the little lame prince-第17章

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e　is　all　your　grandeur；　pomp；　magnificence；　if　nobody　sees　it？〃

〃Hold　thy　peace；　prattler；〃　replied　the　princess；　〃and　do　not　disturb　that　happy　repose　which　I　have　enjoyed　so　long。〃

Abricotina　durst　make　no　reply；　and　the　princess；　having　waited　her　answer　for　some　time；　asked　her　whether　she　had　anything　to　say。　Abricotina　then　said　she　thought　it　was　to　very　little　purpose　her　mistress　having　sent　her　picture　to　the　courts　of　several　princes；　where　it　only　served　to　make　those　who　saw　it　miserable；　that　every　one　would　be　desirous　to　marry　her；　and　as　she　could　not　marry　them　all；　indeed　none　of　them；　it　would　make　them　desperate。

〃Yet；　for　all　that；〃　said　the　princess；　I　could　wish　my　picture　were　in　the　hands　of　this　same　stranger。〃

〃Oh；　madam；〃　answered　Abricotina；　〃is　not　his　desire　to　see　you　violent　enough　already？　Would　you　augment　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　cried　the　princess；　〃a　certain　impulse　of　vanity；　which　I　was　never　sensible　of　till　now；　has　bred　this　foolish　fancy　in　me。〃

Leander　heard　all　this　discourse；　and　lost　not　a　tittle　of　what　she　said；　some　of　her　expressions　gave　him　hope；　others　absolutely　destroyed　it。　The　princess　presently　asked　Abricotina　whether　she　had　seen　anything　extraordinary　during　her　short　travels。

〃Madam；〃　said　she；　〃I　passed　through　one　forest　where　I　saw　certain　creatures　that　resembled　little　children：　they　skip　and　dance　upon　the　trees　like　squirrels；　they　are　very　ugly；　but　have　wonderful　agility　and　address。〃

〃I　wish　I　had　one　of　them；〃　said　the　princess；　〃but　if　they　are　so　nimble　as　you　say　they　are；　it　is　impossible　to　catch　one。〃

Leander；　who　passed　through　the　same　forest；　knew　what　Abricotina　meant；　and　presently　wished　himself　in　the　place。　He　caught　a　dozen　of　little　monkeys；　some　bigger；　some　less；　and　all　of　different　colors；　and　with　much　ado　put　them　into　a　large　sack；　then；　wishing　himself　at　Paris；　where；　he　had　heard；　a　man　might　have　everything　for　money；　he　went　and　bought　a　little　gold　chariot。　He　taught　six　green　monkeys　to　draw　it；　they　were　harnessed　with　fine　traces　of　flame…　colored　morocco　leather。　He　went　to　another　place；　where　he　met　with　two　monkeys　of　merit；　the　most　pleasant　of　which　was　called　Briscambril；　the　other　Pierceforestboth　very　spruce　and　well　educated。　He　dressed　Briscambril　like　a　king　and　placed　him　in　the　coach；　Pierceforest　he　made　the　coachman；　the　others　were　dressed　like　pages；　all　which　he　put　into　his　sack；　coach　and　all。

The　princess　not　being　gone　to　bed；　heard　a　rumbling　of　a　little　coach　in　the　long　gallery；　at　the　same　time；　her　ladies　came　to　tell　her　that　the　king　of　the　dwarfs　was　arrived；　and　the　chariot　immediately　entered　her　chamber　with　all　the　monkey　train。　The　country　monkeys　began　to　show　a　thousand　tricks；　which　far　surpassed　those　of　Briscambril　and　Pierceforest。　To　say　the　truth；　Leander　conducted　the　whole　machine。　He　drew　the　chariot　where　Briscambril　sat　arrayed　as　a　king；　and　making　him　hold　a　box　of　diamonds　in　his　hand；　he　presented　it　with　a　becoming　grace　to　the　princess。　The　princess'　surprise　may　be　easily　imagined。　Moreover；　Briscambril　made　a　sign　for　Pierceforest　to　come　and　dance　with　him。　The　most　celebrated　dancers　were　not　to　be　compared　with　them　in　activity。　But　the　princess；　troubled　that　she　could　not　guess　from　whence　this　curious　present　came；　dismissed　the　dancers　sooner　than　she　would　otherwise　have　done；　though　she　was　extremely　pleased　with　them。

