the light princess-第5部分

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was　not　light　enough　to　show　that　she　was　a　princess；　but　quite

enough　to　show　that　she　was　a　lady；　for　it　does　not　want　much　light

to　see　that。



Now　I　cannot　tell　how　it　came　about；whether　she　pretended　to　be

drowning；　or　whether　he　frightened　her；　or　caught　her　so　as　to

embarrass　her；but　certainly　he　brought　her　to　shore　in　a　fashion

ignominious　to　a　swimmer；　and　more　nearly　drowned　than　she　had　ever

expected　to　be；　for　the　water　had　got　into　her　throat　as　often　as

she　had　tried　to　speak。



At　the　place　to　which　he　bore　her；　the　bank　was　only　a　foot　or　two

above　the　water；　so　he　gave　her　a　strong　lift　out　of　the　water；　to

lay　her　on　the　bank。　　But；　her　gravitation　ceasing　the　moment　she

left　the　water；　away　she　went　up　into　the　air；　scolding　and

screaming。



〃You　naughty；　naughty；　NAUGHTY；　NAUGHTY　man！〃　she　cried。



No　one　had　ever　succeeded　in　putting　her　into　a　passion　before。…

before。When　the　prince　saw　her　ascend；　he　thought　he　must　have

been　bewitched；　and　have　mistaken　a　great　swan　for　a　lady。　　But　the

princess　caught　hold　of　the　topmost　cone　upon　a　lofty　fir。　　This

came　off；　but　she　caught　at　another；　and；　in　fact；　stopped　herself

by　gathering　cones；　dropping　them　as　the　stalks　gave　way。　　The

prince；　meantime；　stood　in　the　water；　staring；　and　forgetting　to

get　out。　　But　the　princess　disappearing；　he　scrambled　on　shore；　and

went　in　the　direction　of　the　tree。　　There　he　found　her　climbing　down

one　of　the　branches　towards　the　stem。　　But　in　the　darkness　of　the

wood；　the　prince　continued　in　some　bewilderment　as　to　what　the

phenomenon　could　be；　until；　reaching　the　ground；　and　seeing　him

standing　there；　she　caught　hold　of　him；　and　said；



〃I'll　tell　papa。〃



〃Oh　no；　you　won't！〃　returned　the　prince。



〃Yes；　I　will；〃　she　persisted。　　〃What　business　had　you　to　pull　me

down　out　of　the　water；　and　throw　me　to　the　bottom　of　the　air？　　I

never　did　you　any　harm。〃



〃Pardon　me。　　I　did　not　mean　to　hurt　you。〃



〃I　don't　believe　you　have　any　brains；　and　that　is　a　worse　loss　than

your　wretched　gravity。　　I　pity　you。'



The　prince　now　saw　that　he　had　come　upon　the　bewitched　princess；

and　had　already　offended　her。　　But　before　he　could　think　what　to　say

next；　she　burst　out　angrily；　giving　a　stamp　with　her　foot　that

would　have　sent　her　aloft　again　but　for　the　hold　she　had　of　his

arm；



〃Put　me　up　directly。〃



〃Put　you　up　where；　you　beauty？〃　asked　the　prince。



He　had　fallen　in　love　with　her　almost；　already；　for　her　anger　made

her　more　charming　than　any　one　else　had　ever　beheld　her；　and；　as

far　as　he　could　see；　which　certainly　was　not　far；　she　had　not　a

single　fault　about　her；　except；　of　course；　that　she　had　not　any

gravity。　　No　prince；　however；　would　judge　of　a　princess　by　weight。

The　loveliness　of　her　foot　he　would　hardly　estimate　by　the　depth　of

the　impression　it　could　make　in　mud。



〃Put　you　up　where；　you　beauty？〃　asked　the　prince。



〃In　the　water；　you　stupid！〃　answered　the　princess。



〃Come；　then；〃　said　the　prince。



The　condition　of　her　dress；　increasing　her　usual　difficulty　in

walking；　compelled　her　to　cling　to　him；　and　he　could　hardly

persuade　himself　that　he　was　not　in　a　delightful　dream；

notwithstanding　the　torrent　of　musical　abuse　with　which　she

overwhelmed　him。　　The　prince　being　therefore　in　no　hurry；　they　came

upon　the　lake　at　quite　another　part；　where　the　bank　was　twenty…five

feet　high　at　least；　and　when　they　had　reached　the　edge；　he　turned

towards　the　princess；　and　said；



〃How　am　I　to　put　you　in？〃

〃That　is　your　business；〃　she　answered；　quite　snappishly。　　〃You　took

me　output　me　in　again。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　prince；　and；　catching　her　up　in　his　arms；　he

