at the back of the north wind-第31章

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〃Until；〃　said　the　seventh　fairy；　〃a　prince　comes　who　shall　kiss

her　without　knowing　it。〃



The　wicked　fairy　made　a　horrid　noise　like　an　angry　cat；　and　hobbled　away。　

She　could　not　pretend　that　she　had　not　finished　her　speech　this　time；

for　she　had　laughed　Ho；　ho！　and　Hu；　hu！



〃I　don't　know　what　that　means；〃　said　the　poor　king　to　the　seventh　fairy。



〃Don't　be　afraid。　　The　meaning　will　come　with　the　thing　itself；〃

said　she。



The　assembly　broke　up；　miserable　enoughthe　queen；　at　least；

prepared　for　a　good　many　sleepless　nights；　and　the　lady　at　the　head

of　the　nursery　department　anything　but　comfortable　in　the　prospect

before　her；　for　of　course　the　queen　could　not　do　it　all。　　As　for

the　king；　he　made　up　his　mind；　with　what　courage　he　could　summon；

to　meet　the　demands　of　the　case；　but　wondered　whether　he　could

with　any　propriety　require　the　First　Lord　of　the　Treasury　to　take

a　share　in　the　burden　laid　upon　him。



I　will　not　attempt　to　describe　what　they　had　to　go　through　for　some　time。　

But　at　last　the　household　settled　into　a　regular　systema　very　irregular

one　in　some　respects。　　For　at　certain　seasons　the　palace　rang　all　night

with　bursts　of　laughter　from　little　Daylight；　whose　heart　the　old

fairy's　curse　could　not　reach；　she　was　Daylight　still；　only　a　little

in　the　wrong　place；　for　she　always　dropped　asleep　at　the　first　hint

of　dawn　in　the　east。　　But　her　merriment　was　of　short　duration。　

When　the　moon　was　at　the　full；　she　was　in　glorious　spirits；

and　as　beautiful　as　it　was　possible　for　a　child　of　her　age　to　be。　

But　as　the　moon　waned；　she　faded；　until　at　last　she　was　wan　and

withered　like　the　poorest；　sickliest　child　you　might　come　upon

in　the　streets　of　a　great　city　in　the　arms　of　a　homeless　mother。　

Then　the　night　was　quiet　as　the　day；　for　the　little　creature

lay　in　her　gorgeous　cradle　night　and　day　with　hardly　a　motion；

and　indeed　at　last　without　even　a　moan；　like　one　dead。　　At　first

they　often　thought　she　was　dead；　but　at　last　they　got　used　to　it；

and　only　consulted　the　almanac　to　find　the　moment　when　she　would　begin

to　revive；　which；　of　course；　was　with　the　first　appearance　of　the

silver　thread　of　the　crescent　moon。　　Then　she　would　move　her　lips；

and　they　would　give　her　a　little　nourishment；　and　she　would　grow　better

and　better　and　better；　until　for　a　few　days　she　was　splendidly　well。　

When　well；　she　was　always　merriest　out　in　the　moonlight；　but　even

when　near　her　worst；　she　seemed　better　when；　in　warm　summer　nights；

they　carried　her　cradle　out　into　the　light　of　the　waning　moon。　

Then　in　her　sleep　she　would　smile　the　faintest；　most　pitiful　smile。



For　a　long　time　very　few　people　ever　saw　her　awake。　　As　she　grew

older　she　became　such　a　favourite；　however；　that　about　the　palace

there　were　always　some　who　would　contrive　to　keep　awake　at　night；

in　order　to　be　near　her。　　But　she　soon　began　to　take　every　chance

of　getting　away　from　her　nurses　and　enjoying　her　moonlight　alone。　

And　thus　things　went　on　until　she　was　nearly　seventeen　years　of　age。　

Her　father　and　mother　had　by　that　time　got　so　used　to　the　odd

state　of　things　that　they　had　ceased　to　wonder　at　them。　　All　their

arrangements　had　reference　to　the　state　of　the　Princess　Daylight；

and　it　is　amazing　how　things　contrive　to　accommodate　themselves。　

But　how　any　prince　was　ever　to　find　and　deliver　her；

appeared　inconceivable。



As　she　grew　older　she　had　grown　more　and　more　beautiful；　with　the

sunniest　hair　and　the　loveliest　eyes　of　heavenly　blue；　brilliant　and

profound　as　the　sky　of　a　June　day。　　But　so　much　more　painful　and　sad

