the little lame prince-第8章

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test　gusto　imaginable；　till　he　grew　so　thirsty　he　did　not　know　what　to　do。

〃Couldn't　I　have　just　one　drop　of　water；　if　it　didn't　trouble　you　too　much；　kindest　of　godmothers？〃

For　he　really　thought　this　want　was　beyond　her　power　to　supply。　All　the　water　which　supplied　Hopeless　Tower　was　pumped　up　with　difficulty　from　a　deep　artesian　wellthere　were　such　things　known　in　Nomanslandwhich　had　been　made　at　the　foot　of　it。　But　around；　for　miles　upon　miles；　the　desolate　plain　was　perfectly　dry。　And　above　it；　high　in　the　air；　how　could　he　expect　to　find　a　well；　or　to　get　even　a　drop　of　water？

He　forgot　one　thingthe　rain。　While　he　spoke；　it　came　on　in　another　wild　burst；　as　if　the　clouds　had　poured　themselves　out　in　a　passion　of　crying；　wetting　him　certainly；　but　leaving　behind；　in　a　large　glass　vessel　which　he　had　never　noticed　before；　enough　water　to　quench　the　thirst　of　two　or　three　boys　at　least。　And　it　was　so　fresh；　so　pureas　water　from　the　clouds　always　is　when　it　does　not　catch　the　soot　from　city　chimneys　and　other　defilementsthat　he　drank　it；　every　drop；　with　the　greatest　delight　and　content。

Also；　as　soon　as　it　was　empty　the　rain　filled　it　again；　so　that　he　was　able　to　wash　his　face　and　hands　and　refresh　himself　exceedingly。　Then　the　sun　came　out　and　dried　him　in　no　time。　After　that　he　curled　himself　up　under　the　bear…　skin　rug；　and　though　he　determined　to　be　the　most　wide…awake　boy　imaginable；　being　so　exceedingly　snug　and　warm　and　comfortable；　Prince　Dolor　condescended　to　shut　his　eyes　just　for　one　minute。　The　next　minute　he　was　sound　asleep。

When　he　awoke；　he　found　himself　floating　over　a　country　quite　unlike　anything　he　had　ever　seen　before。

Yet　it　was　nothing　but　what　most　of　you　children　see　every　day　and　never　notice　ita　pretty　country　landscape；　like　England；　Scotland；　France；　or　any　other　land　you　choose　to　name。　It　had　no　particular　featuresnothing　in　it　grand　or　lovelywas　simply　pretty；　nothing　more；　yet　to　Prince　Dolor；　who　had　never　gone　beyond　his　lonely　tower　and　level　plain；　it　appeared　the　most　charming　sight　imaginable。

First；　there　was　a　river。　It　came　tumbling　down　the　hillside；　frothing　and　foaming；　playing　at　hide…and…seek　among　the　rocks；　then　bursting　out　in　noisy　fun　like　a　child；　to　bury　itself　in　deep；　still　pools。　Afterward　it　went　steadily　on　for　a　while；　like　a　good　grown…up　person；　till　it　came　to　another　big　rock；　where　it　misbehaved　itself　extremely。　It　turned　into　a　cataract；　and　went　tumbling　over　and　over；　after　a　fashion　that　made　the　princewho　had　never　seen　water　before；　except　in　his　bath　or　his　drinking…cupclap　his　hands　with　delight。

〃It　is　so　active；　so　alive！　I　like　things　active　and　alive！〃　cried　he；　and　watched　it　shimmering　and　dancing；　whirling　and　leaping；　till；　after　a　few　windings　and　vagaries；　it　settled　into　a　respectable　stream。　After　that　it　went　along；　deep　and　quiet；　but　flowing　steadily　on；　till　it　reached　a　large　lake；　into　which　it　slipped　and　so　ended　its　course。

All　this　the　boy　saw；　either　with　his　own　naked　eye　or　through　his　gold　spectacles。　He　saw　also　as　in　a　picture；　beautiful　but　silent；　many　other　things　which　struck　him　with　wonder；　especially　a　grove　of　trees。

Only　think；　to　have　lived　to　his　age　（which　he　himself　did　not　know；　as　he　did　not　know　his　own　birthday）　and　never　to　have　seen　trees！　As　he　floated　over　these　oaks；　they　seemed　to　himtrunk；　branches；　and　leavesthe　most　curious　sight　imaginable。

〃If　I　could　only　get　nearer；　so　as　to　touch　them；〃　said　he；　and　immediately　the　obedient　cloak　ducked　down；　Prince　Dolor　made　a　snatch　at　the　topmost　twig　of　the　tallest　tree；　and　caught　a　bunch　of　leaves　in　his　hand。

