the light princess-第1部分

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The　Light　Princess



by　George　MacDonald








1。　　What！　No　Children？





Once　upon　a　time；　so　long　ago　that　I　have　quite　forgotten　the　date；

there　lived　a　king　and　queen　who　had　no　children。



And　the　king　said　to　himself；　〃All　the　queens　of　my　acquaintance

have　children；　some　three；　some　seven；　and　some　as　many　as　twelve；

and　my　queen　has　not　one。　　I　feel　ill…used。〃　　So　he　made　up　his　mind

to　be　cross　with　his　wife　about　it。　　But　she　bore　it　all　like　a　good

patient　queen　as　she　was。　　Then　the　king　grew　very　cross　indeed。　　But

the　queen　pretended　to　take　it　all　as　a　joke；　and　a　very　good　one

too。



〃Why　don't　you　have　any　daughters；　at　least？〃　said　he。　　〃I　don't　say

sons；　that　might　be　too　much　to　expect。〃



〃I　am　sure；　dear　king；　I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　the　queen。



〃So　you　ought　to　be；〃　retorted　the　king；　〃you　are　not　going　to　make

a　virtue　of　that；　surely。〃



But　he　was　not　an　ill…tempered　king；　and　in　any　matter　of　less

moment　would　have　let　the　queen　have　her　own　way　with　all　his

heart。　　This；　however；　was　an　affair　of　state。



The　queen　smiled。



〃You　must　have　patience　with　a　lady；　you　know；　dear　king；〃　said

she。



She　was；　indeed；　a　very　nice　queen；　and　heartily　sorry　that　she

could　not　oblige　the　king　immediately。







2。　　Won't　I；　Just？





The　king　tried　to　have　patience；　but　he　succeeded　very　badly。　　It

was　more　than　he　deserved；　therefore；　when；　at　last；　the　queen　gave

him　a　daughteras　lovely　a　little　princess　as　ever　cried。



The　day　drew　near　when　the　infant　must　be　christened。　　The　king

wrote　all　the　invitations　with　his　own　hand。　　Of　course　somebody　was

forgotten。

Now　it　does　not　generally　matter　if　somebody　is　forgotten；　only　you

must　mind　who。　　Unfortunately；　the　king　forgot　without　intending　to

forget；　and　so　the　chance　fell　upon　the　Princess　Makemnoit；　which

was　awkward。　　For　the　princess　was　the　king's　own　sister；　and　he

ought　not　to　have　forgotten　her。　　But　she　had　made　herself　so

disagreeable　to　the　old　king；　their　father；　that　he　had　forgotten

her　in　making　his　will；　and　so　it　was　no　wonder　that　her　brother

forgot　her　in　writing　his　invitations。　　But　poor　relations　don't　do

anything　to　keep　you　in　mind　of　them。　　Why　don't　they？　　The　king

could　not　see　into　the　garret　she　lived　in；　could　he？



She　was　a　sour；　spiteful　creature。　　The　wrinkles　of　contempt　crossed

the　wrinkles　of　peevishness；　and　made　her　face　as　full　of　wrinkles

as　a　pat　of　butter。　　If　ever　a　king　could　be　justified　in　forgetting

anybody；　this　king　was　justified　in　forgetting　his　sister；　even　at

a　christening。　　She　looked　very　odd；　too。　　Her　forehead　was　as　large

as　all　the　rest　of　her　face；　and　projected　over　it　like　a

precipice。　　When　she　was　angry；　her　little　eyes　flashed　blue。　　When

she　hated　anybody；　they　shone　yellow　and　green。　　What　they　looked

like　when　she　loved　anybody；　I　do　not　know；　for　I　never　heard　of

her　loving　anybody　but　herself；　and　I　do　not　think　she　could　have

managed　that　if　she　had　not　somehow　got　used　to　herself。　　But　what

made　it　highly　imprudent　in　the　king　to　forget　her　was　that　she　was

awfully　clever。　　In　fact；　she　was　a　witch；　and　when　she　bewitched

anybody；　he　very　soon　had　enough　of　it；　for　she　beat　all　the　wicked

