the birthday of the infanta-第3节

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them；　and　at　the　close　of　each　dance　he　made　them　each　the　funniest

of　bows；　smiling　and　nodding　at　them　just　as　if　he　was　really　one

of　themselves；　and　not　a　little　misshapen　thing　that　Nature；　in

some　humourous　mood；　had　fashioned　for　others　to　mock　at。　　As　for

the　Infanta；　she　absolutely　fascinated　him。　　He　could　not　keep　his

eyes　off　her；　and　seemed　to　dance　for　her　alone；　and　when　at　the

close　of　the　performance；　remembering　how　she　had　seen　the　great

ladies　of　the　Court　throw　bouquets　to　Caffarelli；　the　famous

Italian　treble；　whom　the　Pope　had　sent　from　his　own　chapel　to

Madrid　that　he　might　cure　the　King's　melancholy　by　the　sweetness　of

his　voice；　she　took　out　of　her　hair　the　beautiful　white　rose；　and

partly　for　a　jest　and　partly　to　tease　the　Camerera；　threw　it　to　him

across　the　arena　with　her　sweetest　smile；　he　took　the　whole　matter

quite　seriously；　and　pressing　the　flower　to　his　rough　coarse　lips

he　put　his　hand　upon　his　heart；　and　sank　on　one　knee　before　her；

grinning　from　ear　to　ear；　and　with　his　little　bright　eyes　sparkling

with　pleasure。



This　so　upset　the　gravity　of　the　Infanta　that　she　kept　on　laughing

long　after　the　little　Dwarf　had　ran　out　of　the　arena；　and　expressed

a　desire　to　her　uncle　that　the　dance　should　be　immediately

repeated。　　The　Camerera；　however；　on　the　plea　that　the　sun　was　too

hot；　decided　that　it　would　be　better　that　her　Highness　should

return　without　delay　to　the　Palace；　where　a　wonderful　feast　had

been　already　prepared　for　her；　including　a　real　birthday　cake　with

her　own　initials　worked　all　over　it　in　painted　sugar　and　a　lovely

silver　flag　waving　from　the　top。　　The　Infanta　accordingly　rose　up

with　much　dignity；　and　having　given　orders　that　the　little　dwarf

was　to　dance　again　for　her　after　the　hour　of　siesta；　and　conveyed

her　thanks　to　the　young　Count　of　Tierra…Nueva　for　his　charming

reception；　she　went　back　to　her　apartments；　the　children　following

in　the　same　order　in　which　they　had　entered。





Now　when　the　little　Dwarf　heard　that　he　was　to　dance　a　second　time

before　the　Infanta；　and　by　her　own　express　command；　he　was　so　proud

that　he　ran　out　into　the　garden；　kissing　the　white　rose　in　an

absurd　ecstasy　of　pleasure；　and　making　the　most　uncouth　and　clumsy

gestures　of　delight。



The　Flowers　were　quite　indignant　at　his　daring　to　intrude　into

their　beautiful　home；　and　when　they　saw　him　capering　up　and　down

the　walks；　and　waving　his　arms　above　his　head　in　such　a　ridiculous

manner；　they　could　not　restrain　their　feelings　any　longer。



'He　is　really　far　too　ugly　to　be　allowed　to　play　in　any　place　where

we　are；'　cried　the　Tulips。



'He　should　drink　poppy…juice；　and　go　to　sleep　for　a　thousand

years；'　said　the　great　scarlet　Lilies；　and　they　grew　quite　hot　and

angry。



'He　is　a　perfect　horror！'　screamed　the　Cactus。　　'Why；　he　is　twisted

and　stumpy；　and　his　head　is　completely　out　of　proportion　with　his

legs。　　Really　he　makes　me　feel　prickly　all　over；　and　if　he　comes

near　me　I　will　sting　him　with　my　thorns。'



