the light princess-第6部分

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Plashing　low。

Soft　and　slow；

Oar　her　hither。





Stream　behind　her

O'er　the　lake；

Radiant　whiteness！

In　her　wake

Following；　following　for　her　sake。

Radiant　whiteness！



Cling　about　her；

Waters　blue；

Part　not　from　her；

But　renew

Cold　and　true

Kisses　round　her。



Lap　me　round；

Waters　sad；

That　have　left　her。

Make　me　glad；

For　ye　had

Kissed　her　ere　ye　left　her。〃



Before　he　had　finished　his　song；　the　princess　was　just　under　the

place　where　he　sat；　and　looking　up　to　find　him。　　Her　ears　had　led

her　truly。



〃Would　you　like　a　fall；　princess？〃　said　the　prince；　looking　down。



〃Ah！　there　you　are！　　Yes；　if　you　please；　prince；〃　said　the　princess；

looking　up。



〃How　do　you　know　I　am　a　prince；　princess？〃　said　the　prince。



〃Because　you　are　a　very　nice　young　man；　prince；〃　said　the　princess。



〃Come　up　then；　princess。〃



〃Fetch　me；　prince。〃



The　prince　took　off　his　scarf；　then　his　sword…belt；　then　his　tunic；

and　tied　them　all　together；　and　let　them　down。　　But　the　line　was　far

too　short。　　He　unwound　his　turban；　and　added　it　to　the　rest；　when　it

was　all　but　long　enough；　and　his　purse　completed　it。　　The　princess

just　managed　to　lay　hold　of　the　knot　of　money；　and　was　beside　him

in　a　moment。　　This　rock　was　much　higher　than　the　other；　and　the

splash　and　the　dive　were　tremendous。　　The　princess　was　in　ecstasies

of　delight；　and　their　swim　was　delicious。



Night　after　night　they　met；　and　swam　about　in　the　dark　clear　lake；

where　such　was　the　prince's　gladness；　that　（whether　the　princess's

way　of　looking　at　things　infected　him；　or　he　was　actually　getting

light…headed）　he　often　fancied　that　he　was　swimming　in　the　sky

instead　of　the　lake。　　But　when　he　talked　about　being　in　heaven；　the

princess　laughed　at　him　dreadfully。



When　the　moon　came；　she　brought　them　fresh　pleasure。　　Everything

looked　strange　and　new　in　her　light；　with　an　old；　withered；　yet

unfading　newness。　　When　the　moon　was　nearly　full；　one　of　their　great

delights　was；　to　dive　deep　in　the　water；　and　then；　turning　round；

look　up　through　it　at　the　great　blot　of　light　close　above　them；

shimmering　and　trembling　and　wavering；　spreading　and　contracting；

seeming　to　melt　away；　and　again　grow　solid。　　Then　they　would　shoot

up　through　the　blot；　and　lo！　there　was　the　moon；　far　off；　clear　and

steady　and　cold；　and　very　lovely；　at　the　bottom　of　a　deeper　and

bluer　lake　than　theirs；　as　the　princess　said。



The　prince　soon　found　out　that　while　in　the　water　the　princess　was

very　like　other　people。　　And　besides　this；　she　was　not　so　forward　in

her　questions　or　pert　in　her　replies　at　sea　as　on　shore。　　Neither

did　she　laugh　so　much；　and　when　she　did　laugh；　it　was　more　gently。

She　seemed　altogether　more　modest　and　maidenly　in　the　water　than

out　of　it。



But　when　the　prince；　who　had　really　fallen　in　love　when　he　fell　in

the　lake；　began　to　talk　to　her　about　love；　she　always　turned　her

head　towards　him　and　laughed。　　After　a　while　she　began　to　look

puzzled；　as　if　she　were　trying　to　understand　what　he　meant；　but

could　notrevealing　a　notion　that　he　meant　something。　　But　as　soon

as　ever　she　left　the　lake；　she　was　so　altered；　that　the　prince　said

to　himself；　〃If　I　marry　her；　I　see　no　help　for　it：　we　must　turn

