04-the yellow dwarf-第4节

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her　the　most　lovely　being　she　had　ever　seen。



〃What！〃　she　cried；　〃was　I　not　unhappy　enough　in　this

lonely　castle　to　which　that　frightful　Yellow　Dwarf

brought　me？　Must　I　also　be　made　to　know　that　the　King

of　the　Gold　Mines　ceased　to　love　me　as　soon　as　he　lost

sight　of　me？　But　who　can　my　rival　be；　whose　fatal　beauty

is　greater　than　mine？〃



While　she　was　saying　this；　the　King；　who　really　loved

her　as　much　as　ever；　was　feeling　terribly　sad　at　being　so

rapidly　torn　away　from　his　beloved　Princess；　but　he　knew

too　well　how　powerful　the　Fairy　was　to　have　any　hope　of

escaping　from　her　except　by　great　patience　and　cunning。



The　Fairy　of　the　Desert　had　also　seen　Bellissima；　and

she　tried　to　read　in　the　King's　eyes　the　effect　that　this

unexpected　sight　had　had　upon　him。



〃No　one　can　tell　you　what　you　wish　to　know　better　than

I　can；〃　said　he。　〃This　chance　meeting　with　an　unhappy

princess　for　whom　I　once　had　a　passing　fancy；　before　I

was　lucky　enough　to　meet　you；　has　affected　me　a　little；　I

admit；　but　you　are　so　much　more　to　me　than　she　is　that

I　would　rather　die　than　leave　you。〃



〃Ah；　Prince；〃　she　said；　〃can　I　believe　that　you　really

love　me　so　much？〃



〃Time　will　show；　madam；〃　replied　the　King；　〃but　if　you

wish　to　convince　me　that　you　have　some　regard　for　me；　do

not；　I　beg　of　you；　refuse　to　aid　Bellissima。〃



〃Do　you　know　what　you　are　asking？〃　said　the　Fairy　of

the　Desert；　frowning；　and　looking　at　him　suspiciously。

〃Do　you　want　me　to　employ　my　art　against　the　Yellow

Dwarf；　who　is　my　best　friend；　and　take　away　from　him　a

proud　princess　whom　I　can　but　look　upon　as　my　rival？〃



The　King　sighed；　but　made　no　answerindeed；　what

was　there　to　be　said　to　such　a　clear…sighted　person？　At

last　they　reached　a　vast　meadow；　gay　with　all　sorts　of

flowers；　a　deep　river　surrounded　it；　and　many　little　brooks

murmured　softly　under　the　shady　trees；　where　it　was

always　cool　and　fresh。　A　little　way　off　stood　a　splendid

palace；　the　walls　of　which　were　of　transparent　emeralds。

As　soon　as　the　swans　which　drew　the　Fairy's　chariot　had

alighted　under　a　porch；　which　was　paved　with　diamonds

and　had　arches　of　rubies；　they　were　greeted　on　all　sides　by

thousands　of　beautiful　beings；　who　came　to　meet　them

joyfully；　singing　these　words：



　　〃When　Love　within　a　heart　would　reign；

　　　　　　　Useless　to　strive　against　him　'tis。

　　The　proud　but　feel　a　sharper　pain；

　　　　　　　And　make　a　greater　triumph　his。〃





The　Fairy　of　the　Desert　was　delighted　to　hear　them

sing　of　her　triumphs；　she　led　the　King　into　the　most

splendid　room　that　can　be　imagined；　and　left　him　alone

for　a　little　while；　just　that　he　might　not　feel　that　he　was

a　prisoner；　but　he　felt　sure　that　she　had　not　really　gone

quite　away；　but　was　watching　him　from　some　hiding…

place。　So　walking　up　to　a　great　mirror；　he　said　to　it；

〃Trusty　counsellor；　let　me　see　what　I　can　do　to　make

myself　agreeable　to　the　charming　Fairy　of　the　Desert；　for　I

can　think　of　nothing　but　how　to　please　her。〃



And　he　at　once　set　to　work　to　curl　his　hair；　and；　seeing

upon　a　table　a　grander　coat　than　his　own；　he　put　it　on

carefully。　The　Fairy　came　back　so　delighted　that　she

could　not　conceal　her　joy。



〃I　am　quite　aware　of　the　trouble　you　have　taken　to

please　me；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　must　tell　you　that　you　have

