the enchanted island of yew-第15部分

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From　the　garden　walks　they　sometimes　caught　sight　of　the　solemn　heads　of　the　handsome　Ki…Ki　looking　at　them　through　the　twin　windows　of　the　other　palace；　and　although　the　expression　of　their　faces　was　always　mild　and　gentle；　Nerle　and　Marvel　well　knew　the　Ki…Ki　were　only　waiting　in　the　hope　of　having　them　killed。

〃Are　you　nervous　about　the　decision　of　the　pretty　High　Ki？〃　asked　Nerle　one　day。

〃No；　indeed；〃　said　the　prince；　laughing；　〃for　I　do　not　expect　them　to　kill　me；　in　any　event。〃

〃If　I　felt　as　sure　of　my　safety；〃　returned　the　boy；　〃it　would　destroy　all　my　pleasure。　　These　are　really　happy　days　for　me。　　Every　moment　I　expect　to　see　the　executioner　arrive　with　his　ax。〃

〃The　executioner　is　double；〃　said　the　two　old　Ki；　breaking　into　the　conversation。　　〃You　should　say　you　expect　to　see　the　executioners　arrive　with　their　axes。〃

〃Then　how　will　they　cut　off　my　head　with　two　axes？　　For　I　suppose　they　will　both　chop　at　the　same　time；　and　I　have　but　one　neck。〃

〃Wait　and　see；〃　answered　the　two　Ki；　sighing　deeply　and　rubbing　their　red　noses　thoughtfully。

〃Oh；　I'll　wait；〃　answered　the　boy；　〃but　as　for　seeing　them　cut　off　my　head；　I　refuse；　for　I　intend　to　shut　my　eyes。〃

So　they　sat　in　their　rooms　or　walked　in　the　gardens；　yawning　and　waiting；　until　one　day；　just　as　the　two　clocks　on　the　wall　were　striking　twenty…four　o'clock；　the　door　opened　and　to　their　surprise　one　of　the　High　Ki　twins　walked　in　upon　them。

She　was　as　sweet　and　fair　to　look　upon　as　when　she　occupied　one　of　the　beautiful　thrones；　but　at　first　no　one　could　tell　which　of　the　High　Ki　she　wastheir　friend　or　their　enemy。　　Even　the　Ki　were　puzzled　and　anxious；　until　the　girl　said：

〃My　other　half　and　I　have　completely　separated；　for　we　have　agreed　to　disagree　for　all　time。　　And　she　has　gone　to　ask　the　Ki…Ki　to　assist　her；　for　war　is　declared　between　us。　　And　hereafter　her　color　is　to　be　the　green　and　mine　the　yellow；　and　we　intend　to　fight　until　one　of　us　conquers　and　overthrows　the　other。〃

This　announcement　was　interesting　to　Marvel　and　Nerle；　but　greatly　shocked　the　aged　Ki；　who　asked：

〃What　is　to　become　of　our　kingdom？　　Half　of　a　High　Ki　can　not　rule　it。　It　is　against　the　law。〃

〃I　will　make　my　own　laws　when　I　have　won　the　fight；〃　returned　the　girl；　with　a　lovely　smile；　〃so　do　not　let　that　bother　you。　　And　now　tell　me；　will　you　help　me　to　fight　my　battles？〃

〃Willingly！〃　exclaimed　Nerle　and　Prince　Marvel；　almost　as　if　they　had　been　twins　of　Twi。　　And　the　Ki　rubbed　their　bald　heads　a　moment；　and　then　sneezed　together　and　wiped　their　eyes　on　faded　yellow　handkerchiefs；　and　finally　declared　they　would　〃stick　to　her　Supreme　Highness　through　thick　and　thin！〃

〃Then　go　over　the　wall　to　the　cities；　at　once；　and　get　together　all　the　soldiers　to　fight　for　me　and　my　cause；〃　commanded　the　girl。

The　twin　Ki　at　once　left　the　room；　and　the　High　Ki　sat　down　and　began　to　ask　questions　of　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle　about　the　big　outside　world　from　whence　they　came。　　Nerle　was　rather　shy　and　bashful　before　the　dainty　little　maiden；　whose　yellow　robe　contrasted　delightfully　with　her　pink　cheeks　and　blue　eyes　and　brown　flowing　locks；　but　Prince　Marvel　did　not　mind　girls　at　all；　so　he　talked　with　her　freely；　and　she　in　return　allowed　him　to　examine　the　pretty　gold　crown　she　wore　upon　her　brow。