merman　and　mermaid；　and　go　out　to　sea　at　once。〃







11。　　Hiss！





The　princess's　pleasure　in　the　lake　had　grown　to　a　passion；　and　she

could　scarcely　bear　to　be　out　of　it　for　an　hour。　　Imagine　then　her

consternation；　when；　diving　with　the　prince　one　night；　a　sudden

suspicion　seized　her　that　the　lake　was　not　so　deep　as　it　used　to

be。　　The　prince　could　not　imagine　what　had　happened。　　She　shot　to　the

surface；　and；　without　a　word；　swam　at　full　speed　towards　the　higher

side　of　the　lake。　　He　followed；　begging　to　know　if　she　was　ill；　or

what　was　the　matter。　　She　never　turned　her　head；　or　took　the

smallest　notice　of　his　question。　　Arrived　at　the　shore；　she　coasted

the　rocks　with　minute　inspection。　　But　she　was　not　able　to　come　to

a　conclusion；　for　the　moon　was　very　small；　and　so　she　could　not　see

well。　　She　turned　therefore　and　swam　home；　without　saying　a　word　to

explain　her　conduct　to　the　prince；　of　whose　presence　she　seemed　no

longer　conscious。　　He　withdrew　to　his　cave；　in　great　perplexity　and

distress。



Next　day　she　made　many　observations；　which；　alas！　strengthened　her

fears。　　She　saw　that　the　banks　were　too　dry；　and　that　the　grass　on

the　shore；　and　the　trailing　plants　on　the　rocks；　were　withering

away。　　She　caused　marks　to　be　made　along　the　borders；　and　examined

them；　day　after　day；　in　all　directions　of　the　wind；　till　at　last

the　horrible　idea　became　a　certain　factthat　the　surface　of　the

lake　was　slowly　sinking。



The　poor　princess　nearly　went　out　of　the　little　mind　she　had。　　It

was　awful　to　her　to　see　the　lake；　which　she　loved　more　than　any

living　thing；　lie　dying　before　her　eyes。　　It　sank　away；　slowly

vanishing。　　The　tops　of　rocks　that　had　never　been　seen　till　now；

began　to　appear　far　down　in　the　clear　water。　　Before　long　they　were

dry　in　the　sun。　　It　was　fearful　to　think　of　the　mud　that　would　soon

lie　there　baking　and　festering；　full　of　lovely　creatures　dying；　and

ugly　creatures　coming　to　life；　like　the　unmaking　of　a　world。　　And

how　hot　the　sun　would　be　without　any　lake！　　She　could　not　bear　to

swim　in　it　any　more；　and　began　to　pine　away。　　Her　life　seemed　bound

up　with　it；　and　ever　as　the　lake　sank；　she　pined。　　People　said　she

would　not　live　an　hour　after　the　lake　was　gone。



But　she　never　cried。



A　Proclamation　was　made　to　all　the　kingdom；　that　whosoever　should

discover　the　cause　of　the　lake's　decrease；　would　be　rewarded　after

a　princely　fashion。　　Hum…Drum　and　Kopy…Keck　applied　themselves　to

their　physics　and　metaphysics；　but　in　vain。　　Not　even　they　could

suggest　a　cause。



Now　the　fact　was　that　the　old　princess　was　at　the　root　of　the

mischief。　　When　she　heard　that　her　niece　found　more　pleasure　in　the

water　than　any　one　else　out　of　it；　she　went　into　a　rage；　and　cursed

herself　for　her　want　of　foresight。



〃But；〃　said　she；　〃I　will　soon　set　all　right。　　The　king　and　the

people　shall　die　of　thirst；　their　brains　shall　boil　and　frizzle　in

their　skulls　before　I　will　lose　my　revenge。〃



And　she　laughed　a　ferocious　laugh；　that　made　the　hairs　on　the　back

of　her　black　cat　stand　erect　with　terror。



Then　she　went　to　an　old　chest　in　the　room；　and　opening　it；　took　out

what　looked　like　a　piece　of　dried　seaweed。　　This　she　threw　into　a

tub　of　water。　　Then　she　threw　some　powder　into　the　water；　and

stirred　it　with　her　bare　arm；　muttering　over　it　words　of　hideous

