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小说: 04-the yellow dwarf 字数: 每页4000字

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mind that she would go and consult the Fairy of the

Desert about it; especially as she had often heard how

wise she was; and she thought that at the same time she

might ask her advice as to whether it would be as well to

be married; or not。



So; with great care; she made some of the proper cake

to pacify the lions; and one night went up to her room

very early; pretending that she was going to bed; but

instead of that; she wrapped herself in a long white veil;

and went down a secret staircase; and set off all by herself

to find the Witch。



But when she got as far as the same fatal orange tree;

and saw it covered with flowers and fruit; she stopped and

began to gather some of the orangesand then; putting

down her basket; she sat down to eat them。 But when

it was time to go on again the basket had disappeared

and; though she looked everywhere; not a trace of it

could she find。 The more she hunted for it; the more

frightened she got; and at last she began to cry。 Then all

at once she saw before her the Yellow Dwarf。



〃What's the matter with you; my pretty one?〃 said he。

〃What are you crying about?〃



〃Alas!〃 she answered; 〃no wonder that I am crying;

seeing that I have lost the basket of cake that was to

help me to get safely to the cave of the Fairy of the

Desert。〃



〃And what do you want with her; pretty one?〃 said the

little monster; 〃for I am a friend of hers; and; for the

matter of that; I am quite as clever as she is。〃



〃The Queen; my mother;〃 replied the Princess; 〃has

lately fallen into such deep sadness that I fear that she

will die; and I am afraid that perhaps I am the cause of

it; for she very much wishes me to be married; and I must

tell you truly that as yet I have not found anyone I consider

worthy to be my husband。 So for all these reasons

I wished to talk to the Fairy。〃



〃Do not give yourself any further trouble; Princess;〃

answered the Dwarf。 〃I can tell you all you want to

know better than she could。 The Queen; your mother;

has promised you in marriage〃



〃Has promised ME!〃 interrupted the Princess。 〃Oh! no。

I'm sure she has not。 She would have told me if she had。

I am too much interested in the matter for her to promise

anything without my consentyou must be mistaken。〃



〃Beautiful Princess;〃 cried the Dwarf suddenly; throwing

himself on his knees before her; 〃I flatter myself that

you will not be displeased at her choice when I tell you

that it is to ME she has promised the happiness of marrying you。〃



〃You!〃 cried Bellissima; starting back。 〃My mother

wishes me to marry you! How can you be so silly as to

think of such a thing?〃



〃Oh! it isn't that I care much to have that honor;〃

cried the Dwarf angrily; 〃but here are the lions coming;

they'll eat you up in three mouthfuls; and there will be an

end of you and your pride。〃



And; indeed; at that moment the poor Princess heard

their dreadful howls coming nearer and nearer。



〃What shall I do?〃 she cried。 〃Must all my happy days

come to an end like this?〃



The malicious Dwarf looked at her and began to laugh

spitefully。 〃At least;〃 said he; 〃you have the satisfaction

of dying unmarried。 A lovely Princess like you must

surely prefer to die rather than be the wife of a poor little

dwarf like myself。〃



〃Oh; don't be angry with me;〃 cried the Princess;

clasping her hands。 〃I'd rather marry all the dwarfs in

the world than die in this horrible way。〃



〃Look at me well; Princess; before you give me your

word;〃 said he。 〃I don't want you to promise me in a

hurry。〃



〃Oh!〃 cried she; 〃the lions are coming。 I have looked

at you enough。 I am so frightened。 Save me this minute;

or I shall die of terror。



Indeed; as she spoke she fell down insensible; and when

she recovered she found herself in her own little bed at

home; how she got there she could not tell; but she was

dressed in the most beautiful lace and ribbons; and on her

finger was a little ring; made of a single red hair; which

fitted so tightly that; try as she might; she could not get

it off。



When the Princess saw all these things; and remembered

what had happened; she; too; fell into the deepest

sadness; which surprised and alarmed the whole Court;

