the little lame prince-第11章
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row a stone at them。 Now pop down on your knees； and take a peep at his Majesty
His Majesty！
The Prince gazed eagerly down into a large room； the largest room he had ever beheld； with furniture and hangings grander than anything he could have ever imagined。 A stray sunbeam； coming through a crevice of the darkened windows； struck across the carpet； and it was the loveliest carpet ever wovenjust like a bed of flowers to walk over； only nobody walked over it； the room being perfectly empty and silent。
〃Where is the King？〃 asked the puzzled boy。
〃There；〃 said Mag； pointing with one wrinkled claw to a magnificent bed； large enough to contain six people。 In the center of it； just visible under the silken counterpane；quite
straight and still；with its head on the lace pillow； lay a small figure； something like wax… work； fast asleepvery fast asleep！ There was a number of sparkling rings on the tiny yellow hands； that were curled a little； helplessly； like a baby's； outside the coverlet； the eyes were shut； the nose looked sharp and thin； and the long gray beard hid the mouth and lay over the breast。 A sight not ugly nor frightening； only solemn and quiet。 And so very silenttwo little flies buzzing about the curtains of the bed being the only audible sound。
〃Is that the King？〃 whispered Prince Dolor。
〃Yes；〃 replied the bird。
He had been angryfuriously angry ever since he knew how his uncle had taken the crown； and sent him； a poor little helpless child； to be shut up for life； just as if he had been dead。 Many times the boy had felt as if； king as he was； he should like to strike him； this great； strong； wicked man。
Why； you might as well have struck a baby！ How helpless he lay； with his eyes shut； and his idle hands folded： they had no more work to do； bad or good。
〃What is the matter with him？〃 asked the Prince。
〃He is dead；〃 said the Magpie； with a croak。
No； there was not the least use in being angry with him now。 On the contrary； the Prince felt almost sorry for him； except that he looked so peaceful with all his cares at rest。 And this was being dead？ So even kings died？
〃Well； well； he hadn't an easy life； folk say； for all his grandeur。 Perhaps he is glad it is over。 Good…by； your Majesty。〃
With another cheerful tap of her beak； Mistress Mag shut down the little door in the tiles； and Prince Dolor's first and last sight of his uncle was ended。
He sat in the center of his traveling…cloak； silent and thoughtful。
〃What shall we do now？〃 said the magpie。 〃There's nothing much more to be done with his majesty； except a fine funeral； which I shall certainly go and see。 All the world will。 He interested the world exceedingly when he was alive； and he ought to do it now he's deadjust once more。 And since he can't hear me； I may as well say that； on the whole； his majesty is much better dead than aliveif we can only get somebody in his place。 There'll be such a row in the city presently。 Suppose we float up again and see it allat a safe distance； though。 It will be such fun！〃
〃What will be fun？〃
〃A revolution。〃
Whether anybody except a magpie would have called it 〃fun〃 I don't know； but it certainly was a remarkable scene。
As soon as the cathedral bell began to toll and the minute…guns to fire； announcing to the kingdom that it was without a king； the people gathered in crowds； stopping at street corners to talk together。 The murmur now and then rose into a shout； and the shout into a roar。 When Prince Dolor； quietly floating in upper air； caught the sound of their different and opposite cries； it seemed to him as if the whole city had gone mad together。
〃Long live the king！〃 〃The king is dead down with the king！〃 〃Down with the crown； and the king too！〃 〃Hurrah for the republic！〃 〃Hurrah for no government at all！〃
Such were the shouts which traveled up to the traveling…cloak。 And then beganoh； what a scene！
When you children are grown men and women or beforeyou will hear and read in books about what are called revolutionsearnestly I trust that neither I nor you may ever see one。 But they have happened； and may happen again； in other countries besides Nomansland； when wicked kings have helped to make their people wicked too； or out of an unrighteous nation have sprung rulers equally bad； or； without either of these causes； when a restless country has fancied any change better than no change at all。
For me； I don't like changes； unless pretty sure that they are for good。 And how good can come out of absolute evilthe horrible evil that went on this night under Prince Dolor's very eyessoldiers shooting down people by hundreds in the streets； scaffolds erected； and heads dropping offhouses burned； and women and children murderedthis is more than I can understand。
But all these things you will find in history； my children； and must by and by judge for yourselves the right and wrong of them； as far as anybody ever can judge。
Prince Dolor saw it all。 Things happened so fast one after another that they quite confused his faculties。
〃Oh； let me go home；〃 he cried at last； stopping his ears and shutting his eyes； 〃only let me go home！〃 for even his lonely tower seemed home； and its dreariness and silence absolute paradise after all this。
〃Good…by； then；〃 said the magpie； flapping her wings。 She had been chatting incessantly all day and all night； for it was actually thus long that Prince Dolor had been hovering over the city； neither eating nor sleeping； with all these terrible things happening under his very eyes。 〃You've had enough； I suppose； of seeing the world？〃
