the little lame prince(小瘸腿王子)-第2章
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She stretched herself on tiptoe by the help of her stick； and gave the
little Prince three kisses。
〃This is intolerable！〃 cried the young lady nurse； wiping the kisses off
rapidly with her lace handkerchief。 〃Such an insult to his Royal Highness！
Take yourself out of the way； old woman； or the King shall be informed
immediately。〃
〃The King knows nothing of me； more's the pity；〃 replied the old
woman； with an indifferent air； as if she thought the loss was more on his
Majesty's side than hers。 〃My friend in the palace is the King's wife。〃
〃King's have not wives； but queens；〃 said the lady nurse； with a
contemptuous air。
〃You are right；〃 replied the old woman。 〃Nevertheless I know her
Majesty well； and I love her and her child。 Andsince you dropped him on
the marble stairs （this she said in a mysterious whisper； which made the
young lady tremble in spite of her anger）I choose to take him for my
own； and be his godmother； ready to help him whenever he wants me。〃
〃You help him！〃 cried all the group breaking into shouts of laughter； to
which the little old woman paid not the slightest attention。 Her soft gray
eyes were fixed on the Prince； who seemed to answer to the look； smiling
again and again in the causeless； aimless fashion that babies do smile。
〃His Majesty must hear of this；〃 said a gentleman…in…waiting。
〃His Majesty will hear quite enough news in a minute or two；〃 said the
old woman sadly。 And again stretching up to the little Prince； she kissed
him on the forehead solemnly。
〃Be called by a new name which nobody has ever thought of。 Be
Prince Dolor； in memory of your mother Dolorez。〃
〃In memory of！〃 Everybody started at the ominous phrase； and also at
a most terrible breach of etiquette which the old woman had committed。 In
Nomansland； neither the king nor the queen was supposed to have any
Christian name at all。 They dropped it on their coronation day； and it never
was mentioned again till it was engraved on their coffins when they died。
〃Old woman； you are exceedingly ill…bred；〃 cried the eldest lady…in…
waiting； much horrified。 〃How you could know the fact passes my
comprehension。 But even if you did know it； how dared you presume to
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The Little Lame Prince
hint that her most gracious Majesty is called Dolorez？〃
〃WAS called Dolorez；〃 said the old woman； with a tender solemnity。
The first gentleman； called the Gold…stick…in… waiting； raised it to
strike her； and all the rest stretched out their hands to seize her； but the
gray mantle melted from between their fingers like air； and； before
anybody had time to do anything more； there came a heavy； muffled；
startling sound。
The great bell of the palace the bell which was only heard on the death
of some one of the royal family； and for as many times as he or she was
years oldbegan to toll。 They listened； mute and horror…stricken。 Some
one counted： onetwothreefourup to nine…and…twenty just the
Queen's age。
It was； indeed； the Queen。 Her Majesty was dead！ In the midst of the
festivities she had slipped away out of her new happiness and her old
sufferings； not few nor small。 Sending away all her women to see the
grand sight；at least they said afterward； in excuse； that she had done so；
and it was very like her to do it；she had turned with her face to the
window； whence one could just see the tops of the distant mountains the
Beautiful Mountains； as they were called where she was born。 So gazing；
she had quietly died。
When the little Prince was carried back to his mother's room； there was
no mother to kiss him。 And； though he did not know it； there would be for
him no mother's kiss any more。 As for his godmother；the little old
woman in gray who called herself so；whether she melted into air； like
her gown when they touched it； or whether she flew out of the chapel
window； or slipped through the doorway among the bewildered crowd；
nobody knewnobody ever thought about her。
Only the nurse； the ordinary homely one； coming out of the Prince's
nursery in the middle of the night in search of a cordial to quiet his
continual moans； saw； sitting in the doorway； something which she would
have thought a mere shadow； had she not seen shining out of it two eyes；
gray and soft and sweet。 She put her hand before her own； screaming
loudly。 When she took them away the old woman was gone。
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CHAPTER II
Everybody was very kind to the poor little prince。 I think people
generally are kind to motherless children； whether princes or peasants。 He
had a magnificent nursery and a regular suite of attendants； and was