Leander；　satisfied　with　having　seen　the　delight　the　princess　had　taken　in　beholding　the　monkeys；　thought　of　nothing　now　but　to　get　a　little　repose；　which　he　greatly　wanted。　He　stayed　sometime　in　the　great　gallery；　afterward；　going　down　a　pair　of　stairs；　and　finding　a　door　open；　he　entered　into　an　apartment　the　most　delightful　that　ever　was　seen。　There　was　in　it　a　bed　of　cloth…of…gold；　enriched　with　pearls；　intermixed　with　rubies　and　emeralds：　for　by　this　time　there　appeared　daylight　sufficient　for　him　to　view　and　admire　the　magnificence　of　this　sumptuous　furniture。　Having　made　fast　the　door；　he　composed　himself　to　sleep。　Next　day　he　rose　very　early；　and　looking　about　on　every　side；　he　spied　a　painter's　pallet；　with　colors　ready　prepared　and　pencils。　Remembering　what　the　princess　had　said　to　Abricotina　touching　her　own　portrait；　he　immediately　（for　he　could　paint　as　well　as　the　most　excellent　masters）　seated　himself　before　a　mirror　and　drew　his　own　picture　first；　then；　in　an　oval；　that　of　the　princess。　He　had　all　her　features　so　strong　in　his　imagination　that　he　had　no　occasion　for　her　sitting；　and　as　his　desire　to　please　her　had　set　him　to　work；　never　did　portrait　bear　a　stronger　resemblance。　He　had　painted　himself　upon　one　knee；　holding　the　princess'　picture　in　one　hand；　and　in　the　other　a　label　with　this　inscription；　〃She　is　better　in　my　heart。〃　When　the　princess　went　into　her　cabinet；　she　was　amazed　to　see　the　portrait　of　a　man；　and　she　fixed　her　eyes　upon　it　with　so　much　the　more　surprise；　because　she　also　saw　her　own　with　it；　and　because　the　words　which　were　written　upon　the　label　afforded　her　ample　room　for　curiosity。　She　persuaded　herself　that　it　was　Abricotina's　doing；　and　all　she　desired　to　know　was　whether　the　portrait　was　real　or　imaginary。　Rising　in　haste；　she　called　Abricotina；　while　the　invisible　Leander；　with　his　little　red　cap；　slipped　into　the　cabinet；　impatient　to　know　what　passed。　The　princess　bade　Abricotina　look　upon　the　picture　and　tell　her　what　she　thought　of　it。

After　she　had　viewed　it；　〃I　protest！〃　said　she；　〃'tis　the　picture　of　that　generous　stranger　to　whom　I　am　indebted　for　my　life。　Yes；　yes；　I　am　sure　it　is　he；　his　very　features；　shape；　and　hair。〃

〃Thou　pretendest　surprise；〃　said　the　princess；　〃but　I　know　it　was　thou　thyself　who　put　it　there。〃

〃Who！　I；　madam？〃　replied　Abricotina。　〃I　protest　I　never　saw　the　picture　before　in　my　life。　Should　I　be　so　bold　as　to　conceal　from　your　knowledge　a　thing　that　so　nearly　concerns　you？　And　by　what　miracle　could　I　come　by　it？　I　never　could　paint；　nor　did　any　man　ever　enter　this　place；　yet　here　he　is　painted　with　you？〃

〃Some　spirit；　then；　must　have　brought　it　hither；〃　cried　the　princess。

〃How　I　tremble　for　fear；　madam！〃　said　Abricotina。　〃Was　it　not　rather　some　lover？　And　therefore；　if　you　will　take　my　advice；　let　us　burn　it　immediately。〃

〃'Twere　a　pity　to　burn　it；〃　cried　the　princess；　sighing；　〃a　finer　piece；　methinks；　cannot　adorn　my　cabinet。〃　And　saying　these　words；　she　cast　her　eyes　upon　it。　But　Abricotina　continued　obstinate　in　her　opinion　that　it　ought　to　be　burned；　as　a　thing　that　could　not　come　there　but　by　the　power　of　magic。

〃And　these　words‘She　is　better　in　my　heart；'　〃　said　the　princess；　〃must　we　burn　them　too？〃

〃No　favor　must　be　shown　to　anything；〃　said　Abricotina；　〃not　even　to　your　own　portrait。〃

Abricotina　ran　away　immediately　for　some　fire；　while　the　princess　went　to　look　out　at　the　window。　Leander；　unwilling　to　let　his　performance　be　burned；　took　this　opportunity　to　convey　it　away　without　being　perceived。　He　had　hardly　quitted　the　cabinet；　when　the　princess　turned　about　to　look　once　more　upon　that　enchanting　picture；　which　had　so　delighted　her。　But　how　was　she　surprised　to　find　it　gone！　She　sought　for　it　all　the　room　over；　and　Abricotina；　returning；　was　no　less　surprised　than　her　mistress；　so　that　this　last　adventure　put　them　both　in　the　most　terrible　fright。

