the little lame prince-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


rewell；　well；　let　us　hope　for　the　best　and　be　prepared　for　the　worst。　In　the　meantime〃

〃I　swear；〃　said　the　Crown…Prince；　coming　forward　and　kissing　the　hilt　of　his　sword〃I　swear　to　perform　my　duties　as　Regent；　to　take　all　care　of　his　Royal　Highnesshis　Majesty；　I　mean；〃　with　a　grand　bow　to　the　little　child；　who　laughed　innocently　back　again。　〃And　I　will　do　my　humble　best　to　govern　the　country。　Still；　if　the　country　has　the　slightest　objection〃

But　the　Crown…Prince　being　generalissimo；　having　the　whole　army　at　his　beck　and　call；　so　that　he　could　have　begun　a　civil　war　in　no　time；　the　country　had；　of　course；　not　the　slightest　objection。

So　the　King　and　Queen　slept　together　in　peace；　and　Prince　Dolor　reigned　over　the　landthat　is；　his　uncle　did；　and　everybody　said　what　a　fortunate　thing　it　was　for　the　poor　little　Prince　to　have　such　a　clever　uncle　to　take　care　of　him。

All　things　went　on　as　usual；　indeed；　after　the　Regent　had　brought　his　wife　and　her　seven　sons；　and　established　them　in　the　palace；　rather　better　than　usual。　For　they　gave　such　splendid　entertainments　and　made　the　capital　so　lively　that　trade　revived；　and　the　country　was　said　to　be　more　flourishing　than　it　had　been　for　a　century。　Whenever　the　Regent　and　his　sons　appeared；　they　were　received　with　shouts：　〃Long　live　the　Crown…Prince！〃　〃Long　live　the　royal　family！〃　And；　in　truth；　they　were　very　fine　children；　the　whole　seven　of　them；　and　made　a　great　show　when　they　rode　out　together　on　seven　beautiful　horses；　one　height　above　another；　down　to　the　youngest；　on　his　tiny　black　pony；　no　bigger　than　a　large　dog。

As　for　the　other　child；　his　Royal　Highness　Prince　Dolor；for　somehow　people　soon　ceased　to　call　him　his　Majesty；　which　seemed　such　a　ridiculous　title　for　a　poor　little　fellow；　a　helpless　cripple；with　only　head　and　trunk；　and　no　legs　to　speak　of；he　was　seen　very　seldom　by　anybody。

Sometimes　people　daring　enough　to　peer　over　the　high　wall　of　the　palace　garden　noticed　there；　carried　in　a　footman's　arms；　or　drawn　in　a　chair；　or　left　to　play　on　the　grass；　often　with　nobody　to　mind　him；　a　pretty　little　boy；　with　a　bright；　intelligent　face　and　large；　melancholy　eyesno；　not　exactly　melancholy；　for　they　were　his　mother's；　and　she　was　by　no　means　sad…minded；　but　thoughtful　and　dreamy。　They　rather　perplexed　people；　those　childish　eyes；　they　were　so　exceedingly　innocent　and　yet　so　penetrating。　If　anybody　did　a　wrong　thingtold　a　lie；　for　instance　they　would　turn　round　with　such　a　grave；　silent　surprise　the　child　never　talked　muchthat　every　naughty　person　in　the　palace　was　rather　afraid　of　Prince　Dolor。

He　could　not　help　it；　and　perhaps　he　did　not　even　know　it；　being　no　better　a　child　than　many　other　children；　but　there　was　something　about　him　which　made　bad　people　sorry；　and　grumbling　people　ashamed　of　themselves；　and　ill…　natured　people　gentle　and　kind。

I　suppose　because　they　were　touched　to　see　a　poor　little　fellow　who　did　not　in　the　least　know　what　had　befallen　him　or　what　lay　before　him；　living　his　baby　life　as　happy　as　the　day　is　long。　Thus；　whether　or　not　he　was　good　himself；　the　sight　of　him　and　his　affliction　made　other　people　good；　and；　above　all；　made　everybody　love　him　so　much　so；　that　his　uncle　the　Regent　began　to　feel　a　little　uncomfortable。

Now；　I　have　nothing　to　say　against　uncles　in　general。　They　are　usually　very　excellent　people；　and　very　convenient　to　little　boys　and　girls。　Even　the　〃cruel　uncle〃　of　the　〃Babes　in　the　Wood〃　I　believe　to　be　quite　an　exceptional　character。　And　this　〃cruel　uncle〃　of　whom　I　am　telling　was；　I　hope；　an　exception；　too。

