the birthday of the infanta-第4节

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

of　every　animal；　and　could　track　the　hare　by　its　delicate

footprints；　and　the　boar　by　the　trampled　leaves。　　All　the　wild…

dances　he　knew；　the　mad　dance　in　red　raiment　with　the　autumn；　the

light　dance　in　blue　sandals　over　the　corn；　the　dance　with　white

snow…wreaths　in　winter；　and　the　blossom…dance　through　the　orchards

in　spring。　　He　knew　where　the　wood…pigeons　built　their　nests；　and

once　when　a　fowler　had　snared　the　parent　birds；　he　had　brought　up

the　young　ones　himself；　and　had　built　a　little　dovecot　for　them　in

the　cleft　of　a　pollard　elm。　　They　were　quite　tame；　and　used　to　feed

out　of　his　hands　every　morning。　　She　would　like　them；　and　the

rabbits　that　scurried　about　in　the　long　fern；　and　the　jays　with

their　steely　feathers　and　black　bills；　and　the　hedgehogs　that　could

curl　themselves　up　into　prickly　balls；　and　the　great　wise　tortoises

that　crawled　slowly　about；　shaking　their　heads　and　nibbling　at　the

young　leaves。　　Yes；　she　must　certainly　come　to　the　forest　and　play

with　him。　　He　would　give　her　his　own　little　bed；　and　would　watch

outside　the　window　till　dawn；　to　see　that　the　wild　horned　cattle

did　not　harm　her；　nor　the　gaunt　wolves　creep　too　near　the　hut。　　And

at　dawn　he　would　tap　at　the　shutters　and　wake　her；　and　they　would

go　out　and　dance　together　all　the　day　long。　　It　was　really　not　a

bit　lonely　in　the　forest。　　Sometimes　a　Bishop　rode　through　on　his

white　mule；　reading　out　of　a　painted　book。　　Sometimes　in　their

green　velvet　caps；　and　their　jerkins　of　tanned　deerskin；　the

falconers　passed　by；　with　hooded　hawks　on　their　wrists。　　At

vintage…time　came　the　grape…treaders；　with　purple　hands　and　feet；

wreathed　with　glossy　ivy　and　carrying　dripping　skins　of　wine；　and

the　charcoal…burners　sat　round　their　huge　braziers　at　night；

watching　the　dry　logs　charring　slowly　in　the　fire；　and　roasting

chestnuts　in　the　ashes；　and　the　robbers　came　out　of　their　caves　and

made　merry　with　them。　　Once；　too；　he　had　seen　a　beautiful

procession　winding　up　the　long　dusty　road　to　Toledo。　　The　monks

went　in　front　singing　sweetly；　and　carrying　bright　banners　and

crosses　of　gold；　and　then；　in　silver　armour；　with　matchlocks　and

pikes；　came　the　soldiers；　and　in　their　midst　walked　three

barefooted　men；　in　strange　yellow　dresses　painted　all　over　with

wonderful　figures；　and　carrying　lighted　candles　in　their　hands。

Certainly　there　was　a　great　deal　to　look　at　in　the　forest；　and　when

she　was　tired　he　would　find　a　soft　bank　of　moss　for　her；　or　carry

her　in　his　arms；　for　he　was　very　strong；　though　he　knew　that　he　was

not　tall。　　He　would　make　her　a　necklace　of　red　bryony　berries；　that

would　be　quite　as　pretty　as　the　white　berries　that　she　wore　on　her

dress；　and　when　she　was　tired　of　them；　she　could　throw　them　away；

and　he　would　find　her　others。　　He　would　bring　her　acorn…cups　and

dew…drenched　anemones；　and　tiny　glow…worms　to　be　stars　in　the　pale

gold　of　her　hair。



But　where　was　she？　　He　asked　the　white　rose；　and　it　made　him　no

answer。　　The　whole　palace　seemed　asleep；　and　even　where　the

shutters　had　not　been　closed；　heavy　curtains　had　been　drawn　across

the　windows　to　keep　out　the　glare。　　He　wandered　all　round　looking

for　some　place　through　which　he　might　gain　an　entrance；　and　at　last

he　caught　sight　of　a　little　private　door　that　was　lying　open。　　He

slipped　through；　and　found　himself　in　a　splendid　hall；　far　more

splendid；　he　feared；　than　the　forest；　there　was　so　much　more

gilding　everywhere；　and　even　the　floor　was　made　of　great　coloured

stones；　fitted　together　into　a　sort　of　geometrical　pattern。　　But

the　little　Infanta　was　not　there；　only　some　wonderful　white　statues

that　looked　down　on　him　from　their　jasper　pedestals；　with　sad　blank

eyes　and　strangely　smiling　lips。



At　the　end　of　the　hall　hung　a　richly　embroidered　curtain　of　black

velvet；　powdered　with　suns　and　stars；　the　King's　favourite　devices；

and　broidered　on　the　colour　he　loved　best。　　Perhaps　she　was　hiding

behind　that？　　He　would　try　at　any　rate。



So　he　stole　quietly　across；　and　drew　it　aside。　　No；　there　was　only

another　room；　though　a　prettier　room；　he　thought；　than　the　one　he

had　just　left。　　The　walls　were　hung　with　a　many…figured　green　arras

of　needle…wrought　tapestry　representing　a　hunt；　the　work　of　some

Flemish　artists　who　had　spent　more　than　seven　years　in　its

composition。　　It　had　once　been　the　chamber　of　JEAN　LE　FOU；　as　he

was　called；　that　mad　King　who　was　so　enamoured　of　the　chase；　that