fairies　in　wickedness；　and　all　the　clever　ones　in　cleverness。　　She

despised　all　the　modes　we　read　of　in　history；　in　which　offended

fairies　and　witches　have　taken　their　revenges；　and　therefore；　after

waiting　and　waiting　in　vain　for　an　invitation；　she　made　up　her　mind

at　last　to　go　without　one；　and　make　the　whole　family　miserable；

like　a　princess　as　she　was。



So　she　put　on　her　best　gown；　went　to　the　palace；　was　kindly

received　by　the　happy　monarch；　who　forgot　that　he　had　forgotten

her；　and　took　her　place　in　the　procession　to　the　royal　chapel。　　When

they　were　all　gathered　about　the　font；　she　contrived　to　get　next　to

it；　and　throw　something　into　the　water；　after　which　she　maintained

a　very　respectful　demeanour　till　the　water　was　applied　to　the

child's　face。　　But　at　that　moment　she　turned　round　in　her　place

three　times；　and　muttered　the　following　words；　loud　enough　for

those　beside　her　to　hear：





〃Light　of　spirit；　by　my　charms；

Light　of　body；　every　part；

Never　weary　human　arms

Only　crush　thy　parents'　heart！〃





They　all　thought　she　had　lost　her　wits；　and　was　repeating　some

foolish　nursery　rhyme；　but　a　shudder　went　through　the　whole　of　them

notwithstanding。　　The　baby；　on　the　contrary；　began　to　laugh　and

crow；　while　the　nurse　gave　a　start　and　a　smothered　cry；　for　she

thought　she　was　struck　with　paralysis：　she　could　not　feel　the　baby

in　her　arms。　　But　she　clasped　it　tight　and　said　nothing。　　The

mischief　was　done。







3。　　She　Can't　Be　Ours。





Her　atrocious　aunt　had　deprived　the　child　of　all　her　gravity。　　If

you　ask　me　how　this　was　effected；　I　answer；　〃In　the　easiest　way　in

the　world。　　She　had　only　to　destroy　gravitation。〃　　For　the　princess

was　a　philosopher；　and　knew　all　the　ins　and　outs　of　the　laws　of

gravitation　as　well　as　the　ins　and　outs　of　her　boot…lace。　　And　being

a　witch　as　well；　she　could　abrogate　those　laws　in　a　moment；　or　at

least　so　clog　their　wheels　and　rust　their　bearings；　that　they　would

not　work　at　all。　　But　we　have　more　to　do　with　what　followed　than

with　how　it　was　done。



The　first　awkwardness　that　resulted　from　this　unhappy　privation

was；　that　the　moment　the　nurse　began　to　float　the　baby　up　and　down；

she　flew　from　her　arms　towards　the　ceiling。　　Happily；　the　resistance

of　the　air　brought　her　ascending　career　to　a　close　within　a　foot　of

it。　　There　she　remained；　horizontal　as　when　she　left　her　nurse's

arms；　kicking　and　laughing　amazingly。　　The　nurse　in　terror　flew　to

the　bell；　and　begged　the　footman；　who　answered　it；　to　bring　up　the

house…steps　directly。　　Trembling　in　every　limb；　she　climbed　upon　the

steps；　and　had　to　stand　upon　the　very　top；　and　reach　up；　before　she

could　catch　the　floating　tail　of　the　baby's　long　clothes。



When　the　strange　fact　came　to　be　known；　there　was　a　terrible

commotion　in　the　palace。　　The　occasion　of　its　discovery　by　the　king

was　naturally　a　repetition　of　the　nurse's　experience。　　Astonished

that　he　felt　no　weight　when　the　child　was　laid　in　his　arms；　he

began　to　wave　her　up　and　not　down；　for　she　slowly　ascended　to　the

ceiling　as　before；　and　there　remained　floating　in　perfect　comfort

and　satisfaction；　as　was　testified　by　her　peals　of　tiny　laughter。

The　king　stood　staring　up　in　speechless　amazement；　and　trembled　so

that　his　beard　shook　like　grass　in　the　wind。　　At　last；　turning　to