By　and　by　the　Ki　came　back　with　both　faces　sad　and　gloomy。

〃Your　Highness；〃　they　announced；　〃we　have　bad　news　for　you。　　The　other　High　Ki；　who　is　wearing　a　green　gown；　has　been　more　prompt　in　action　than　yourself。　　She　and　the　Ki…Ki　have　secured　the　silver　steps　and　will　allow　no　others　to　use　them；　and　already　they　have　sent　for　the　soldiers　of　the　royal　armies　to　come　and　aid　them。　　So　we　are　unable　to　leave　the　garden；　and　presently　the　army　will　be　here　to　destroy　us。〃

Then　the　girl　showed　her　good　courage；　for　she　laughed　and　said：

〃Then　we　must　remain　here　and　fight　to　the　last；　and　if　I　am　unable　to　save　you；　who　are　my　friends；　it　will　be　because　I　can　not　save　myself。〃

This　speech　pleased　Prince　Marvel　greatly。　　He　kissed　the　little　maid's　hand　respectfully　and　said：

〃Fear　nothing；　your　Highness。　　My　friend　and　I　are　not　so　helpless　as　you　think。　　We　consider　it　our　privilege　to　protect　and　save　you；　instead　of　your　saving　us；　and　we　are　really　able　to　do　this　in　spite　of　the　other　High　Ki　and　her　entire　army。〃

So　they　remained　quietly　in　the　palace　the　rest　of　that　day；　and　no　one　molested　them　in　the　least。　　In　the　evening　the　girl　played　and　sang　for　them；　and　the　ancient　pair　of　Ki　danced　a　double…shuffle　for　their　amusement　that　nearly　convulsed　them　with　laughter。　　For　one　danced　exactly　like　the　other；　and　the　old　men's　legs　were　still　very　nimble；　although　their　wrinkled　faces　remained　anxiously　grave　throughout　their　antics。　　Nerle　also　sang　a　song　about　the　King　of　Thieves　whom　Prince　Marvel　had　conquered；　and　another　about　the　Red　Rogue　of　Dawna；　so　that　altogether　the　evening　passed　pleasantly　enough；　and　they　managed　to　forget　all　their　uneasy　doubts　of　the　morrow。

When　at　last　they　separated　for　the　night；　Prince　Marvel　alone　did　not　seek　his　bed；　there　was　still　some　business　he　wished　to　transact。　　So　he　shut　himself　up　in　his　room　and　summoned　before　him；　by　means　of　his　fairy　knowledge；　the　Prince　of　the　Knooks；　the　King　of　the　Ryls　and　the　Governor　of　the　Goblins。　　These　were　all　three　his　especial　friends；　and　he　soon　told　them　the　story　of　the　quarrel　and　separation　of　the　twin　High　Ki；　and　claimed　their　assistance。　　Then　he　told　them　how　they　might　aid　him；　and　afterward　dismissed　them。　　Having　thus　accomplished　his　task；　the　fairy　prince　went　to　bed　and　slept　peacefully　the　remainder　of　the　night。

The　next　morning　the　blond　Ki…Ki　and　all　the　army　of　Twi；　which　had　been　won　to　their　cause；　came　climbing　up　the　silver　steps　and　over　the　wall　to　the　palace　of　the　green　High　Ki；　but　what　was　their　amazement　to　find　the　twin　palaces　separated　by　a　wall　so　high　that　no　ladders　nor　steps　they　possessed　could　reach　to　the　top！　　It　had　been　built　in　a　single　night；　and　only　Prince　Marvel　and　his　fairy　friends　knew　how　the　work　had　been　done　so　quickly。

The　yellow　High　Ki；　coming　downstairs　to　breakfast　with　her　friends；　found　herself　securely　shut　in　from　her　enemies；　and　the　bald…headed　old　Ki　were　so　pleased　to　escape　that　they　danced　another　jig　from　pure　joy。

Over　the　wall　could　be　heard　the　shouts　and　threats　of　the　army　of　Twi；　who　were　seeking　a　way　to　get　at　the　fugitives；　but　for　the　present　our　friends　knew　themselves　to　be　perfectly　safe；　and　they　could　afford　to　laugh　at　the　fury　of　the　entire　population　of　Twi。