sprang　with　her　from　the　rock。　　The　princess　had　just　time　to　give

one　delighted　shriek　of　laughter　before　the　water　closed　over　them。

When　they　came　to　the　surface；　she　found　that；　for　a　moment　or　two；

she　could　not　even　laugh；　for　she　had　gone　down　with　such　a　rush；

that　it　was　with　difficulty　she　recovered　her　breath。　　The　instant

they　reached　the　surface



〃How　do　you　like　falling　in？〃　said　the　prince。



After　some　effort　the　princess　panted　out；



〃Is　that　what　you　call　FALLING　IN？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　the　prince；　〃I　should　think　it　a　very　tolerable

specimen。〃



〃It　seemed　to　me　like　going　up；〃　rejoined　she。



〃My　feeling　was　certainly　one　of　elevation　too；〃　the　prince

conceded。



The　princess　did　not　appear　to　understand　him；　for　she　retorted　his

question：



〃How　do　YOU　like　falling　in？〃　said　the　princess。



〃Beyond　everything；〃　answered　he；　〃for　I　have　fallen　in　with　the

only　perfect　creature　I　ever　saw。〃



〃No　more　of　that：　I　am　tired　of　it；〃　said　the　princess。



Perhaps　she　shared　her　father's　aversion　to　punning。



〃Don't　you　like　falling　in　then？〃　said　the　prince。



〃It　is　the　most　delightful　fun　I　ever　had　in　my　life；〃　answered

she。　　〃I　never　fell　before。　　I　wish　I　could　learn。　　To　think　I　am　the

only　person　in　my　father's　kingdom　that　can't　fall！〃



Here　the　poor　princess　looked　almost　sad。



〃I　shall　be　most　happy　to　fall　in　with　you　any　time　you　like；〃　said

the　prince；　devotedly。



〃Thank　you。　　I　don't　know。　　Perhaps　it　would　not　be　proper。　　But　I

don't　care。　　At　all　events；　as　we　have　fallen　in；　let　us　have　a　swim

together。〃



〃With　all　my　heart；〃　responded　the　prince。



And　away　they　went；　swimming；　and　diving；　and　floating；　until　at

last　they　heard　cries　along　the　shore；　and　saw　lights　glancing　in

all　directions。　　It　was　now　quite　late；　and　there　was　no　moon。



〃I　must　go　home；〃　said　the　princess。　　〃I　am　very　sorry；　for　this　is

delightful。〃



〃So　am　I；〃　returned　the　prince。　　〃But　I　am　glad　I　haven't　a　home　to

go　toat　least；　I　don't　exactly　know　where　it　is。〃



〃I　wish　I　hadn't　one　either；〃　rejoined　the　princess；　〃it　is　so

stupid！　　I　have　a　great　mind；〃　she　continued；　〃to　play　them　all　a

trick。　　Why　couldn't　they　leave　me　alone？　　They　won't　trust　me　in　the

lake　for　a　single　night！You　see　where　that　green　light　is

burning？　　That　is　the　window　of　my　room。　　Now　if　you　would　just　swim

there　with　me　very　quietly；　and　when　we　are　all　but　under　the

balcony；　give　me　such　a　pushup　you　call　it…as　you　did　a　little

while　ago；　I　should　be　able　to　catch　hold　of　the　balcony；　and　get

in　at　the　window；　and　then　they　may　look　for　me　till　to…morrow

morning！〃



〃With　more　obedience　than　pleasure；〃　said　the　prince；　gallantly；

and　away　they　swam；　very　gently。



〃Will　you　be　in　the　lake　to…morrow　night？〃　the　prince　ventured　to

ask。



〃To　be　sure　I　will。　　I　don't　think　so。　　Perhaps；〃　was　the　princess's

somewhat　strange　answer。



But　the　prince　was　intelligent　enough　not　to　press　her　further；　and

merely　whispered；　as　he　gave　her　the　parting　lift；　〃Don't　tell。〃



