　very　tight　and　perplexing　parcel；　using　skillfully　his　deft　little　hands；　and　knitting　his　brows　with　firm　determination；　while　his　eyes　glistened　with　pleasure　and　energy　and　eager　anticipationif　you　had　beheld　him　thus；　you　might　have　changed　your　opinion。

When　we　see　people　suffering　or　unfortunate；　we　feel　very　sorry　for　them；　but　when　we　see　them　bravely　bearing　their　sufferings　and　making　the　best　of　their　misfortunes；　it　is　quite　a　different　feeling。　We　respect；　we　admire　them。　One　can　respect　and　admire　even　a　little　child。

When　Prince　Dolor　had　patiently　untied　all　the　knots；　a　remarkable　thing　happened。　The　cloak　began　to　undo　itself。　Slowly　unfolding；　it　laid　itself　down　on　the　carpet；　as　flat　as　if　it　had　been　ironed；　the　split　joined　with　a　little　sharp　crick…crack；　and　the　rim　turned　up　all　round　till　it　was　breast…high；　for　meantime　the　cloak　had　grown　and　grown；　and　become　quite　large　enough　for　one　person　to　sit　in　it　as　comfortable　as　if　in　a　boat。

The　Prince　watched　it　rather　anxiously；　it　was　such　an　extraordinary；　not　to　say　a　frightening；　thing。　However；　he　was　no　coward；　but　a　thorough　boy；　who；　if　he　had　been　like　other　boys；　would　doubtless　have　grown　up　daring　and　adventurousa　soldier；　a　sailor；　or　the　like。　As　it　was；　he　could　only　show　his　courage　morally；　not　physically；　by　being　afraid　of　nothing；　and　by　doing　boldly　all　that　it　was　in　his　narrow　powers　to　do。　And　I　am　not　sure　but　that　in　this　way　he　showed　more　real　valor　than　if　he　had　had　six　pairs　of　proper　legs。

He　said　to　himself：　〃What　a　goose　I　am　！　As　if　my　dear　godmother　would　ever　have　given　me　anything　to　hurt　me。　Here　goes！〃

So；　with　one　of　his　active　leaps；　he　sprang　right　into　the　middle　of　the　cloak；　where　he　squatted　down；　wrapping　his　arms　tight　round　his　knees；　for　they　shook　a　little　and　his　heart　beat　fast。　But　there　he　sat；　steady　and　silent；　waiting　for　what　might　happen　next。

Nothing　did　happen；　and　he　began　to　think　nothing　would；　and　to　feel　rather　disappointed；　when　he　recollected　the　words　he　had　been　told　to　repeat〃Abracadabra；　dum　dum　dum！〃

He　repeated　them；　laughing　all　the　while；　they　seemed　such　nonsense。　And　thenand　then

Now　I　don't　expect　anybody　to　believe　what　I　am　going　to　relate；　though　a　good　many　wise　people　have　believed　a　good　many　sillier　things。　And　as　seeing's　believing；　and　I　never　saw　it；　I　cannot　be　expected　implicitly　to　believe　it　myself；　except　in　a　sort　of　a　way；　and　yet　there　is　truth　in　itfor　some　people。

The　cloak　rose；　slowly　and　steadily；　at　first　only　a　few　inches；　then　gradually　higher　and　higher；　till　it　nearly　touched　the　skylight。　Prince　Dolor's　head　actually　bumped　against　the　glass；　or　would　have　done　so　had　he　not　crouched　down；　crying　〃Oh；　please　don't　hurt　me！〃　in　a　most　melancholy　voice。

Then　he　suddenly　remembered　his　godmother's　express　command〃Open　the　skylight！〃

Regaining　his　courage　at　once；　without　a　moment's　delay　he　lifted　up　his　head　and　began　searching　for　the　boltthe　cloak　meanwhile　remaining　perfectly　still；　balanced　in　the　air。　But　the　minute　the　window　was　opened；　out　it　sailedright　out　into　the　clear；　fresh　air；　with　nothing　between　it　and　the　cloudless　blue。

Prince　Dolor　had　never　felt　any　such　delicious　sensation　before。　I　can　understand　it。　Cannot　you？　Did　you　never　think；　in　watching　the　rooks　going　home　singly　or　in　pairs；　soaring　their　way　across　the　calm　evening　sky　till　they　vanish　like　black　dots　in　the　misty　gray；　how　pleasant　it　must　feel　to　be　up　there；　quite　out　of　the　noise　and　din　of　the　world；　able　to　hear　and　see　everything　down　below；　yet　troubled　by　nothing　and　teased　by　no　oneall　alone；　but　perfectly　content？

Something　like　this　was　the　happiness　of　the　little　lame　Prince　when　he　got　out　of　Hopeless　Tower；　and　found　himself　for　the　first　time　in　the　pure　open　air；　with　the　sky　above　him　and　the　earth　below。

True；　there　was　nothing　but　earth　and　sky；　no　houses；　no　trees；　no　rivers；　mountains；　seas　not　a　beast　on　the　ground；　or　a　bird　in　the　air。　But　to　him　even　the　level　plain　looked　beautiful；　and　then　there　was　the　glorious　arch　of　the　sky；　with　a　little　young　moon　sitting　in　the　west　like　a　baby　queen。　And　the　evening　breeze　was　so　sweet　and　freshit　kissed　him　like　his　godmother's　kisses；　and　by　and　by　a　few　stars　came　outfirst　two　or　three；　and　then　quantities　quantities！　so　that　when　he　began　to　count　them　he　was　utterly　bewildered。

By　this　time；　however；　the　cool　breeze　had　become　cold；　the　mist　gathered；　and　as　he　had；　as　he　said；　no　outdoor　clothes；　poor　Prince　Dolor　was　not　very　comfortable。　The　dews　fell　damp　on　his　curlshe　began　to　shiver。

〃Perhaps　I　had　better　go　home；〃　thought　he。

But　how？　For　in　his　excitement　the　other　words　which　his　godmother　had　told　him　to　use　had　slipped　his　memory。　They　were　only　a　little　different　from　the　first；　but　in　that　slight　difference　all