was　the　change　as　her　bad　time　came　on。　　The　more　beautiful　she

was　in　the　full　moon；　the　more　withered　and　worn　did　she　become

as　the　moon　waned。　　At　the　time　at　which　my　story　has　now　arrived；

she　looked；　when　the　moon　was　small　or　gone；　like　an　old　woman

exhausted　with　suffering。　　This　was　the　more　painful　that　her

appearance　was　unnatural；　for　her　hair　and　eyes　did　not　change。　

Her　wan　face　was　both　drawn　and　wrinkled；　and　had　an　eager　hungry　look。　

Her　skinny　hands　moved　as　if　wishing；　but　unable；　to　lay　hold

of　something。　　Her　shoulders　were　bent　forward；　her　chest　went　in；

and　she　stooped　as　if　she　were　eighty　years　old。　　At　last　she　had

to　be　put　to　bed；　and　there　await　the　flow　of　the　tide　of　life。　

But　she　grew　to　dislike　being　seen；　still　more　being　touched

by　any　hands；　during　this　season。　　One　lovely　summer　evening；

when　the　moon　lay　all　but　gone　upon　the　verge　of　the　horizon；

she　vanished　from　her　attendants；　and　it　was　only　after　searching

for　her　a　long　time　in　great　terror；　that　they　found　her　fast

asleep　in　the　forest；　at　the　foot　of　a　silver　birch；　and　carried

her　home。



A　little　way　from　the　palace　there　was　a　great　open　glade；　covered　with

the　greenest　and　softest　grass。　　This　was　her　favourite　haunt；

for　here　the　full　moon　shone　free　and　glorious；　while　through　a　vista

in　the　trees　she　could　generally　see　more　or　less　of　the　dying　moon

as　it　crossed　the　opening。　　Here　she　had　a　little　rustic　house

built　for　her；　and　here　she　mostly　resided。　　None　of　the　court

might　go　there　without　leave；　and　her　own　attendants　had　learned

by　this　time　not　to　be　officious　in　waiting　upon　her；　so　that　she

was　very　much　at　liberty。　　Whether　the　good　fairies　had　anything

to　do　with　it　or　not　I　cannot　tell；　but　at　last　she　got　into　the　way

of　retreating　further　into　the　wood　every　night　as　the　moon　waned；

so　that　sometimes　they　had　great　trouble　in　finding　her；　but　as　she

was　always　very　angry　if　she　discovered　they　were　watching　her；

they　scarcely　dared　to　do　so。　　At　length　one　night　they　thought　they

had　lost　her　altogether。　　It　was　morning　before　they　found　her。　

Feeble　as　she　was；　she　had　wandered　into　a　thicket　a　long　way　from

the　glade；　and　there　she　layfast　asleep；　of　course。



Although　the　fame　of　her　beauty　and　sweetness　had　gone　abroad；

yet　as　everybody　knew　she　was　under　a　bad　spell；　no　king　in　the

neighbourhood　had　any　desire　to　have　her　for　a　daughter…in…law。

There　were　serious　objections　to　such　a　relation。



About　this　time　in　a　neighbouring　kingdom；　in　consequence　of　the

wickedness　of　the　nobles；　an　insurrection　took　place　upon　the　death

of　the　old　king；　the　greater　part　of　the　nobility　was　massacred；

and　the　young　prince　was　compelled　to　flee　for　his　life；　disguised

like　a　peasant。　　For　some　time；　until　he　got　out　of　the　country；

he　suffered　much　from　hunger　and　fatigue；　but　when　he　got　into

that　ruled　by　the　princess's　father；　and　had　no　longer　any　fear

of　being　recognised；　he　fared　better；　for　the　people　were　kind。　

He　did　not　abandon　his　disguise；　however。　　One　tolerable　reason

was　that　he　had　no　other　clothes　to　put　on；　and　another　that　he

had　very　little　money；　and　did　not　know　where　to　get　any　more。　

There　was　no　good　in　telling　everybody　he　met　that　he　was　a　prince；

for　he　felt　that　a　prince　ought　to　be　able　to　get　on　like　other　people；

else　his　rank　only　made　a　fool　of　him。　　He　had　read　of　princes

setting　out　upon　adventure；　and　here　he　was　out　in　similar　case；

only　without　having　had　a　choice　in　the　matter。　　He　would　go　on；

and　see　what　would　come　of　it。



For　a　day　or　two　he　had　been　walking　through　the　palace…wood；

and　had　had　next　to　nothing　to　eat；　when　he　came　upon　the　strangest

