the little lame prince(小瘸腿王子)-第10章
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floated over these oaks； they seemed to himtrunk； branches； and leaves
the 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
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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；
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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…
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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
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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； with his arms wrapped round his
feeble； useless legs。
〃You're no good to me；〃 he said； patting them mournfully。 〃You never
will be any good to me。 I wonder why I had you at all。 I wonder why I was
born at all； since I was not to grow up like other boys。 Why not？〃
A question so strange； so sad； yet so often occurring in some form or
other in this world as you will find； my children； when you are older
that even if he had put it to his mother she could only have answered it； as
we have to answer many as difficult things； by simply saying； 〃I don't
know。〃 There is much that we do not know and cannot understandwe big
folks no more than you little ones。 We have to accept it all just as you have
to accept anything which your parents may tell you； even though you don't
as yet see the reason of it。 You may sometime； if you do exactly as they
tell you； and are content to wait。
Prince Dolor sat a good while thus； or it appeared to him a good while；
so many thoughts came and went through his poor young mind thoughts
of great bitterness； which； little though he was； seemed to make him grow
years older in a few minutes。
Then he fancied the cloak began to rock gently to and
