14-graciosa and percinet-第2章

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rage；　and　declared　that　the　whole　affair　was　Graciosa's　fault；　that

she　had　contrived　it　on　purpose　to　try　and　get　rid　of　her；　and　that

if　the　King　would　not　have　her　punished；　she　would　go　back　to　her

castle　and　enjoy　her　riches　by　herself。



At　this　the　King　was　terribly　frightened；　for　he　did　not　at　all

want　to　lose　all　those　barrels　of　gold　and　jewels。　So　he　hastened

to　appease　the　Duchess；　and　told　her　she　might　punish　Graciosa　in

any　way　she　pleased。



Thereupon　she　sent　for　Graciosa；　who　turned　pale　and　trembled

at　the　summons；　for　she　guessed　that　it　promised　nothing　agreeable

for　her。　She　looked　all　about　for　Percinet；　but　he　was　nowhere　to

be　seen；　so　she　had　no　choice　but　to　go　to　the　Duchess　Grumbly's

room。　She　had　hardly　got　inside　the　door　when　she　was　seized　by

four　waiting　women；　who　looked　so　tall　and　strong　and　cruel　that

the　Princess　shuddered　at　the　sight　of　them；　and　still　more　when　she

saw　them　arming　themselves　with　great　bundles　of　rods；　and　heard

the　Duchess　call　out　to　them　from　her　bed　to　beat　the　Princess

without　mercy。　Poor　Graciosa　wished　miserably　that　Percinet

could　only　know　what　was　happening　and　come　to　rescue　her。　But

no　sooner　did　they　begin　to　beat　her　than　she　found；　to　her　great

relief；　that　the　rods　had　changed　to　bundles　of　peacock's　feathers；

and　though　the　Duchess's　women　went　on　till　they　were　so　tired

that　they　could　no　longer　raise　their　arms　from　their　sides；　yet　she

was　not　hurt　in　the　least。　However；　the　Duchess　thought　she　must

be　black　and　blue　after　such　a　beating；　so　Graciosa；　when　she　was

released；　pretended　to　feel　very　bad；　and　went　away　into　her　own

room；　where　she　told　her　nurse　all　that　had　happened；　and　then　the

nurse　left　her；　and　when　the　Princess　turned　round　there　stood

Percinet　beside　her。　She　thanked　him　gratefully　for　helping　her　so

cleverly；　and　they　laughed　and　were　very　merry　over　the　way　they

had　taken　in　the　Duchess　and　her　waiting…maids；　but　Percinet

advised　her　still　to　pretend　to　be　ill　for　a　few　days；　and　after

promising　to　come　to　her　aid　whenever　she　needed　him；　he　disappeared

as　suddenly　as　he　had　come。



The　Duchess　was　so　delighted　at　the　idea　that　Graciosa　was

really　ill；　that　she　herself　recovered　twice　as　fast　as　she　would　have

done　otherwise；　and　the　wedding　was　held　with　great　magnificence。

Now　as　the　King　knew　that；　above　all　other　things；　the　Queen　loved

to　be　told　that　she　was　beautiful；　he　ordered　that　her　portrait　should

be　painted；　and　that　a　tournament　should　be　held；　at　which　all　the

bravest　knights　of　his　court　should　maintain　against　all　comers　that

Grumbly　was　the　most　beautiful　princess　in　the　world。



Numbers　of　knights　came　from　far　and　wide　to　accept　the

challenge；　and　the　hideous　Queen　sat　in　great　state　in　a　balcony

hung　with　cloth　of　gold　to　watch　the　contests；　and　Graciosa　had　to

