16-the white cat-第3章

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with　you　next　time　I　will　be　on　the　look…out　for　one　for

you。　In　the　meantime　let　us　enjoy　ourselves；　to…night　I

have　ordered　a　battle　between　my　cats　and　the　river　rats

on　purpose　to　amuse　you。〃　So　this　year　slipped　away

even　more　pleasantly　than　the　preceding　ones。　Sometimes

the　Prince　could　not　help　asking　the　White　Cat　how

it　was　she　could　talk。



〃Perhaps　you　are　a　fairy；〃　he　said。　〃Or　has　some

enchanter　changed　you　into　a　cat？〃



But　she　only　gave　him　answers　that　told　him　nothing。

Days　go　by　so　quickly　when　one　is　very　happy　that　it　is

certain　the　Prince　would　never　have　thought　of　its　being

time　to　go　back；　when　one　evening　as　they　sat　together

the　White　Cat　said　to　him　that　if　he　wanted　to　take　a

lovely　princess　home　with　him　the　next　day　he　must　be

prepared　to　do　what　she　told　him。



〃Take　this　sword；〃　she　said；　〃and　cut　off　my　head！〃



〃I！〃　cried　the　Prince；　〃I　cut　off　your　head！　Blanchette

darling；　how　could　I　do　it？〃



〃I　entreat　you　to　do　as　I　tell　you；　King's　son；〃　she

replied。



The　tears　came　into　the　Prince's　eyes　as　he　begged　her

to　ask　him　anything　but　thatto　set　him　any　task　she

pleased　as　a　proof　of　his　devotion；　but　to　spare　him　the

grief　of　killing　his　dear　Pussy。　But　nothing　he　could　say

altered　her　determination；　and　at　last　he　drew　his　sword；

and　desperately；　with　a　trembling　hand；　cut　off　the　little

white　head。　But　imagine　his　astonishment　and　delight

when　suddenly　a　lovely　princess　stood　before　him；　and；

while　he　was　still　speechless　with　amazement；　the　door

opened　and　a　goodly　company　of　knights　and　ladies

entered；　each　carrying　a　cat's　skin！　They　hastened　with

every　sign　of　joy　to　the　Princess；　kissing　her　hand　and

congratulating　her　on　being　once　more　restored　to　her

natural　shape。　She　received　them　graciously；　but　after　a

few　minutes　begged　that　they　would　leave　her　alone　with

the　Prince；　to　whom　she　said：



〃You　see；　Prince；　that　you　were　right　in　supposing　me

to　be　no　ordinary　cat。　My　father　reigned　over　six

kingdoms。　The　Queen；　my　mother；　whom　he　loved　dearly；

had　a　passion　for　traveling　and　exploring；　and　when　I　was

only　a　few　weeks　old　she　obtained　his　permission　to　visit

a　certain　mountain　of　which　she　had　heard　many　marvelous

tales；　and　set　out；　taking　with　her　a　number　of　her

attendants。　On　the　way　they　had　to　pass　near　an　old

castle　belonging　to　the　fairies。　Nobody　had　ever　been

into　it；　but　it　was　reported　to　be　full　of　the　most　wonderful

things；　and　my　mother　remembered　to　have　heard　that

the　fairies　had　in　their　garden　such　fruits　as　were　to　be

seen　and　tasted　nowhere　else。　She　began　to　wish　to　try

them　for　herself；　and　turned　her　steps　in　the　direction　of

the　garden。　On　arriving　at　the　door；　which　blazed　with

gold　and　jewels；　she　ordered　her　servants　to　knock　loudly；

but　it　was　useless；　it　seemed　as　if　all　the　inhabitants　of　the

castle　must　be　asleep　or　dead。　Now　the　more　difficult　it

became　to　obtain　the　fruit；　the　more　the　Queen　was

determined　that　have　it　she　would。　So　she　ordered　that　they

should　bring　ladders；　and　get　over　the　wall　into　the　garden；

but　though　the　wall　did　not　look　very　high；　and　they　tied

the　ladders　together　to　make　them　very　long；　it　was　quite

impossible　to　get　to　the　top。



〃The　Queen　was　in　despair；　but　as　night　was　coming　on

she　ordered　that　they　should　encamp　just　where　they

were；　and　went　to　bed　herself；　feeling　quite　ill；　she　was　so

disappointed。　In　the　middle　of　the　night　she　was　suddenly

awakened；　and　saw　to　her　surprise　a　tiny；　ugly　old

woman　seated　by　her　bedside；　who　said　to　her：



〃‘I　must　say　that　we　consider　it　somewhat　troublesome

of　your　Majesty　to　insist　upon　tasting　our　fruit；　but

to　save　you　annoyance；　my　sisters　and　I　will　consent　to

give　you　as　much　as　you　can　carry　away；　on　one　condition

that　is；　that　you　shall　give　us　your　little　daughter　to

bring　up　as　our　own。'