he　had　often　tried　in　his　delirium　to　mount　the　huge　rearing

horses；　and　to　drag　down　the　stag　on　which　the　great　hounds　were

leaping；　sounding　his　hunting　horn；　and　stabbing　with　his　dagger　at

the　pale　flying　deer。　　It　was　now　used　as　the　council…room；　and　on

the　centre　table　were　lying　the　red　portfolios　of　the　ministers；

stamped　with　the　gold　tulips　of　Spain；　and　with　the　arms　and

emblems　of　the　house　of　Hapsburg。



The　little　Dwarf　looked　in　wonder　all　round　him；　and　was　half…

afraid　to　go　on。　　The　strange　silent　horsemen　that　galloped　so

swiftly　through　the　long　glades　without　making　any　noise；　seemed　to

him　like　those　terrible　phantoms　of　whom　he　had　heard　the　charcoal…

burners　speaking　…　the　Comprachos；　who　hunt　only　at　night；　and　if

they　meet　a　man；　turn　him　into　a　hind；　and　chase　him。　　But　he

thought　of　the　pretty　Infanta；　and　took　courage。　　He　wanted　to　find

her　alone；　and　to　tell　her　that　he　too　loved　her。　　Perhaps　she　was

in　the　room　beyond。



He　ran　across　the　soft　Moorish　carpets；　and　opened　the　door。　　No！

She　was　not　here　either。　　The　room　was　quite　empty。



It　was　a　throne…room；　used　for　the　reception　of　foreign

ambassadors；　when　the　King；　which　of　late　had　not　been　often；

consented　to　give　them　a　personal　audience；　the　same　room　in　which；

many　years　before；　envoys　had　appeared　from　England　to　make

arrangements　for　the　marriage　of　their　Queen；　then　one　of　the

Catholic　sovereigns　of　Europe；　with　the　Emperor's　eldest　son。　　The

hangings　were　of　gilt　Cordovan　leather；　and　a　heavy　gilt　chandelier

with　branches　for　three　hundred　wax　lights　hung　down　from　the　black

and　white　ceiling。　　Underneath　a　great　canopy　of　gold　cloth；　on

which　the　lions　and　towers　of　Castile　were　broidered　in　seed

pearls；　stood　the　throne　itself；　covered　with　a　rich　pall　of　black

velvet　studded　with　silver　tulips　and　elaborately　fringed　with

silver　and　pearls。　　On　the　second　step　of　the　throne　was　placed　the

kneeling…stool　of　the　Infanta；　with　its　cushion　of　cloth　of　silver

tissue；　and　below　that　again；　and　beyond　the　limit　of　the　canopy；

stood　the　chair　for　the　Papal　Nuncio；　who　alone　had　the　right　to　be

seated　in　the　King's　presence　on　the　occasion　of　any　public

ceremonial；　and　whose　Cardinal's　hat；　with　its　tangled　scarlet

tassels；　lay　on　a　purple　TABOURET　in　front。　　On　the　wall；　facing

the　throne；　hung　a　life…sized　portrait　of　Charles　V。　in　hunting

dress；　with　a　great　mastiff　by　his　side；　and　a　picture　of　Philip

II。　receiving　the　homage　of　the　Netherlands　occupied　the　centre　of

the　other　wall。　　Between　the　windows　stood　a　black　ebony　cabinet；

inlaid　with　plates　of　ivory；　on　which　the　figures　from　Holbein's

Dance　of　Death　had　been　graved　…　by　the　hand；　some　said；　of　that

famous　master　himself。



But　the　little　Dwarf　cared　nothing　for　all　this　magnificence。　　He

would　not　have　given　his　rose　for　all　the　pearls　on　the　canopy；　nor

one　white　petal　of　his　rose　for　the　throne　itself。　　What　he　wanted

was　to　see　the　Infanta　before　she　went　down　to　the　pavilion；　and　to

ask　her　to　come　away　with　him　when　he　had　finished　his　dance。

Here；　in　the　Palace；　the　air　was　close　and　heavy；　but　in　the　forest

the　wind　blew　free；　and　the　sunlight　with　wandering　hands　of　gold

moved　the　tremulous　leaves　aside。　　There　were　flowers；　too；　in　the

forest；　not　so　splendid；　perhaps；　as　the　flowers　in　the　garden；　but

more　sweetly　scented　for　all　that；　hyacinths　in　early　spring　that

flooded　with　waving　purple　the　cool　glens；　and　grassy　knolls；

yellow　primroses　that　nestled　in　little　clumps　round　the　gnarled

roots　of　the　oak…trees；　bright　celandine；　and　blue　speedwell；　and

irises　lilac　and　gold。　　There　were　grey　catkins　on　the　hazels；　and

the　foxgloves　drooped　with　the　weight　of　their　dappled　bee…haunted

cells。　　The　chestnut　had　its　spires　of　white　stars；　and　the

hawthorn　its　pallid　moons　of　beauty。　　Yes：　　surely　she　would　come

if　he　could　only　find　her！　　She　would　come　with　him　to　the　fair

forest；　and　all　day　long　he　would　dance　for　her　delight。　　A　smile

lit　up　his　eyes　at　the　thought；　and　he　passed　into　the　next　room。



Of　all　the　rooms　this　was　the　brightest　and　the　most　beautiful。

The　walls　were　covered　with　a　pink…flowered　Lucca　damask；　patterned

with　birds　and　dotted　with　dainty　blossoms　of　silver；　the　furniture

was　of　massive　silver；　festooned　with　florid　wreaths；　and　swinging

Cupids；　in　front　of　the　two　large　fire…places　stood　great　screens

broidered　with　parrots　and　peacocks；　and