stand　up　behind　her；　where　her　loveliness　was　so　conspicuous　that

the　combatants　could　not　keep　their　eyes　off　her。　But　the　Queen

was　so　vain　that　she　thought　all　their　admiring　glances　were　for

herself；　especially　as；　in　spite　of　the　badness　of　their　cause；　the　King's

knights　were　so　brave　that　they　were　the　victors　in　every　combat。



However；　when　nearly　all　the　strangers　had　been　defeated；　a

young　unknown　knight　presented　himself。　He　carried　a　portrait；

enclosed　in　a　bow　encrusted　with　diamonds；　and　he　declared　himself

willing　to　maintain　against　them　all　that　the　Queen　was　the

ugliest　creature　in　the　world；　and　that　the　Princess　whose　portrait

he　carried　was　the　most　beautiful。



So　one　by　one　the　knights　came　out　against　him；　and　one　by

one　he　vanquished　them　all；　and　then　he　opened　the　box；　and　said

that；　to　console　them；　he　would　show　them　the　portrait　of　his　Queen

of　Beauty；　and　when　he　did　so　everyone　recognised　the　Princess

Graciosa。　The　unknown　knight　then　saluted　her　gracefully　and

retired；　without　telling　his　name　to　anybody。　But　Graciosa　had　no

difficulty　in　guessing　that　it　was　Percinet。



As　to　the　Queen；　she　was　so　furiously　angry　that　she　could

hardly　speak；　but　she　soon　recovered　her　voice；　and　overwhelmed

Graciosa　with　a　torrent　of　reproaches。



‘What！'　she　said；　‘do　you　dare　to　dispute　with　me　for　the　prize

of　beauty；　and　expect　me　to　endure　this　insult　to　my　knights？　But

I　will　not　bear　it；　proud　Princess。　I　will　have　my　revenge。'



‘I　assure　you；　Madam；'　said　the　Princess；　‘that　I　had　nothing　to

do　with　it　and　am　quite　willing　that　you　shall　be　declared　Queen

of　Beauty



‘Ah！　you　are　pleased　to　jest；　popinjay！'　said　the　Queen；　‘but

it　will　be　my　turn　soon！'



The　King　was　speedily　told　what　had　happened；　and　how　the

Princess　was　in　terror　of　the　angry　Queen；　but　he　only　said：

‘The　Queen　must　do　as　she　pleases。　Graciosa　belongs　to　her！'



The　wicked　Queen　waited　impatiently　until　night　fell；　and　then

she　ordered　her　carriage　to　be　brought。　Graciosa；　much　against

her　will；　was　forced　into　it；　and　away　they　drove；　and　never　stopped

until　they　reached　a　great　forest；　a　hundred　leagues　from　the

palace。　This　forest　was　so　gloomy；　and　so　full　of　lions；　tigers；　bears

and　wolves；　that　nobody　dared　pass　through　it　even　by　daylight；

and　here　they　set　down　the　unhappy　Princess　in　the　middle　of　the

black　night；　and　left　her　in　spite　of　all　her　tears　and　entreaties。　The

Princess　stood　quite　still　at　first　from　sheer　bewilderment；　but　when

the　last　sound　of　the　retreating　carriages　died　away　in　the　distance

she　began　to　run　aimlessly　hither　and　thither；　sometimes　knocking

herself　against　a　tree；　sometimes　tripping　over　a　stone；　fearing

every　minute　that　she　would　be　eaten　up　by　the　lions。　Presently

she　was　too　tired　to　advance　another　step；　so　she　threw　herself

down　upon　the　ground　and　cried　miserably：



‘Oh；　Percinet！　where　are　you？　Have　you　forgotten　me　altogether？'