〃Oh； I haveI have！〃 cried the prince； with a shudder。
〃That is； till next time。 All right； your royal highness。 You don't know me； but I know you。 We may meet again some time。〃
She looked at him with her clear； piercing eyes； sharp enough to see through everything； and it seemed as if they changed from bird's eyes to human eyesthe very eyes of his godmother； whom he had not seen for ever so long。 But the minute afterward she became only a bird； and with a screech and a chatter； spread her wings and flew away。
Prince Dolor fell into a kind of swoon of utter misery； bewilderment； and exhaustion； and when he awoke he found himself in his own room alone and quietwith the dawn just breaking； and the long rim of yellow light in the horizon glimmering through the window…panes。
CHAPTER IX
When Prince Dolor sat up in bed； trying to remember where he was； whither he had been； and what he had seen the day before； he perceived that his room was empty。
Generally his nurse rather worried him by breaking his slumbers； coming in and 〃setting things to rights；〃 as she called it。 Now the dust lay thick upon chairs and tables； there was no harsh voice heard to scold him for not getting up immediately； which； I am sorry to say； this boy did not always do。 For he so enjoyed lying still； and thinking lazily about everything or nothing； that； if he had not tried hard against it； he would certainly have become like those celebrated
〃Two little men Who lay in their bed till the clock struck ten。〃
It was striking ten now； and still no nurse was to be seen。 He was rather relieved at first； for he felt so tired； and besides； when he stretched out his arm； he found to his dismay that he had gone to bed in his clothes。
Very uncomfortable he felt； of course； and just a little frightened。 Especially when he began to call and call again； but nobody answered。 Often he used to think how nice it would be to get rid of his nurse and live in this tower all by himselflike a sort of monarch able to do everything he liked； and leave undone all that he did not want to do； but now that this seemed really to have happened； he did not like it at all。
〃Nurse；dear nurse；please come back！〃 he called out。 〃Come back； and I will be the best boy in all the land。〃
And when she did not come back； and nothing but silence answered his lamentable call； he very nearly began to cry。
〃This won't do；〃 he said at last； dashing the tears from his eyes。 〃It's just like a baby； and I'm a big boyshall be a man some day。 What has happened； I wonder？ I'll go and see。〃
He sprang out of bed；not to his feet； alas！ but to his poor little weak knees； and crawled on them from room to room。 All the four chambers were desertednot forlorn or untidy； for everything seemed to have been done for his comfort the breakfast and dinner things were laid； the food spread in order。 He might live 〃like a prince；〃 as the proverb is； for several days。 But the place was entirely forsakenthere was evidently not a creature but himself in the solitary tower。
A great fear came upon the poor boy。 Lonely as his life had been； he had never known what it was to be absolutely alone。 A kind of despair seized himno violent anger or terror； but a sort of patient desolation。
〃What in the world am I to do？〃 thought he； and sat down in the middle of the floor； half inclined to believe that it would be better to give up entirely； lay himself down； and die。
This feeling； however； did not last long； for he was young and strong； and； I said before； by nature a very courageous boy。 There came into his head； somehow or other； a proverb that his nurse had taught himthe people of Nomansland were very fond of proverbs：
〃For every evil under the sun There is a remedy； or there's none； If there is one； try to find it If there isn't； never mind it。〃
〃I wonder is there a remedy now； and could I find it？〃 cried the Prince； jumping up and looking out of the window。
No help there。 He only saw the broad； bleak； sunshiny plainthat is； at first。 But by and by； in the circle of mud that surrounded the base of the tower； he perceived distinctly the marks of a horse's feet； and just in the spot where the deaf…mute was accustomed to tie up his great black charger； while he himself ascended； there lay the remains of a bundle of hay and a feed of corn。
〃Yes； that's it。 He has come and gone； taking nurse away with him。 Poor nurse！ how glad she would be to go！〃
That was Prince Dolor's first thought。 His secondwasn't it natural？was a passionate indignation at her crueltyat the cruelty of all the world toward him； a poor little helpless boy。 Then he determined； forsaken as he was； to try and hold on to the last； and not to die as long as he could possibly help it。
Anyhow； it would be easier to die here than out in the world； among the terrible doings which he had just beheldfrom the midst of which； it suddenly struck him； the deaf…mute had come； contriving somehow to make the nurse understand that the king was dead； and she need have no fear in going back to the capital； where there was a grand revolution； and everything turned upside down。 So； of course； she had gone。 〃I hope she'll enjoy it； miserable womanif they don't cut off her head too。〃
And then a kind of remorse smote him for feeling so bitterly toward her； after all the years she had taken care of himgrudgingly； perhaps； and coldly； still she had taken care of him； and that even to the last： for； as I have said； all his four rooms were as tidy as possible； and his meals laid out； that he might have no more trouble than could be helped。
〃Possibly she did not mean to be