He　did　not　mean　to　be　cruel。　If　anybody　had　called　him　so；　he　would　have　resented　it　extremely：　he　would　have　said　that　what　he　did　was　done　entirely　for　the　good　of　the　country。　But　he　was　a　man　who　had　always　been　accustomed　to　consider　himself　first　and　foremost；　believing　that　whatever　he　wanted　was　sure　to　be　right；　and　therefore　he　ought　to　have　it。　So　he　tried　to　get　it；　and　got　it　too；　as　people　like　him　very　often　do。　Whether　they　enjoy　it　when　they　have　it　is　another　question。

Therefore　he　went　one　day　to　the　council　chamber；　determined　on　making　a　speech；　and　informing　the　ministers　and　the　country　at　large　that　the　young　King　was　in　failing　health；　and　that　it　would　be　advisable　to　send　him　for　a　time　to　the　Beautiful　Mountains。　Whether　he　really　meant　to　do　this；　or　whether　it　occurred　to　him　afterward　that　there　would　be　an　easier　way　of　attaining　his　great　desire；　the　crown　of　Nomansland；　is　a　point　which　I　cannot　decide。

But　soon　after；　when　he　had　obtained　an　order　in　council　to　send　the　King　away；　which　was　done　in　great　state；　with　a　guard　of　honor　composed　of　two　whole　regiments　of　soldiers；　the　nation　learned；　without　much　surprise；　that　the　poor　little　Princenobody　ever　called　him　king　nowhad　gone　a　much　longer　journey　than　to　the　Beautiful　Mountains。

He　had　fallen　ill　on　the　road　and　died　within　a　few　hours；　at　least　so　declared　the　physician　in　attendance　and　the　nurse　who　had　been　sent　to　take　care　of　him。　They　brought　his　coffin　back　in　great　state；　and　buried　it　in　the　mausoleum　with　his　parents。

So　Prince　Dolor　was　seen　no　more。　The　country　went　into　deep　mourning　for　him；　and　then　forgot　him；　and　his　uncle　reigned　in　his　stead。　That　illustrious　personage　accepted　his　crown　with　great　decorum；　and　wore　it　with　great　dignity　to　the　last。　But　whether　he　enjoyed　it　or　not　there　is　no　evidence　to　show。



CHAPTER　III

And　what　of　the　little　lame　Prince；　whom　everybody　seemed　so　easily　to　have　forgotten？

Not　everybody。　There　were　a　few　kind　souls；　mothers　of　families；　who　had　heard　his　sad　story；　and　some　servants　about　the　palace；　who　had　been　familiar　with　his　sweet　ways　these　many　a　time　sighed　and　said；　〃Poor　Prince　Dolor！〃　Or；　looking　at　the　Beautiful　Mountains；　which　were　visible　all　over　Nomansland；　though　few　people　ever　visited　them；　〃Well；　perhaps　his　Royal　Highness　is　better　where　he　is　than　even　there。〃

They　did　not　knowindeed；　hardly　anybody　did　knowthat　beyond　the　mountains；　between　them　and　the　sea；　lay　a　tract　of　country；　barren；　level；　bare；　except　for　short；　stunted　grass；　and　here　and　there　a　patch　of　tiny　flowers。　Not　a　bushnot　a　tree　not　a　resting　place　for　bird　or　beast　was　in　that　dreary　plain。　In　summer　the　sunshine　fell　upon　it　hour　after　hour　with　a　blinding　glare；　in　winter　the　winds　and　rains　swept　over　it　unhindered；　and　the　snow　came　down　steadily；　noiselessly；　covering　it　from　end　to　end　in　one　great　white　sheet；　which　lay　for　days　and　weeks　unmarked　by　a　single　footprint。

Not　a　pleasant　place　to　live　inand　nobody　did　live　there；　apparently。　The　only　sign　that　human　creatures　had　ever　been　near　the　spot　was　one　large　round　tower　which　rose　up　in　the　center　of　the　plain；　and　might　be　seen　all　over　itif　there　had　been　anybody　to　see；　which　there　never　was。　Rose　right　up　out　of　the　ground；　as　if　it　had　grown　of　itself；　like　a　mushroom。　But　it　was　not　at　all　mushroom…like；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　very　solidly　built。　In　form　it　resembled　the　Irish　round　towers；　which　have　puzzled　people　for　so　long；　nobody　being　able　to　find　out　when；　or　by　whom；　or　for　what　purpose　they　were　made；　seemingly　for　no　use　at　all；　like　this　tower。　It　was　circular；　of　very　firm　brickwork；　with　neither　doors　nor　windows；　until　near　the　top；　when　you　could　perceive　some　slits　in　the　wall　through　which　one　might　possibly　creep　in　or　look　out。　Its　height　was　nearly　a　hundred　feet；　and　it　had　a　battlemented　parapet　showing　sharp　against　the　sky。