The　only　answer　the　princess　returned　was　a　roguish　look。　　She　was

already　a　yard　above　his　head。　　The　look　seemed　to　say；　〃Never　fear。

It　is　too　good　fun　to　spoil　that　way。〃



So　perfectly　like　other　people　had　she　been　in　the　water；　that　even

yet　the　prince　could　scarcely　believe　his　eyes　when　he　saw　her

ascend　slowly；　grasp　the　balcony；　and　disappear　through　the　window。

He　turned；　almost　expecting　to　see　her　still　by　his　side。　　But　he

was　alone　in　the　water。　　So　he　swam　away　quietly；　and　watched　the

lights　roving　about　the　shore　for　hours　after　the　princess　was　safe

in　her　chamber。　　As　soon　as　they　disappeared；　he　landed　in　search　of

his　tunic　and　sword；　and；　after　some　trouble；　found　them　again。

Then　he　made　the　best　of　his　way　round　the　lake　to　the　other　side。

There　the　wood　was　wilder；　and　the　shore　steeper…rising　more

immediately　towards　the　mountains　which　surrounded　the　lake　on　all

sides；　and　kept　sending　it　messages　of　silvery　streams　from　morning

to　night；　and　all　night　long。　　He　soon　found　a　spot　whence　he　could

see　the　green　light　in　the　princess's　room；　and　where；　even　in

the　broad　daylight；　he　would　be　in　no　danger　of　being　discovered

from　the　opposite　shore。　　It　was　a　sort　of　cave　in　the　rock；　where

he　provided　himself　a　bed　of　withered　leaves；　and　lay　down　too

tired　for　hunger　to　keep　him　awake。　　All　night　long　he　dreamed　that

he　was　swimming　with　the　princess。







10。　　Look　at　the　Moon。





Early　the　next　morning　the　prince　set　out　to　look　for　something　to

eat；　which　he　soon　found　at　a　forester's　hut；　where　for　many

following　days　he　was　supplied　with　all　that　a　brave　prince　could

consider　necessary。　　And　having　plenty　to　keep　him　alive　for　the

present；　he　would　not　think　of　wants　not　yet　in　existence。　　Whenever

Care　intruded；　this　prince　always　bowed　him　out　in　the　most

princely　manner。

When　he　returned　from　his　breakfast　to　his　watch…cave；　he　saw　the

princess　already　floating　about　in　the　lake；　attended　by　the　king

and　queen　whom　he　knew　by　their　crownsand　a　great　company　in

lovely　little　boats；　with　canopies　of　all　the　colours　of　the

rainbow；　and　flags　and　streamers　of　a　great　many　more。　　It　was　a

very　bright　day；　and　soon　the　prince；　burned　up　with　the　heat；

began　to　long　for　the　cold　water　and　the　cool　princess。　　But　he　had

to　endure　till　twilight；　for　the　boats　had　provisions　on　board；　and

it　was　not　till　the　sun　went　down　that　the　gay　party　began　to

vanish。　　Boat　after　boat　drew　away　to　the　shore；　following　that　of

the　king　and　queen；　till　only　one；　apparently　the　princess's　own

boat；　remained。　　But　she　did　not　want　to　go　home　even　yet；　and　the

prince　thought　he　saw　her　order　the　boat　to　the　shore　without　her。

At　all　events；　it　rowed　away；　and　now；　of　all　the　radiant　company；

only　one　white　speck　remained。　　Then　the　prince　began　to　sing。　　And

this　is　what　he　sung：





〃Lady　fair；

Swan…white；

Lift　thine　eyes；

Banish　night

By　the　might

Of　thine　eyes。



Snowy　arms；

Oars　of　snow；

Oar　her　hither；

Plashing　low。

Soft　and　slow；

Oar　her　hither。





Stream　behind　her

O'er　the　lake；

R