the　queen；　who　was　just　as　horror…struck　as　himself；　he　said；

gasping；　staring；　and　stammering；



〃She　can't　be　ours；　queen！〃



Now　the　queen　was　much　cleverer　than　the　king；　and　had　begun

already　to　suspect　that　〃this　effect　defective　came　by　cause。〃





〃I　am　sure　she　is　ours；〃　answered　she。　　〃But　we　ought　to　have　taken

better　care　of　her　at　the　christening。　　People　who　were　never

invited　ought　not　to　have　been　present。〃



〃Oh；　ho！〃　said　the　king；　tapping　his　forehead　with　his　forefinger；

〃I　have　it　all。　　I've　found　her　out。　　Don't　you　see　it；　queen？

Princess　Makemnoit　has　bewitched　her。〃

〃That's　just　what　I　say；〃　answered　the　queen。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　my　love；　I　did　not　hear　you。John！　bring　the

steps　I　get　on　my　throne　with。〃



For　he　was　a　little　king　with　a　great　throne；　like　many　other

kings。



The　throne…steps　were　brought；　and　set　upon　the　dining…table；　and

John　got　upon　the　top　of　them。　　But　he　could　not　reach　the　little

princess；　who　lay　like　a　baby…laughter…cloud　in　the　air；　exploding

continuously。

〃Take　the　tongs；　John；〃　said　his　Majesty；　and　getting　up　on　the

table；　he　handed　them　to　him。



John　could　reach　the　baby　now；　and　the　little　princess　was　handed

down　by　the　tongs。







4。　　Where　Is　She？





One　fine　summer　day；　a　month　after　these　her　first　adventures；

during　which　time　she　had　been　very　carefully　watched；　the　princess

was　lying　on　the　bed　in　the　queen's　own　chamber；　fast　asleep。　　One

of　the　windows　was　open；　for　it　was　noon；　and　the　day　was　so　sultry

that　the　little　girl　was　wrapped　in　nothing　less　ethereal　than

slumber　itself。　　The　queen　came　into　the　room；　and　not　observing

that　the　baby　was　on　the　bed；　opened　another　window。　　A　frolicsome

fairy　wind；　which　had　been　watching　for　a　chance　of　mischief；

rushed　in　at　the　one　window；　and　taking　its　way　over　the　bed　where

the　child　was　lying；　caught　her　up；　and　rolling　and　floating　her

along　like　a　piece　of　flue；　or　a　dandelion　seed；　carried　her　with

it　through　the　opposite　window；　and　away。　　The　queen　went

down…stairs；　quite　ignorant　of　the　loss　she　had　herself　occasioned。



When　the　nurse　returned；　she　supposed　that　her　Majesty　had　carried

her　off；　and；　dreading　a　scolding；　delayed　making　inquiry　about

her。　　But　hearing　nothing；　she　grew　uneasy；　and　went　at　length　to

the　queen's　boudoir；　where　she　found　her　Majesty。



〃Please；　your　Majesty；　shall　I　take　the　baby？〃　said　she。



〃Where　is　she？〃　asked　the　queen。



〃Please　forgive　me。　　I　know　it　was　wrong。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　the　queen；　looking　grave。



〃Oh！　don't　frighten　me；　your　Majesty！〃　exclaimed　the　nurse；

clasping　her　hands。



The　queen　saw　that　something　was　amiss；　and　fell　down　in　a　faint。　　

The　nurse　rushed　about　the　palace；　screaming；　〃My　baby！　my　baby！〃



Every　one　ran　to　the　queen's　room。　　But　the　queen　could　give　no

orders。　　They　soon　found　out；　however；　that　the　princess　was

missing；　and　in　a　moment　the　palace　was　like　a　beehive　in　a　garden；

and　in　one　minute　more　the　queen　was　brought　to　herself　by　a　great

shout　and　a　clapping　of　hands。　　They　had　found　the　princess　fast

asleep　under　a　rose…bush；　to　which　the　elvish　little　wind…puff　had

carried　her；　finishing　its　mischief　by　shaking　a　shower　of　red

rose…leaves　all　over　the　little　white　sleeper。　　St