04-the yellow dwarf-第2章

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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

easily　be　distinguished　among　all　the　ladies　who　attended

her。



The　King　of　the　Gold　Mines　was　not　less　noble　and

splendid；　it　was　easy　to　see　by　his　face　how　happy　he　was；

and　everyone　who　went　near　him　returned　loaded　with

presents；　for　all　round　the　great　banqueting　hall　had　been

arranged　a　thousand　barrels　full　of　gold；　and　numberless

bags　made　of　velvet　embroidered　with　pearls　and　filled

with　money；　each　one　containing　at　least　a　hundred

thousand　gold　pieces；　which　were　given　away　to　everyone

who　liked　to　hold　out　his　hand；　which　numbers　of　people

hastened　to　do；　you　may　be　sureindeed；　some　found

this　by　far　the　most　amusing　part　of　the　wedding　festivities。



The　Queen　and　the　Princess　were　just　ready　to　set　out

with　the　King　when　they　saw；　advancing　toward　them

from　the　end　of　the　long　gallery；　two　great　basilisks；

dragging　after　them　a　very　badly　made　box；　behind　them

came　a　tall　old　woman；　whose　ugliness　was　even　more

surprising　than　her　extreme　old　age。　She　wore　a　ruff　of

black　taffeta；　a　red　velvet　hood；　and　a　farthingale　all　in

rags；　and　she　leaned　heavily　upon　a　crutch。　This　strange

old　woman；　without　saying　a　single　word；　hobbled　three

times　round　the　gallery；　followed　by　the　basilisks；　then

stopping　in　the　middle；　and　brandishing　her　crutch

threateningly；　she　cried：



〃Ho；　ho；　Queen！　Ho；　ho；　Princess！　Do　you　think　you

are　going　to　break　with　impunity　the　promise　that　you

made　to　my　friend　the　Yellow　Dwarf？　I　am　the　Fairy　of

the　Desert；　without　the　Yellow　Dwarf　and　his　orange　tree

my　great　lions　would　soon　have　eaten　you　up；　I　can　tell

you；　and　in　Fairyland　we　do　not　suffer　ourselves　to　be

insulted　like　this。　Make　up　your　minds　at　once　what　you

will　do；　for　I　vow　that　you　shall　marry　the　Yellow　Dwarf。

If　you　don't；　may　I　burn　my　crutch！〃



〃Ah！　Princess；〃　said　the　Queen；　weeping；　〃what　is　this

that　I　hear？　What　have　you　promised？〃



〃Ah！　my　mother；〃　replied　Bellissima　sadly；　〃what　did

YOU　promise；　yourself？〃



The　King　of　the　Gold　Mines；　indignant　at　being　kept

from　his　happiness　by　this　wicked　old　woman；　went　up　to

her；　and　threatening　her　with　his　sword；　said：



〃Get　away　out　of　my　country　at　once；　and　for　ever；

miserable　creature；　lest　I　take　your　life；　and　so　rid　myself

of　your　malice。〃



He　had　hardly　spoken　these　words　when　the　lid　of　the

box　fell　back　on　the　floor　with　a　terrible　noise；　and　to　their

horror　out　sprang　the　Yellow　Dwarf；　mounted　upon　a

great　Spanish　cat。　〃Rash　youth！〃　he　cried；　rushing　between

the　Fairy　of　the　Desert　and　the　King。　〃Dare　to

lay　a　finger　upon　this　illustrious　Fairy！　Your　quarrel　is

with　me　only。　I　am　your　enemy　and　your　rival。　That

faithless　Princess　who　would　have　married　you　is　promised

to　me。　See　if　she　has　not　upon　her　finger　a　ring　made　of

one　of　my　hairs。　Just　try　to　take　it　off；　and　you　will　soon

find　out　that　I　am　more　powerful　than　you　are！〃



〃Wretched　little　monster！〃　said　the　King；　〃do　you　dare

to　call　yourself　the　Princess's　lover；　and　to　lay　claim　to

such　a　treasure？　Do　you　know　that　you　are　a　dwarf

that　you　are　so　ugly　that　one　cannot　bear　to　look　at　you

and　that　I　should　have　killed　you　myself　long　before

this　if　you　had　been　worthy　of　such　a　glorious　death？〃



The　Yellow　Dwarf；　deeply　enraged　at　these　words；　set

spurs　to　his　cat；　which　yelled　horribly；　and　leaped　hither

and　thitherterrifying　everybody　except　the　brave　King；

who　pursued　the　Dwarf　closely；　till　he；　drawing　a　great

knife　with　which　he　was　armed；　challenged　the　King　to

meet　him　in　single　combat；　and　rushed　down　into　the

courtyard　of　the　palace　with　a　terrible　clatter。　The　King；

quite　provoked；　followed　him　hastily；　but　they　had　hardly

taken　their　places　facing　one　another；　and　the　whole

Court　had　only　just　had　time　to　rush　out　upon　the

balconies　to　watch　what　was　going　on；　when　suddenly　the

sun　became　as　red　as　blood；　and　it　was　so　dark　that　they

could　scarcely　see