treated with the greatest respect and state。 Nobody was allowed to talk to
him in silly baby language； or dandle him； or； above all to kiss him；
though perhaps some people did it surreptitiously； for he was such a sweet
baby that it was difficult to help it。
It could not be said that the Prince missed his motherchildren of his
age cannot do that； but somehow after she died everything seemed to go
wrong with him。 From a beautiful baby he became sickly and pale；
seeming to have almost ceased growing； especially in his legs； which had
been so fat and strong。
But after the day of his christening they withered and shrank； he no
longer kicked them out either in passion or play； and when； as he got to be
nearly a year old； his nurse tried to make him stand upon them； he only
tumbled down。
This happened so many times that at last people began to talk about it。
A prince； and not able to stand on his own legs！ What a dreadful thing！
What a misfortune for the country！
Rather a misfortune to him also； poor little boy！ but nobody seemed to
think of that。 And when； after a while； his health revived； and the old
bright look came back to his sweet little face； and his body grew larger and
stronger； though still his legs remained the same； people continued to
speak of him in whispers； and with grave shakes of the head。 Everybody
knew； though nobody said it； that something； it was impossible to guess
what； was not quite right with the poor little Prince。
Of course； nobody hinted this to the King his father： it does not do to
tell great people anything unpleasant。 And besides； his Majesty took very
little notice of his son； or of his other affairs； beyond the necessary duties
of his kingdom。
People had said he would not miss the Queen at all； she having been so
long an invalid； but he did。 After her death he never was quite the same。
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He established himself in her empty rooms； the only rooms in the palace
whence one could see the Beautiful Mountains； and was often observed
looking at them as if he thought she had flown away thither； and that his
longing could bring her back again。 And by a curious coincidence； which
nobody dared inquire into； he desired that the Prince might be called； not
by any of the four…and…twenty grand names given him by his godfathers
and godmothers； but by the identical name mentioned by the little old
woman in grayDolor； after his mother Dolorez。
Once a week； according to established state custom； the Prince；
dressed in his very best； was brought to the King his father for half an hour；
but his Majesty was generally too ill and too melancholy to pay much
heed to the child。
Only once； when he and the Crown…Prince； who was exceedingly
attentive to his royal brother； were sitting together； with Prince Dolor
playing in a corner of the room； dragging himself about with his arms
rather than his legs； and sometimes trying feebly to crawl from one chair
to another； it seemed to strike the father that all was not right with his son。
〃How old is his Royal Highness？〃 said he suddenly to the nurse。
〃Two years； three months； and five days； please your Majesty。〃
〃It does not please me；〃 said the King； with a sigh。 〃He ought to be far
more forward than he is now ought he not； brother？ You； who have so
many children； must know。 Is there not something wrong about him？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 said the Crown…Prince； exchanging meaning looks with the
nurse； who did not understand at all； but stood frightened and trembling
with the tears in her eyes。 〃Nothing to make your Majesty at all uneasy。
No doubt his Royal Highness will outgrow it in time。〃
〃Outgrowwhat？〃
〃A slight delicacyahem！in the spine； something inherited； perhaps；
from his dear mother。〃
〃Ah； she was always delicate； but she was the sweetest woman that
ever lived。 Come here； my little son。〃
And as the Prince turned round upon his father a small； sweet； grave
face；so like his mother's；his Majesty the King smiled and held out his
arms。 But when the boy came to him； not running like a boy； but wriggling
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awkwardly along the floor； the royal countenance clouded over。
〃I ought to have been told of this。 It is terribleterrible！ And for a
prince too。 Send for all the doctors in my kingdom immediately。〃
They came； and each gave a different opinion and ordered a different
mode of treatment。 The only thing they agreed in was what had been
pretty well known before； that the Prince must have been hurt when he
was an infantlet fall； perhaps； so as to injure his spine and lower limbs。
Did nobody remember？
No； nobody。 I