and the Queen more than anyone else。 A hundred times

she asked Bellissima if anything was the matter with her;

but she always said that there was nothing



At last the chief men of the kingdom; anxious to see

their Princess married; sent to the Queen to beg her to

choose a husband for her as soon as possible。 She replied

that nothing would please her better; but that her daughter

seemed so unwilling to marry; and she recommended

them to go and talk to the Princess about it themselves

so this they at once did。 Now Bellissima was much less

proud since her adventure with the Yellow Dwarf; and

she could not think of a better way of getting rid of the

little monster than to marry some powerful king; therefore

she replied to their request much more favorably

than they had hoped; saying that; though she was very

happy as she was; still; to please them; she would consent

to marry the King of the Gold Mines。 Now he was a very

handsome and powerful Prince; who had been in love

with the Princess for years; but had not thought that she

would ever care about him at all。 You can easily imagine

how delighted he was when he heard the news; and how

angry it made all the other kings to lose for ever the hope

of marrying the Princess; but; after all; Bellissima could

not have married twenty kingsindeed; she had found

it quite difficult enough to choose one; for her vanity

made her believe that there was nobody in the world who

was worthy of her。



Preparations were begun at once for the grandest wedding

that had ever been held at the palace。 The King of

the Gold Mines sent such immense sums of money that

the whole sea was covered with the ships that brought it。

Messengers were sent to all the gayest and most refined

Courts; particularly to the Court of France; to seek out

everything rare and precious to adorn the Princess;

although her beauty was so perfect that nothing she wore

could make her look prettier。 At least that is what the

King of the Gold Mines thought; and he was never happy

unless he was with her。



As for the Princess; the more she saw of the King the

more she liked him; he was so generous; so handsome and

clever; that at last she was almost as much in love with

him as he was with her。 How happy they were as they

wandered about in the beautiful gardens together; sometimes

listening to sweet music! And the King used to write songs

for Bellissima。 This is one that she liked very much:



  In the forest all is gay

  When my Princess walks that way。

  All the blossoms then are found

  Downward fluttering to the ground;

  Hoping she may tread on them。

  And bright flowers on slender stem

  Gaze up at her as she passes

  Brushing lightly through the grasses。

  Oh! my Princess; birds above

  Echo back our songs of love;

  As through this enchanted land

  Blithe we wander; hand in hand。





They really were as happy as the day was long。 All the

King's unsuccessful rivals had gone home in despair。

They said good…by to the Princess so sadly that she could

not help being sorry for them。



〃Ah! madam;〃 the King of the Gold Mines said to her

〃how is this? Why do you waste your pity on these

princes; who love you so much that all their trouble would

be well repaid by a single smile from you?〃



〃I should be sorry;〃 answered Bellissima; 〃if you had

not noticed how much I pitied these princes who were

leaving me for ever; but for you; sire; it is very different:

you have every reason to be pleased with me; but they are

going sorrowfully away; so you must not grudge them my

compassion。〃



The King of the Gold Mines was quite overcome by the

Princess's good…natured way of taking his interference;

and; throwing himself at her feet; he kissed her hand a

thousand times and begged her to forgive him。



At last the happy day came。 Everything was ready

for Bellissima's wedding。 The trumpets sounded; all the

streets of the town were hung with flags and strewn with

flowers; and the people ran in crowds to the great square

before the palace。 The Queen was so overjoyed that she

had hardly been able to sleep at all; and she got up before

it was light to give the necessary orders and to choose the

jewels that the Princess was to wear。 These were nothing

less than diamonds; even to her shoes; which were covered

with them; and her dress of silver brocade was embroidered

with a dozen of the sun's rays。 You may imagine

how much these had cost; but then nothing could have

been more brilliant; except the beauty of the Princess!

Upon her head she wore a splendid crown; her lovely hair

waved nearly to her feet; and her stately figure could

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