Just　a　bunch　of　green　leavessuch　as　we　see　in　myriads；　watching　them　bud；　grow；　fall；　and　then　kicking　them　along　on　the　ground　as　if　they　were　worth　nothing。　Yet　how　wonderful　they　areevery　one　of　them　a　little　different。　I　don't　suppose　you　could　ever　find　two　leaves　exactly　alike　in　form；　color；　and　sizeno　more　than　you　could　find　two　faces　alike；　or　two　characters　exactly　the　same。　The　plan　of　this　world　is　infinite　similarity　and　yet　infinite　variety。

Prince　Dolor　examined　his　leaves　with　the　greatest　curiosityand　also　a　little　caterpillar　that　he　found　walking　over　one　of　them。　He　coaxed　it　to　take　an　additional　walk　over　his　finger；　which　it　did　with　the　greatest　dignity　and　decorum；　as　if　it；　Mr。　Caterpillar；　were　the　most　important　individual　in　existence。　It　amused　him　for　a　long　time；　and　when　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　blew　it　overboard；　leaves　and　all；　he　felt　quite　disconsolate。

〃Still　there　must　be　many　live　creatures　in　the　world　besides　caterpillars。　I　should　like　to　see　a　few　of　them。〃

The　cloak　gave　a　little　dip　down；　as　if　to　say　〃All　right；　my　Prince；〃　and　bore　him　across　the　oak　forest　to　a　long　fertile　valleycalled　in　Scotland　a　strath　and　in　England　a　weald；　but　what　they　call　it　in　the　tongue　of　Nomansland　I　do　not　know。　It　was　made　up　of　cornfields；　pasturefields；　lanes；　hedges；　brooks；　and　ponds。　Also；　in　it　were　what　the　prince　desired　to　see　a　quantity　of　living　creatures；　wild　and　tame。　Cows　and　horses；　lambs　and　sheep；　fed　in　the　meadows；　pigs　and　fowls　walked　about　the　farm…yards；　and　in　lonelier　places　hares　scudded；　rabbits　burrowed；　and　pheasants　and　partridges；　with　many　other　smaller　birds；　inhabited　the　fields　and　woods。

Through　his　wonderful　spectacles　the　Prince　could　see　everything；　but；　as　I　said；　it　was　a　silent　picture；　he　was　too　high　up　to　catch　anything　except　a　faint　murmur；　which　only　aroused　his　anxiety　to　hear　more。

〃I　have　as　good　as　two　pairs　of　eyes；〃　he　thought。　〃I　wonder　if　my　godmother　would　give　me　a　second　pair　of　ears。〃

Scarcely　had　he　spoken　than　he　found　lying　on　his　lap　the　most　curious　little　parcel；　all　done　up　in　silvery　paper。　And　it　containedwhat　do　you　think？　Actually　a　pair　of　silver　ears；　which；　when　he　tried　them　on；　fitted　so　exactly　over　his　own　that　he　hardly　felt　them；　except　for　the　difference　they　made　in　his　hearing。

There　is　something　which　we　listen　to　daily　and　never　notice。　I　mean　the　sounds　of　the　visible　world；　animate　and　inanimate。　Winds　blowing；　waters　flowing；　trees　stirring；　insects　whirring　（dear　me！　I　am　quite　unconsciously　writing　rhyme）；　with　the　various　cries　of　birds　and　beasts；lowing　cattle；　bleating　sheep；　grunting　pigs；　and　cackling　hens；all　the　infinite　discords　that　somehow　or　other　make　a　beautiful　harmony。

We　hear　this；　and　are　so　accustomed　to　it　that　we　think　nothing　of　it；　but　Prince　Dolor；　who　had　lived　all　his　days　in　the　dead　silence　of　Hopeless　Tower；　heard　it　for　the　first　time。　And　oh！　if　you　had　seen　his　face。

He　listened；　listened；　as　if　he　could　never　have　done　listening。　And　he　looked　and　looked；　as　if　he　could　not　gaze　enough。　Above　all；　the　motion　of　the　animals　delighted　him：　cows　walking；　horses　galloping；　little　lambs　and　calves　running　races　across　the　meadows；　were　such　a　treat　for　him　to　watchhe　that　was　always　so　quiet。　But；　these　creatures　having　four　legs；　and　he　only　two；　the　difference　did　not　strike　him　painfully。

Still；　by　and　by；　after　the　fashion　of　children；　and　I　fear；　of　many　big　people　too；he　began　to　want　something　more　than　he　had；　something　fresh　and　new。

〃Godmother；〃　he　said；　having　now　begun　to　believe　that；　whether　he　saw　her　or　not；　he　could　always　speak　to　her　with　full　confidence　that　she　would　hear　him〃Godmother；　all　these　creatures　I　like　exceedingly；　but　I　should　like　better　to　see　a　creature　like　myself。　Couldn't　you　show　me　just　one　little　boy？〃