〃‘Ah！　my　dear　madam；'　cried　the　Queen；　‘is　there　nothing

else　that　you　will　take　for　the　fruit？　I　will　give　you

my　kingdoms　willingly。'



〃‘No；'　replied　the　old　fairy；　‘we　will　have　nothing　but

your　little　daughter。　She　shall　be　as　happy　as　the　day　is

long；　and　we　will　give　her　everything　that　is　worth　having

in　fairy…land；　but　you　must　not　see　her　again　until　she　is

married。'



〃‘Though　it　is　a　hard　condition；'　said　the　Queen；　‘I

consent；　for　I　shall　certainly　die　if　I　do　not　taste　the　fruit；

and　so　I　should　lose　my　little　daughter　either　way。'



〃So　the　old　fairy　led　her　into　the　castle；　and；　though　it

was　still　the　middle　of　the　night；　the　Queen　could　see

plainly　that　it　was　far　more　beautiful　than　she　had　been

told；　which　you　can　easily　believe；　Prince；〃　said　the

White　Cat；　〃when　I　tell　you　that　it　was　this　castle　that

we　are　now　in。　‘Will　you　gather　the　fruit　yourself；

Queen？'　said　the　old　fairy；　‘or　shall　I　call　it　to　come　to

you？'



〃‘I　beg　you　to　let　me　see　it　come　when　it　is　called；'

cried　the　Queen；　‘that　will　be　something　quite　new。'　The

old　fairy　whistled　twice；　then　she　cried：



〃‘Apricots；　peaches；　nectarines；　cherries；　plums；　pears；

melons；　grapes；　apples；　oranges；　lemons；　gooseberries；

strawberries；　raspberries；　come！'