As　the　plain　was　quite　desolatealmost　like　a　desert；　only　without　sand；　and　led　to　nowhere　except　the　still　more　desolate　seacoastnobody　ever　crossed　it。　Whatever　mystery　there　was　about　the　tower；　it　and　the　sky　and　the　plain　kept　their　secret　to　themselves。

It　was　a　very　great　secret　indeed；a　state　secret；which　none　but　so　clever　a　man　as　the　present　King　of　Nomansland　would　ever　have　thought　of。　How　he　carried　it　out；　undiscovered；　I　cannot　tell。　People　said；　long　afterward；　that　it　was　by　means　of　a　gang　of　condemned　criminals；　who　were　set　to　work；　and　executed　immediately　after　they　had　done；　so　that　nobody　knew　anything；　or　in　the　least　suspected　the　real　fact。

And　what　was　the　fact？　Why；　that　this　tower；　which　seemed　a　mere　mass　of　masonry；　utterly　forsaken　and　uninhabited；　was　not　so　at　all。　Within　twenty　feet　of　the　top　some　ingenious　architect　had　planned　a　perfect　little　house；　divided　into　four　roomsas　by　drawing　a　cross　within　a　circle　you　will　see　might　easily　be　done。　By　making　skylights；　and　a　few　slits　in　the　walls　for　windows；　and　raising　a　peaked　roof　which　was　hidden　by　the　parapet；　here　was　a　dwelling　complete；　eighty　feet　from　the　ground；　and　as　inaccessible　as　a　rook's　nest　on　the　top　of　a　tree。

A　charming　place　to　live　in！　if　you　once　got　up　there；and　never　wanted　to　come　down　again。

Insidethough　nobody　could　have　looked　inside　except　a　bird；　and　hardly　even　a　bird　flew　past　that　lonely　towerinside　it　was　furnished　with　all　the　comfort　and　elegance　imaginable；　with　lots　of　books　and　toys；　and　everything　that　the　heart　of　a　child　could　desire。　For　its　only　inhabitant；　except　a　nurse　of　course；　was　a　poor　solitary　child。

One　winter　night；　when　all　the　plain　was　white　with　moonlight；　there　was　seen　crossing　it　a　great　tall　black　horse；　ridden　by　a　man　also　big　and　equally　black；　carrying　before　him　on　the　saddle　a　woman　and　a　child。　The　woman　she　had　a　sad；　fierce　look；　and　no　wonder；　for　she　was　a　criminal　under　sentence　of　death；　but　her　sentence　had　been　changed　to　almost　as　severe　a　punishment。　She　was　to　inhabit　the　lonely　tower　with　the　child；　and　was　allowed　to　live　as　long　as　the　child　livedno　longer。　This　in　order　that　she　might　take　the　utmost　care　of　him；　for　those　who　put　him　there　were　equally　afraid　of　his　dying　and　of　his　living。

Yet　he　was　only　a　little　gentle　boy；　with　a　sweet；　sleepy　smilehe　had　been　very　tired　with　his　long　journeyand　clinging　arms；　which　held　tight　to　the　man's　neck；　for　he　was　rather　frightened；　and　the　face；　black　as　it　was；　looked　kindly　at　him。　And　he　was　very　helpless；　with　his　poor；　small　shriveled　legs；　which　could　neither　stand　nor　run　awayfor　the　little　forlorn　boy　was　Prince　Dolor。

He　had　not　been　dead　at　allor　buried　either。　His　grand　funeral　had　been　a　mere　pretense：　a　wax　figure　having　been　put　in　his　place；　while　he　himself　was　spirited　away　under　charge　of　these　two；　the　condemned　woman　and　the　black　man。　The　latter　was　deaf　and　dumb；　so　could　neither　tell　nor　repeat　anything。

When　they　reached　the　foot　of　the　tower；　there　was　light　enough　to　see　a　huge　chain　dangling　from　the　parapet；　but　dangling　only　halfway。　The　deaf…mute　took　from　his　saddle…　wallet　a　sort　of　ladder；　arranged　in　pieces　like　a　puzzle；　fitted　it　together；　and　lifted　it　up　to　meet　the　chain。　Then　he　mounted　to　the　top　of　the　tower；　and　slung　from　it　a　sort　of　chair；　in　which　the　woman　and　the　child　placed　themselves　and　were　drawn　up；　never　to　come　down　again　as　long　as　they　lived。　Leaving　them　there；　the　man　descended　the　ladder；　took　it　to　pieces　again　and　packed　it　in　his　pack；　mounted　the　horse　and　disappeared　across　the　plain。

Every　month　they　used　to　watch　for　him；　appearing　like　a　speck　in　the　distance。　He　fastened　his　horse　to　the　foot　of　the　towe