succeeded　perfectly　already。　You　see　it　is　not　difficult　to

do　if　you　really　care　for　me。〃



The　King；　who　had　his　own　reasons　for　wishing　to　keep

the　old　Fairy　in　a　good　humor；　did　not　spare　pretty

speeches；　and　after　a　time　he　was　allowed　to　walk　by

himself　upon　the　sea…shore。　The　Fairy　of　the　Desert　had

by　her　enchantments　raised　such　a　terrible　storm　that　the

boldest　pilot　would　not　venture　out　in　it；　so　she　was　not

afraid　of　her　prisoner's　being　able　to　escape；　and　he　found

it　some　relief　to　think　sadly　over　his　terrible　situation

without　being　interrupted　by　his　cruel　captor。



Presently；　after　walking　wildly　up　and　down；　he　wrote

these　verses　upon　the　sand　with　his　stick：



〃At　last　may　I　upon　this　shore

　　Lighten　my　sorrow　with　soft　tears。

Alas！　alas！　I　see　no　more

　　My　Love；　who　yet　my　sadness　cheers。



〃And　thou；　O　raging；　stormy　Sea；

　　Stirred　by　wild　winds；　from　depth　to　height；

Thou　hold'st　my　loved　one　far　from　me；

　　And　I　am　captive　to　thy　might。



〃My　heart　is　still　more　wild　than　thine；

　　For　Fate　is　cruel　unto　me。

Why　must　I　thus　in　exile　pine？

　　Why　is　my　Princess　snatched　from　me？



〃O！　lovely　Nymphs；　from　ocean　caves；

　　Who　know　how　sweet　true　love　may　be；

Come　up　and　calm　the　furious　waves

　　And　set　a　desperate　lover　free！〃





While　he　was　still　writing　he　heard　a　voice　which

attracted　his　attention　in　spite　of　himself。　Seeing　that　the

waves　were　rolling　in　higher　than　ever；　he　looked　all

round；　and　presently　saw　a　lovely　lady　floating　gently

toward　him　upon　the　crest　of　a　huge　billow；　her　long　hair

spread　all　about　her；　in　one　hand　she　held　a　mirror；　and　in

the　other　a　comb；　and　instead　of　feet　she　had　a　beautiful

tail　like　a　fish；　with　which　she　swam。



The　King　was　struck　dumb　with　astonishment　at　this

unexpected　sight；　but　as　soon　as　she　came　within　speaking

distance；　she　said　to　him；　〃I　know　how　sad　you　are　at

losing　your　Princess　and　being　kept　a　prisoner　by　the　Fairy

of　the　Desert；　if　you　like　I　will　help　you　to　escape　from

this　fatal　place；　where　you　may　otherwise　have　to　drag　on

a　weary　existence　for　thirty　years　or　more。〃



The　King　of　the　Gold　Mines　hardly　knew　what　answer

to　make　to　this　proposal。　Not　because　he　did　not　wish

very　much　to　escape；　but　he　was　afraid　that　this　might

be　only　another　device　by　which　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert

was　trying　to　deceive　him。　As　he　hesitated　the　Mermaid；

who　guessed　his　thoughts；　said　to　him：



〃You　may　trust　me：　I　am　not　trying　to　entrap　you。　I

am　so　angry　with　the　Yellow　Dwarf　and　the　Fairy　of　the

Desert　that　I　am　not　likely　to　wish　to　help　them；

especially　since　I　constantly　see　your　poor　Princess；　whose

beauty　and　goodness　make　me　pity　her　so　much；　and　I

tell　you　that　if　you　will　have　confidence　in　me　I　will　help

you　to　escape。〃



〃I　trust　you　absolutely；〃　cried　the　King；　〃and　I　will　do

whatever　you　tell　me；　but　if　you　have　seen　my　Princess　I

beg　of　you　to　tell　me　how　she　is　and　what　is　happening　to

her。



〃We　must　not　waste　time　in　talking；〃　said　she。　〃Come

with　me　and　I　will　carry　you　to　the　Castle　of　Steel；　and

we　will　leave　upon　this　shore　a　figure　so　like　you　that　even

the　Fairy　herself　will　be　deceived　by　it。〃



So　saying；　she　quickly　collected　a　bundle　of　sea…weed；

and；　blowing　it　three　times；　she　said：



〃My　friendly　sea…weeds；　I　order　you　to　stay　here

stretched　upon　the　sand　until　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert

comes　to　take　you　away。〃　And　at　once　the　sea…weeds　became

like　the　King；　who　stood　looking　at　them　in　great

astonishment；　for　they　were　even　dressed　in　a　coat　like

his；　but　they　lay　there　pale　and　still　as　the　King　himself

might　have　lain　if　one　of　the　great　waves　had　overtaken

him　and　thrown　him　senseless　upon　the　shore。　And　then

the　Mermaid　caught　up　the　King；　and　away　they　swam

joyfully　together。



〃Now；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　time　to　tell　you　about　the

Princess。　In　spite　of　the　blow　which　the　Fairy　of　the

Desert　gave　her；　the　Yellow　Dwarf　compelled　her　to

mount　behind　him　upon　his　terrible　Spanish　cat；　but　she

soon　fainted　away　with　pain　and　terror；　and　did　not　recover

till　they　were　within　the　walls　of　his　frightful　Castle

of　Steel。　Here　she　was　received　by　the　prettiest　girls　it

was　possible　to　find；　who　had　been　carried　there　by　the

Yellow　Dwarf；　who　hastened　to　wait　upon　her　and　showed

her　every　possible　attention。　She　was　laid　upon　a　couch

covered　with　cloth　of　gold；　embroidered　with　pearls　as　big

as　nuts。〃



〃Ah！〃　interrupted　the　King　of　the　Gold　Mines；　〃if

Bellissima　forgets　me；　and　consents　to　marry　him；　I　shall

break　my　heart。〃



〃You　need　not　be　afraid　of　that；〃　answered　the

Mermaid；　〃the　Princess　thinks　of　no　one　but　you；　and　the

frightful　Dwarf　cannot　persuade　her　to　look　at　him。〃



〃Pray　go　on　with　your　story；〃　said　the　King。



〃What　more　is　there　to　tell　you？〃　replied　the　Mermaid。

〃Bellissima　was　sitting　in　the　wood　when　you　passed；　and

saw　you　with　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert；　who　was　so　cleverly

disguised　that　the　Princess　took　her　to　be　prettier　than

herself；　you　may　imagine　her　despair；　for　she　thought　that

you　had　fallen　in　love　with　her。〃



〃She　believes　that　I　love　her！〃　cried　the　King。　〃What

a　fatal　mistake！　What　is　to　be　done　to　undeceive　her？〃



〃You　know　best；〃　answered　the　Mermaid；　smiling

kindly　at　him。　〃When　people　are　as　much　in　love　with

one　another　as　you　two　are；　they　don't　need　advice　from

anyone　else。〃



As　she　spoke　they　reached　the　Castle　of　Steel；　the　side

next　the　sea　being　the　only　one　which　the　Yellow　Dwarf

had　left　unprotected　by　the　dreadful　burning　walls。