Leander　took　great　delight　in　hearing　and　seeing　his　incomparable　mistress；　even　though　he　had　to　eat　every　day　at　her　table　with　the　tabby…cat；　who　fared　never　the　worse　for　that；　but　his　satisfaction　was　far　from　being　complete；　seeing　he　durst　neither　speak　nor　show　himself；　and　he　knew　it　was　not　a　common　thing　for　ladies　to　fall　in　love　with　persons　invisible。

The　princess　had　a　universal　taste　for　amusement。　One　day；　she　was　saying　to　her　attend…　ants　that　it　would　give　her　great　pleasure　to　know　how　the　ladies　were　dressed　in　all　the　courts　of　the　universe。　There　needed　no　more　words　to　send　Leander　all　over　the　world。　He　wished　himself　in　China；　where　he　bought　the　richest　stuffs　he　could　lay　his　hands　on；　and　got　patterns　of　all　the　court　fashions。　From　thence　he　flew　to　Siam；　where　he　did　the　same；　in　three　days　he　traveled　over　all　the　four　parts　of　the　world；　and　from　time　to　time　brought　what　he　bought　to　the　Palace　of　Calm　Delights；　and　hid　it　all　in　a　chamber；　which　he　kept　always　locked。　When　he　had　thus　collected　together　all　the　rarities　he　could　meet　withfor　he　never　wanted　money；　his　rose　always　supplying　himhe　went　and　bought　five　or　six　dozen　of　dolls；　which　he　caused　to　be　dressed　at　Paris；　the　place　in　the　world　where　most　regard　is　paid　to　fashions。　They　were　all　dressed　differently；　and　as　magnificent　as　could　be；　and　Leander　placed　them　all　in　the　princess'　closet。　When　she　entered　it；　she　was　agreeably　surprised　to　see　such　company　of　little　mutes；　every　one　decked　with　watches　bracelets；　diamond　buckles；　or　necklaces；　and　the　most　remarkable　of　them　held　a　picture　box　in　its　hand；　which　the　princess　opening；　found　it　contained　Leander's　portrait。　She　gave　a　loud　shriek；　and　looking　upon　Abricotina；　〃There　have　appeared　of　late；〃　said　she；　〃so　many　wonders　in　this　place；　that　I　know　not　what　to　think　of　them：　my　birds　are　all　grown　witty；　I　cannot　so　much　as　wish；　but　presently　I　have　my　desires；　twice　have　I　now　seen　the　portrait　of　him　who　rescued　thee　from　the　ruffians；　and　here　are　silks　of　all　sorts；　diamonds；　embroideries；　laces；　and　an　infinite　number　of　other　rarities。　What　fairy　is　it　that　takes　such　care　to　pay　me　these　agreeable　civilities？〃

Leander　was　overjoyed　to　hear　and　see　her　so　much　interested　about　his　picture；　and　calling　to　mind　that　there　was　in　a　grotto　which　she　often　frequented　a　certain　pedestal；　on　which　a　Diana；　not　yet　finished；　was　to　be　erected；　on　this　pedestal　he　resolved　to　place　himself；　crowned　with　laurel；　and　holding　a　lyre　in　his　hand；　on　which　he　played　like　another　Apollo。　He　most　anxiously　waited　the　princess'　retiring　to　the　grotto；　which　she　did　every　day　since　her　thoughts　had　taken　up　with　this　unknown　person；　for　what　Abricotina　had　said；　joined　to　the　sight　of　the　picture；　had　almost　destroyed　her　repose：　her　lively　humor　changed　into　a　pensive　melancholy；　and　she　grew　a　great　lover　of　solitude。　When　she　entered　the　grotto；　she　made　a　sign　that　nobody　should　follow　her；　so　that　her　young　damsels　dispersed　themselves　into　the　neighboring　walks。　The　princess　threw　herself　upon　a　bank　of　green　turf；　sighed；　wept；　and　even　talked；　but　so　softly　that　Leander　could　not　hear　what　she　said。　He　had　put　his　red　cap　on；　that　she　might　not　see　him　at　first；　but　having　taken　it　off；　she　beheld　him　standing　on　the　pedestal。　At　first　she　took　him　for　a　real　statue；　for　he　observed　exactly　the　attitude　in　which　he　had　placed　himself；　without　moving　so　much　as　a　finger。　She　beheld　with　a　kind　of　pleasure　intermixed　with　fear；　but　pleasure　soon　dispelled　her　fear；　and　she　continued　to　view　the　pleasing　figure；　which　so　exactly　resembled　life。　The　prince　having　tuned　his　lyre；　began　to　play；　at　which　the　princess；　greatly　surprised；　could　not　resist　the　fear　that　seized　her；　she　grew　pale　and　fell　into　a　swoon。　Leander　leaped　from　the　pedestal；　and　putting　on　his　little　red　cap；　that　he　might　not　be　perceived；　took