little　house；　inhabited　by　a　very　nice；　tidy；　motherly　old　woman。　

This　was　one　of　the　good　fairies。　　The　moment　she　saw　him　she　knew　quite

well　who　he　was　and　what　was　going　to　come　of　it；　but　she　was　not　at

liberty　to　interfere　with　the　orderly　march　of　events。　　She　received

him　with　the　kindness　she　would　have　shown　to　any　other　traveller；

and　gave　him　bread　and　milk；　which　he　thought　the　most　delicious　food

he　had　ever　tasted；　wondering　that　they　did　not　have　it　for　dinner　at

the　palace　sometimes。　　The　old　woman　pressed　him　to　stay　all　night。　

When　he　awoke　he　was　amazed　to　find　how　well　and　strong　he　felt。　

She　would　not　take　any　of　the　money　he　offered；　but　begged　him；

if　he　found　occasion　of　continuing　in　the　neighbourhood；　to　return

and　occupy　the　same　quarters。



〃Thank　you　much；　good　mother；〃　answered　the　prince；　〃but　there　is

little　chance　of　that。　　The　sooner　I　get　out　of　this　wood　the　better。〃



〃I　don't　know　that；〃　said　the　fairy。



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　prince。



〃Why；　how　should　I　know？〃　returned　she。



〃I　can't　tell；〃　said　the　prince。



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　fairy。



〃How　strangely　you　talk！〃　said　the　prince。



〃Do　I？〃　said　the　fairy。



〃Yes；　you　do；〃　said　the　prince。



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　fairy。



The　prince　was　not　used　to　be　spoken　to　in　this　fashion；　so　he　felt

a　little　angry；　and　turned　and　walked　away。　　But　this　did　not　offend

the　fairy。　　She　stood　at　the　door　of　her　little　house　looking

after　him　till　the　trees　hid　him　quite。　　Then　she　said　〃At　last！〃

and　went　in。



The　prince　wandered　and　wandered；　and　got　nowhere。　　The　sun　sank

and　sank　and　went　out　of　sight；　and　he　seemed　no　nearer　the　end

of　the　wood　than　ever。　　He　sat　down　on　a　fallen　tree；　ate　a　bit

of　bread　the　old　woman　had　given　him；　and　waited　for　the　moon；

for；　although　he　was　not　much　of　an　astronomer；　he　knew　the　moon

would　rise　some　time；　because　she　had　risen　the　night　before。　

Up　she　came；　slow　and　slow；　but　of　a　good　size；　pretty　nearly

round　indeed；　whereupon；　greatly　refreshed　with　his　piece　of　bread；

he　got　up　and　wenthe　knew　not　whither。



After　walking　a　considerable　distance；　he　thought　he　was　coming

to　the　outside　of　the　forest；　but　when　he　reached　what　he　thought

the　last　of　it；　he　found　himself　only　upon　the　edge　of　a　great　open

space　in　it；　covered　with　grass。　　The　moon　shone　very　bright；

and　he　thought　he　had　never　seen　a　more　lovely　spot。　　Still　it　looked

dreary　because　of　its　loneliness；　for　he　could　not　see　the　house　at

the　other　side。　　He　sat　down；　weary　again；　and　gazed　into　the　glade。　

He　had　not　seen　so　much　room　for　several　days。



All　at　once　he　spied　something　in　the　middle　of　the　grass。　

What　could　it　be？　　It　moved；　it　came　nearer。　　Was　it　a　human　creature；

gliding　acrossa　girl　dressed　in　white；　gleaming　in　the　moonshine？　

She　came　nearer　and　nearer。　　He　crept　behind　a　tree　and　watched；

wondering。　　It　must　be　some　strange　being　of　the　wooda　nymph　whom

the　moonlight　and　the　warm　dusky　air　had　enticed　from　her　tree。　

But　when　she　came　close　to　where　he　stood；　he　no　longer　doubted　she

was　humanfor　he　had　caught　sight　of　her　sunny　hair；　and　her　clear

blue　eyes；　and　the　loveliest　face　and　form　that　he　had　ever　seen。　

All　at　once　she　began　singing　like　a　nightingale；　and　dancing

to　her　own　music；　with　her　eyes　ever　turned　towards　the　moon。　

She　passed　close　to　where　he　stood；　dancing　on　by　the　edge　of　the　trees

and　away　in　a　great　circle　towards　the　other　side；　until　he　could　see

but　a　spot　of　white　in　the　yellowish　green　of　the　moonlit　grass。　

But　when　he　feared　it　would　vanish　quite；