'And　he　has　actually　got　one　of　my　best　blooms；'　exclaimed　the

White　Rose…Tree。　　'I　gave　it　to　the　Infanta　this　morning　myself；　as

a　birthday　present；　and　he　has　stolen　it　from　her。'　　And　she　called

out：　　'Thief；　thief；　thief！'　at　the　top　of　her　voice。



Even　the　red　Geraniums；　who　did　not　usually　give　themselves　airs；

and　were　known　to　have　a　great　many　poor　relations　themselves；

curled　up　in　disgust　when　they　saw　him；　and　when　the　Violets　meekly

remarked　that　though　he　was　certainly　extremely　plain；　still　he

could　not　help　it；　they　retorted　with　a　good　deal　of　justice　that

that　was　his　chief　defect；　and　that　there　was　no　reason　why　one

should　admire　a　person　because　he　was　incurable；　and；　indeed；　some

of　the　Violets　themselves　felt　that　the　ugliness　of　the　little

Dwarf　was　almost　ostentatious；　and　that　he　would　have　shown　much

better　taste　if　he　had　looked　sad；　or　at　least　pensive；　instead　of

jumping　about　merrily；　and　throwing　himself　into　such　grotesque　and

silly　attitudes。



As　for　the　old　Sundial；　who　was　an　extremely　remarkable　individual；

and　had　once　told　the　time　of　day　to　no　less　a　person　than　the

Emperor　Charles　V。　himself；　he　was　so　taken　aback　by　the　little

Dwarf's　appearance；　that　he　almost　forgot　to　mark　two　whole　minutes

with　his　long　shadowy　finger；　and　could　not　help　saying　to　the

great　milk…white　Peacock；　who　was　sunning　herself　on　the

balustrade；　that　every　one　knew　that　the　children　of　Kings　were

Kings；　and　that　the　children　of　charcoal…burners　were　charcoal…

burners；　and　that　it　was　absurd　to　pretend　that　it　wasn't　so；　a

statement　with　which　the　Peacock　entirely　agreed；　and　indeed

screamed　out；　'Certainly；　certainly；'　in　such　a　loud；　harsh　voice；

that　the　gold…fish　who　lived　in　the　basin　of　the　cool　splashing

fountain　put　their　heads　out　of　the　water；　and　asked　the　huge　stone

Tritons　what　on　earth　was　the　matter。



But　somehow　the　Birds　liked　him。　　They　had　seen　him　often　in　the

forest；　dancing　about　like　an　elf　after　the　eddying　leaves；　or

crouched　up　in　the　hollow　of　some　old　oak…tree；　sharing　his　nuts

with　the　squirrels。　　They　did　not　mind　his　being　ugly；　a　bit。　　Why；

even　the　nightingale　herself；　who　sang　so　sweetly　in　the　orange

groves　at　night　that　sometimes　the　Moon　leaned　down　to　listen；　was

not　much　to　look　at　after　all；　and；　besides；　he　had　been　kind　to

them；　and　during　that　terribly　bitter　winter；　when　there　were　no

berries　on　the　trees；　and　the　ground　was　as　hard　as　iron；　and　the

wolves　had　come　down　to　the　very　gates　of　the　city　to　look　for

food；　he　had　never　once　forgotten　them；　but　had　always　given　them

crumbs　out　of　his　little　hunch　of　black　bread；　and　divided　with

them　whatever　poor　breakfast　he　had。



So　they　flew　round　and　round　him；　just　touching　his　cheek　with

their　wings　as　they　passed；　and　chattered　to　each　other；　and　the

little　Dwarf　was　so　pleased　that　he　could　not　help　showing　them　the

beautiful　white　rose；　and　telling　them　that　the　Infanta　herself　had

given　it　to　him　because　she　loved　him。



They　did　not　understand　a　single　word　of　what　he　was　saying；　but

that　made　no　matter；　for　they　put　their　heads　on　one　side；　and

looked　wise；　which　is　quite　as　good　as　understanding　a　thing；　and

very　much　easier。



The　Lizards　also　took　an　immense　fancy　to　him；　and　when　he　grew

tired　of　running　about　and　flung　himself　down　on　the　grass　to　rest；

they　played　and　romped　all　over　him；　and　tried　to　amuse　him　in　the

best　way　they　could。　　'Every　one　cannot　be　as　beautiful　as　a

lizard；'　they　cried；　'that　would　be　too　much　to　expect。　　And；

though　it　sounds　absurd　to　say　so；　he　is　really　not　so　ugly　after

all；　provided；　of　course；　that　one　shuts　one's　eyes；　and　does　not

look　at　him。'　　The　Lizards　were　extremely　philosophical　by　nature；

and　often　sat　thinking　for　hours　and　hours　together；　when　there　was

nothing　else　to　do；　or　when　the　weather　was　too　rainy　for　them　to

go　out。



The　Flowers；　however；　were　excessively　annoyed　at　their　behaviour；

and　at　the　behaviour　of　the　birds。　　'It　only　shows；'　they　said；

'what　a　vulgarising　effect　this　incessant　rushing　and　flying　about

has。　　Well…bred　people　always　stay　exactly　in　the　same　place；　as　we

do。　　No　one　ever　saw　us　hopping　up　and　down　the　walks；　or　galloping

madly　through　the　grass　after　dragon…flies。　　When　we　do　want　change

of　air；　we　send　for　the　gardener；　and　he　carries　us　to　another　bed。

This　is　dignified；　and　as　it　should　be。　　But　birds　and　lizards　have

no　sense　of　repose；　and　indeed　birds　have　not　even　a　permanent

address。　　They　are　mere　vagrants　like　the　gipsies；　and　should　be

treated　in　exactly　the　same　manner。'　　So　they　put　their　noses　in

the　air；　and　looked　very　haughty；　and　were　quite　delighted　when

after　some　time　they　saw　the　little　Dwarf　scramble　up　from　the

grass；　and　make　his　way　across　the　terrace　to　the　palace。



'He　should　certainly　be　kept　indoors　for　the　rest　of　his　natural

life；'　they　said。　　'Look　at　his　hunched　back；　and　his　crooked

legs；'　and　they　began　to　titter。



But　the　little　Dwarf　knew　nothing　of　all　this。　　He　liked　the　birds

and　the　lizards　immensely；　and　thought　that　the　flowers　were　the

most　marvellous　things　in　the　whole　world；　except　of　course　the

Infanta；　but　then　she　had　given　him　the　beautiful　white　rose；　and

she　loved　him；　and　that　made　a　great　difference。　　How　he　wished

that　he　had　gone　back　with　her！　　She　would　have　put　him　on　her

right　hand；　and　smiled　at　him；　and　he　would　have　never　left　her

side；　but　would　have　made　her　his　playmate；　and　taught　her　all

kinds　of　delightful　tricks。　　For　though　he　had　never　been　in　a

palace　before；　he　knew　a　great　many　wonderful　things。　　He　could

make　little　cages　out　of　rushes　for　the　grasshoppers　to　sing　in；

and　fashion　the　long　jointed　bamboo　into　the　pipe　that　Pan　loves　to

hear。　　He　knew　the　cry　of　every　bird；　and　could　call　the　starlings

from　the　tree…top；　or　the　heron　from　the　mere。　　He　knew　the　trail

of