18。　　The　Rescue　of　the　High　Ki


After　several　days　of　siege　Prince　Marvel　began　to　feel　less　confident　of　the　safety　of　his　little　party。　　The　frantic　Ki…Ki　had　built　double　battering…rams　and　were　trying　to　batter　down　the　high　wall；　and　they　had　built　several　pairs　of　long　ladders　with　which　to　climb　over　the　wall；　and　their　soldiers　were　digging　two　tunnels　in　the　ground　in　order　to　crawl　under　the　wall。

Not　at　once　could　they　succeed；　for　the　wall　was　strong　and　it　would　take　long　to　batter　it　down；　and　Nerle　stood　on　top　of　the　wall　and　kicked　over　the　ladders　as　fast　as　the　soldiers　of　Twi　set　them　up；　and　the　gray…bearded　Ki　stood　in　the　garden　holding　two　big　flat　boards　with　which　to　whack　the　heads　of　any　who　might　come　through　the　tunnels。

But　Prince　Marvel　realized　that　the　perseverance　of　his　foes　might　win　in　the　end；　unless　he　took　measures　to　defeat　them　effectually。　　So　he　summoned　swift　messengers　from　among　the　Sound　Elves；　who　are　accustomed　to　travel　quickly；　and　they　carried　messages　from　him　to　Wul…Takim；　the　King　of　the　Reformed　Thieves；　and　to　King　Terribus　of　Spor；　who　had　both　promised　him　their　assistance　in　case　he　needed　it。　The　prince　did　not　tell　his　friends　of　this　action；　but　after　the　messengers　had　been　dispatched　he　felt　easier　in　his　mind。

The　little　High　Ki　remained　as　sweet　and　brave　and　lovable　as　ever；　striving　constantly　to　cheer　and　encourage　her　little　band　of　defenders。　　But　none　of　them　was　very　much　worried；　and　Nerle　confided　to　the　maiden　in　yellow　the　fact　that　he　expected　to　suffer　quite　agreeably　when　the　Ki…Ki　at　last　got　him　in　their　clutches。

Finally　a　day　came　when　two　big　holes　were　battered　through　the　wall；　and　then　the　twin　soldiers　of　Twi　poured　through　the　holes　and　began　to　pound　on　the　doors　of　the　palace　itself；　in　which　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle；　the　Ki　and　the　yellow　High　Ki　had　locked　themselves　as　securely　as　possible。

The　prince　now　decided　it　was　high　time　for　his　friends　to　come　to　their　rescue；　but　they　did　not　appear；　and　before　long　the　doors　of　the　palace　gave　way　and　the　soldiers　rushed　upon　them　in　a　vast　throng。

Nerle　wanted　to　fight；　and　to　slay　as　many　of　the　Twi　people　as　possible；　but　the　prince　would　not　let　him。

〃These　poor　soldiers　are　but　doing　what　they　consider　their　duty；〃　he　said；　〃and　it　would　be　cruel　to　cut　them　down　with　our　swords。　　Have　patience；　I　pray　you。　　Our　triumph　will　come　in　good　time。〃

The　Ki…Ki；　who　came　into　the　palace　accompanied　by　the　green　High　Ki；　ordered　the　twin　soldiers　to　bind　all　the　prisoners　with　cords。　　So　one　pair　of　soldiers　bound　the　Ki　and　another　pair　Nerle　and　the　prince；　using　exactly　the　same　motions　in　the　operation。　　But　when　it　came　to　binding　the　yellow　High　Ki　the　scene　was　very　funny。　　For　twin　soldiers　tried　to　do　the　binding；　and　there　was　only　one　to　bind；　so　that　one　soldier　went　through　the　same　motions　as　his　twin　on　empty　air；　and　when　his　other　half　had　firmly　bound　the　girl；　his　own　rope　fell　harmless　to　the　ground。　　But　it　seemed　impossible　for　one　of　the　twins　to　do　anything　different　from　the　other；　so　that　was　the　only　way　the　act　could　be　accomplished。

Then　the　green…robed　High　Ki　walked　up　to　the　one　in　yellow　and　laughed　in　her　face；　saying：

〃You　now　see　which　of　us　is　the　most　powerful；　and　therefore　the　most　worthy　to　rule。　　Had　you　remained　faithful　to　our　handsome　Ki…Ki；　as　I　did；　you　would　not　now　be　defeated　and　disgraced。〃

〃There　is　no　disgrace　in　losing　one　battle；〃　returned　the　other　girl；　proudly。　　〃You　are　mistaken　if　you　think　you　have　conquered　me；　and　you　are　wrong　to　insult　one　who　is；　for　the　t