She　had　hardly　spoken　when　all　the　forest　was　lighted　up　with

a　sudden　glow。　Every　tree　seemed　to　be　sending　out　a　soft

radiance；　which　was　clearer　than　moonlight　and　softer　than

daylight；　and　at　the　end　of　a　long　avenue　of　trees　opposite　to　her　the

Princess　saw　a　palace　of　clear　crystal　which　blazed　like　the　sun。

At　that　moment　a　slight　sound　behind　her　made　her　start　round；

and　there　stood　Percinet　himself。



‘Did　I　frighten　you；　my　Princess？'　said　he。　‘I　come　to　bid　you

welcome　to　our　fairy　palace；　in　the　name　of　the　Queen；　my　mother；

who　is　prepared　to　love　you　as　much　as　I　do。'　The　Princess

joyfully　mounted　with　him　into　a　little　sledge；　drawn　by　two　stags；

which　bounded　off　and　drew　them　swiftly　to　the　wonderful　palace；

where　the　Queen　received　her　with　the　greatest　kindness；　and　a

splendid　banquet　was　served　at　once。　Graciosa　was　so　happy　to

have　found　Percinet；　and　to　have　escaped　from　the　gloomy　forest

and　all　its　terrors；　that　she　was　very　hungry　and　very　merry；　and

they　were　a　gay　party。　After　supper　they　went　into　another　lovely

room；　where　the　crystal　walls　were　covered　with　pictures；　and　the

Princess　saw　with　great　surprise　that　her　own　history　was　repre…

sented；　even　down　to　the　moment　when　Percinet　found　her　in　the

forest。



‘Your　painters　must　indeed　be　diligent；'　she　said；　pointing　out

the　last　picture　to　the　Prince。



‘They　are　obliged　to　be；　for　I　will　not　have　anything　forgotten

that　happens　to　you；'　he　answered。



When　the　Princess　grew　sleepy；　twenty…four　charming　maidens

put　her　to　bed　in　the　prettiest　room　she　had　ever　seen；　and　then

sang　to　her　so　sweetly　that　Graciosa's　dreams　were　all　of　mermaids；

and　cool　sea　waves；　and　caverns；　in　which　she　wandered　with

Percinet；　but　when　she　woke　up　again　her　first　thought　was　that；

delightful　as　this　fairy　palace　seemed　to　her；　yet　she　could　not　stay

in　it；　but　must　go　back　to　her　father。　When　she　had　been　dressed

by　the　four…and…twenty　maidens　in　a　charming　robe　which　the

Queen　had　sent　for　her；　and　in　which　she　looked　prettier　than　ever；

Prince　Percinet　came　to　see　her；　and　was　bitterly　disappointed　when

she　told　him　what　she　had　been　thinking。　He　begged　her　to

consider　again　how　unhappy　the　wicked　Queen　would　make　her；　and

how；　if　she　would　but　marry　him；　all　the　fairy　palace　would　be

hers；　and　his　one　thought　would　be　to　please　her。　But；　in　spite　of

everything　he　could　say；　the　Princess　was　quite　determined　to　go

back；　though　he　at　last　persuaded　her　to　stay　eight　days；　which　were

so　full　of　pleasure　and　amusement　that　they　passed　like　a　few

hours。　On　the　last　day；　Graciosa；　who　had　often　felt　anxious　to

know　what　was　going　on　in　her　father's　palace；　said　to　Percinet

that　she　was　sure　that　he　could　find　out　for　her；　if　he　would；　what

reason　the　Queen　had　given　her　father　for　her　sudden　disappearance。

Percinet　at　first　offered　to　send　his　courier　to　find　out；　but

the　Princess　said：



‘Oh！　isn't　there　a　quicker　way　of　knowing　than　that？'



‘Very　well；'　said　Percinet；　‘you　shall　see　for　yourself。'



So　up　they　went　together　to　the　top　of　a　very　high　tower；　which；

like　the　rest　of　the　castle；　was　built　entirely　of　rock…crystal。



There　the　Prince　held　Graciosa's　hand　in　his；　and　made　her　put

the　tip　of　her　little　finger　into　her　mouth；　and　look　towards　the　town；

and　immediately　she　saw　the　wicked　Queen　go　to　the　King；　and

heard　her　say　to　him；　‘That　miserable　Princess　is　dead；　and　no

great　loss　either。　I　have　ordered　that　she　shall　be　buried　at　once。'



And　then　the　Princess　saw　how　she　dressed　up　a　log　of　wood

and　had　it　buried；　and　how　the　old　King　cried；　and　all　the　people

murmured　that　the　Queen　had　killed　Graciosa　with　her　cruelties；

and　that　she　ought　to　have　her　head　cut　off。　When　the　Princess

saw　that　the　King　was　so　sorry　for　her　pretended　death　that　he

could　neither　eat　nor　drink；　she　cried：



‘Ah；　Percinet！　take　me　back　quickly　if　you　love　me。'



And　so；　though　he　did　not　want　to　at　all；　he　was　obliged　to

promise　that　he　would　let　her　go。



‘You　may　not　regret　me；　Princess；'　he　said　sadly；　‘for　I　fear

that　you　do　not　love　me　well　enough；　but　I　foresee　that　you　will

more　than　once　regret　that　you　left　this　fairy　palace　where　we

have　been　so　happy。'



But；　in　spite　of　all　he　could　say；　she　bade　farewell　to　the　Queen；

his　mother；　and　prepared　to　set　out；　so　Percinet；　very　unwillingly；

brought　the　little　sledge　with　the　stags　and　she　mounted　beside　him。

But　they　had　hardly　gone　twenty　yards　when　a　tremendous　noise

behind　her　made　Graciosa　look　back；　and　she　saw　the　palace　of　crystal

fly　into　a　million　splinters；　like　the　spray　of　a　fountain；　and　vanish。



‘Oh；　Percinet！'　she　cried；　‘what　has　happened？　The　palace　is

gone。'



‘Yes；'　he　answered；　‘my　palace　is　a　thing　of　the　past；　you　will

see　it　again；　but　not　until　after　you　have　been　buried。'



‘Now　you　are　angry　with　me；'　said　Graciosa　in　her　most　coaxing

voice；　‘though　after　all　I　am　more　to　be　pitied　than　you　are。'



When　they　got　near　the　palace　the　Prince　made　the　sledge　and

themselves