〃And　in　an　instant　they　came　tumbling　in　one　over

another；　and　yet　they　were　neither　dusty　nor　spoilt；　and

the　Queen　found　them　quite　as　good　as　she　had　fancied

them。　You　see　they　grew　upon　fairy　trees。



〃The　old　fairy　gave　her　golden　baskets　in　which　to　take

the　fruit　away；　and　it　was　as　much　as　four　hundred　mules

could　carry。　Then　she　reminded　the　Queen　of　her　agreement；

and　led　her　back　to　the　camp；　and　next　morning

she　went　back　to　her　kingdom；　but　before　she　had　gone

very　far　she　began　to　repent　of　her　bargain；　and　when　the

King　came　out　to　meet　her　she　looked　so　sad　that　he

guessed　that　something　had　happened；　and　asked　what

was　the　matter。　At　first　the　Queen　was　afraid　to　tell　him；

but　when；　as　soon　as　they　reached　the　palace；　five　frightful

little　dwarfs　were　sent　by　the　fairies　to　fetch　me；　she

was　obliged　to　confess　what　she　had　promised。　The

King　was　very　angry；　and　had　the　Queen　and　myself　shut

up　in　a　great　tower　and　safely　guarded；　and　drove　the

little　dwarfs　out　of　his　kingdom；　but　the　fairies　sent　a

great　dragon　who　ate　up　all　the　people　he　met；　and　whose

breath　burnt　up　everything　as　he　passed　through　the

country；　and　at　last；　after　trying　in　vain　to　rid　himself　of

this　monster；　the　King；　to　save　his　subjects；　was　obliged

to　consent　that　I　should　be　given　up　to　the　fairies。　This

time　they　came　themselves　to　fetch　me；　in　a　chariot　of

pearl　drawn　by　sea…horses；　followed　by　the　dragon；　who

was　led　with　chains　of　diamonds。　My　cradle　was　placed

between　the　old　fairies；　who　loaded　me　with　caresses；　and

away　we　whirled　through　the　air　to　a　tower　which　they

had　built　on　purpose　for　me。　There　I　grew　up　surrounded

with　everything　that　was　beautiful　and　rare；　and　learning

everything　that　is　ever　taught　to　a　princess；　but　without

any　companions　but　a　parrot　and　a　little　dog；　who　could

both　talk；　and　receiving　every　day　a　visit　from　one　of　the

old　fairies；　who　came　mounted　upon　the　dragon。　One

day；　however；　as　I　sat　at　my　window　I　saw　a　handsome

young　prince；　who　seemed　to　have　been　hunting　in　the

forest　which　surrounded　my　prison；　and　who　was　standing

and　looking　up　at　me。　When　he　saw　that　I　observed　him

he　saluted　me　with　great　deference。　You　can　imagine

that　I　was　delighted　to　have　some　one　new　to　talk　to；　and

in　spite　of　the　height　of　my　window　our　conversation　was

prolonged　till　night　fell；　then　my　prince　reluctantly　bade

me　farewell。　But　after　that　he　came　again　many　times

and　at　last　I　consented　to　marry　him；　but　the　question

was　how　was　I　to　escape　from　my　tower。　The　fairies

always　supplied　me　with　flax　for　my　spinning；　and　by

great　diligence　I　made　enough　cord　for　a　ladder　that　would

reach　to　the　foot　of　the　tower；　but；　alas！　just　as　my　prince

was　helping　me　to　descend　it；　the　crossest　and　ugliest　of

the　old　fairies　flew　in。　Before　he　had　time　to　defend

himself　my　unhappy　lover　was　swallowed　up　by　the　dragon。

As　for　me；　the　fairies；　furious　at　having　their　plans

defeated；　for　they　intended　me　to　marry　the　king　of　the

dwarfs；　and　I　utterly　refused；　changed　me　into　a　white

cat。　When　they　brought　me　here　I　found　all　the　lords

and　ladies　of　my　father's　court　awaiting　me　under　the

same　enchantment；　while　the　people　of　lesser　rank　had

been　made　invisible；　all　but　their　hands。



〃As　they　laid　me　under　the　enchantment　the　fairies

told　me　all　my　history；　for　until　then　I　had　quite　believed

that　I　was　their　child；　and　warned　me　that　my　only

chance　of　regaining　my　natural　form　was　to　win　the　love

of　a　prince　who　resembled　in　every　way　my　unfortunate

lover。



〃And　you　have　won　it；　lovely　Princess；〃　interrupted

the　Prince。



〃You　are　indeed　wonderfully　like　him；〃　resumed　the

Princess〃in　voice；　in　features；　and　everything；　and　if

you　really　love　me　all　my　troubles　will　be　at　an　end。〃



〃And　mine　too；〃　cried　the　Prince；　throwing　himself　at

her　feet；　〃if　you　will　consent　to　marry　me。〃



〃I　love　you　already　better　than　anyone　in　the　world；〃

she　said；　〃but　now　it　is　time　to　go　back　to　your　father；　and

we　shall　hear　what　he　says　about　it。〃



So　the　Prince　gave　her　his　hand　and　led　her　out；　and

they　mounted　the　chariot　together；　it　was　even　more

splendid　than　before；　and　so　was　the　whole　company。

Even　the　horses'　shoes　were　of　rubies　with　diamond　nails；

and　I　suppose　that　is　the　first　time　such　a　thing　was　ever

seen。



As　the　Princess　was　as　kind　and　clever　as　she　was

beautiful；　you　may　imagine　what　a　delightful　journey　the

Prince　found　it；　for　everything　the　Princess　said　seemed

to　him　quite　charming。



When　they　came　near　the　castle　where　the　brothers

were　to　meet；　the　Princess　got　into　a　chair　carried　by　four

of　the　guards；　it　was　hewn　out　of　one　splendid　crystal；　and

had　silken　curtains；　which　she　drew　round　her　that　she

might　not　be　seen。



The　Prince　saw　his　brothers　walking　upon　the　terrace；

each　with　a　lovely　princess；　and　they　came　to　meet　him；

asking　if　he　had　also　found　a　wife。　He　said　that　he　had

found　something　much　rarera　white　cat！　At　which　they

laughed　very　much；　and　asked　him　if　he　was　afraid　of

being　eaten　up　by　mice　in　the　palace。　And　then　they　set

out　together　for　the　town。　Each　prince　and　princess　rode

in　a　splendid　carriage；　the　horses　were　decked　with　plumes

of　feathers；　and　glittered　with　gold。　After　them　came　the

youngest　prince；　and　last　of　all　the　crystal　chair；　at　which

everybody　looked　with　admiration　and　curiosity。　When

the　courtiers　saw　them　coming　they　hastened　to　tell　the

King。



〃Are　the　ladies　beautiful？〃　he　asked　anxiously。



And　when　they　answered　that　nobody　had　ever　before

seen　such　lovely　princesses　he　seemed　quite　annoyed。



However；　he　received　them　graciously；　but　fo