sound；　and　yet　more　hideous　import。　　Then　she　set　the　tub　aside；　and

took　from　the　chest　a　huge　bunch　of　a　hundred　rusty　keys；　that

clattered　in　her　shaking　hands。　　Then　she　sat　down　and　proceeded　to

oil　them　all。　　Before　she　had　finished；　out　from　the　tub；　the　water

of　which　had　kept　on　a　slow　motion　ever　since　she　had　ceased

stirring　it；　came　the　head　and　half　the　body　of　a　huge　gray　snake。

But　the　witch　did　not　look　round。　　It　grew　out　of　the　tub；　waving

itself　backwards　and　forwards　with　a　slow　horizontal　motion；　till

it　reached　the　princess；　when　it　laid　its　head　upon　her　shoulder；

and　gave　a　low　hiss　in　her　ear。　　She　startedbut　with　joy；　and

seeing　the　head　resting　on　her　shoulder；　drew　it　towards　her　and

kissed　it。　　Then　she　drew　it　all　out　of　the　tub；　and　wound　it　round

her　body。　　It　was　one　of　those　dreadful　creatures　which　few　have

ever　beheldthe　White　Snakes　of　Darkness。



Then　she　took　the　keys　and　went　down　to　her　cellar；　and　as　she

unlocked　the　door　she　said　to　herself；



〃This　is　worth　living　for！〃

Locking　the　door　behind　her；　she　descended　a　few　steps　into　the

cellar；　and　crossing　it；　unlocked　another　door　into　a　dark；　narrow

passage。　　She　locked　this　also　behind　her；　and　descended　a　few　more

steps。　　If　any　one　had　followed　the　witch…princess；　he　would　have

heard　her　unlock　exactly　one　hundred　doors；　and　descend　a　few　steps

after　unlocking　each。　　When　she　had　unlocked　the　last；　she　entered

a　vast　cave；　the　roof　of　which　was　supported　by　huge　natural

pillars　of　rock。　　Now　this　roof　was　the　under　side　of　the　bottom　of

the　lake。



She　then　untwined　the　snake　from　her　body；　and　held　it　by　the　tail

high　above　her。　　The　hideous　creature　stretched　up　its　head　towards

the　roof　of　the　cavern；　which　it　was　just　able　to　reach。　　It　then

began　to　move　its　head　backwards　and　forwards；　with　a　slow

oscillating　motion；　as　if　looking　for　something。　　At　the　same　moment

the　witch　began　to　walk　round　and　round　the　cavern；　coming　nearer

to　the　centre　every　circuit；　while　the　head　of　the　snake　described

the　same　path　over　the　roof　that　she　did　over　the　floor；　for　she

kept　holding　it　up。　　And　still　it　kept　slowly　oscillating。　　Round　and

round　the　cavern　they　went；　ever　lessening　the　circuit；　till　at

last　the　snake　made　a　sudden　dart；　and　clung　to　the　roof　with　its

mouth。



〃That's　right；　my　beauty！〃　cried　the　princess；　〃drain　it　dry。〃



She　let　it　go；　left　it　hanging；　and　sat　down　on　a　great　stone；　with

her　black　cat；　which　had　followed　her　all　round　the　cave；　by　her

side。　　Then　she　began　to　knit　and　mutter　awful　words。　　The　snake　hung

like　a　huge　leech；　sucking　at　the　stone；　the　cat　stood　with　his

back　arched；　and　his　tail　like　a　piece　of　cable；　looking　up　at　the

snake；　and　the　old　woman　sat　and　knitted　and　muttered。　　Seven　days

and　seven　nights　they　remained　thus；　when　suddenly　the　serpent

dropped　from　the　roof　as　if　exhausted；　and　shrivelled　up　till　it

was　again　like　a　piece　of　dried　seaweed。　　The　witch　started　to　her

feet；　picked　it　up；　put　it　in　her　pocket；　and　looked　up　at　the

roof。　　One　drop　of　water　was　trembling　on　the　spot　where　the　snake

had　been　sucking。　　As　soon　as　she　saw　that；　she　turned　and　fled；

followed　by　her　cat。　　Shutting　the　door　in　a　terrible　hurry；　she

locked　it；　and　having　muttered　some　fright