There　was　a　sigh　behind　him；it　might　have　been　only　the　wind；and　the　cloak　remained　so　long　balanced　motionless　in　air　that　he　was　half　afraid　his　godmother　had　forgotten　him；　or　was　offended　with　him　for　asking　too　much。　Suddenly　a　shrill　whistle　startled　him；　even　through　his　silver　ears；　and　looking　downward；　he　saw　start　up　from　behind　a　bush　on　a　common；　something

Neither　a　sheep　nor　a　horse　nor　a　cownothing　upon　four　legs。　This　creature　had　only　two；　but　they　were　long；　straight；　and　strong。　And　it　had　a　lithe；　active　body；　and　a　curly　head　of　black　hair　set　upon　its　shoulders。　It　was　a　boy；　a　shepherd…boy；　about　the　Prince's　own　agebut；　oh！　so　different。

Not　that　he　was　an　ugly　boythough　his　face　was　almost　as　red　as　his　hands；　and　his　shaggy　hair　matted　like　the　backs　of　his　own　sheep。　He　was　rather　a　nice…looking　lad；　and　seemed　so　bright　and　healthy　and　good…tempered　〃jolly〃　would　be　the　word；　only　I　am　not　sure　if　they　have　such　a　one　in　the　elegant　language　of　Nomanslandthat　the　little　Prince　watched　him　with　great　admiration。

〃Might　he　come　and　play　with　me？　I　would　drop　down　to　the　ground　to　him；　or　fetch　him　up　to　me　here。　Oh；　how　nice　it　would　be　if　I　only　had　a　little　boy　to　play　with　me。〃

But　the　cloak；　usually　so　obedient　to　his　wishes；　disobeyed　him　now。　There　were　evi…　dently　some　things　which　his　godmother　either　could　not　or　would　not　give。　The　cloak　hung　stationary；　high　in　air；　never　attempting　to　descend。　The　shepherd…lad　evidently　took　it　for　a　large　bird；　and；　shading　his　eyes；　looked　up　at　it；　making　the　Prince's　heart　beat　fast。

However；　nothing　ensued。　The　boy　turned　round；　with　a　long；　loud　whistleseemingly　his　usual　and　only　way　of　expressing　his　feelings。　He　could　not　make　the　thing　out　exactlyit　was　a　rather　mysterious　affair；　but　it　did　not　trouble　him　muchhe　was　not　an　〃examining〃　boy。

Then；　stretching　himself；　for　he　had　been　evidently　half　asleep；　he　began　flopping　his　shoulders　with　his　arms　to　wake　and　warm　himself；　while　his　dog；　a　rough　collie；　who　had　been　guarding　the　sheep　meanwhile；　began　to　jump　upon　him；　barking　with　delight。

〃Down；　Snap；　down：　Stop　that；　or　I'll　thrash　you；〃　the　Prince　heard　him　say；　though　with　such　a　rough；　hard　voice　and　queer　pronunciation　that　it　was　difficult　to　make　the　words　out。　〃Hollo！　Let's　warm　ourselves　by　a　race。〃

They　started　off　together；　boy　and　dogbarking　and　shouting；　till　it　was　doubtful　which　made　the　more　noise　or　ran　the　faster。　A　regular　steeplechase　it　was：　first　across　the　level　common；　greatly　disturbing　the　quiet　sheep；　and　then　tearing　away　across　country；　scrambling　through　hedges　and　leaping　ditches；　and　tumbling　up　and　down　over　plowed　fields。　They　did　not　seem　to　have　anything　to　run　forbut　as　if　they　did　it；　both　of　them；　for　the　mere　pleasure　of　motion。

And　what　a　pleasure　that　seemed！　To　the　dog　of　course；　but　scarcely　less　so　to　the　boy。　How　he　skimmed　along　over　the　groundhis　cheeks　glowing；　and　his　hair　flying；　and　his　legs　oh；　what　a　pair　of　legs　he　had！

Prince　Dolor　watched　him　with　great　intentness；　and　in　a　state　of　excitement　almost　equal　to　that　of　the　runner　himselffor　a　while。　Then　the　sweet；　pale　face　grew　a　trifle　paler；　the　lips　began　to　quiver；　and　the　eyes　to　fill。

〃How　nice　it　must　be　to　run　like　that！〃　he　said　softly；　thinking　that　neverno；　never　in　this　worldwould　he　be　able　to　do　the　same。

Now　he　understood　what　his　godmother　had　meant　when　she　gave　him　his　traveling…cloak；　and　why　he　had　heard　that　sighhe　was　sure　it　was　herswhen　he　had　asked　to　see　〃just　one　little　boy。〃

〃I　think　I　had　rather　not　look　at　him　again；〃　said　the　poor　little　Prince；　drawing　himself　back　into　the　center　of　his　cloak；　and　resuming　his　favorite　posture；　sitting　like　a　Turk；