the light princess-第8部分

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〃Only　this；〃　replied　the　prince：　〃that；　as　I　must　on　no　account　die

before　I　am　fairly　drowned；　and　the　waiting　will　be　rather

wearisome；　the　princess；　your　daughter；　shall　go　with　me；　feed　me

with　her　own　hands；　and　look　at　me　now　and　then　to　comfort　me；　for

you　must　confess　it　IS　rather　hard。　　As　soon　as　the　water　is　up　to

my　eyes；　she　may　go　and　be　happy；　and　forget　her　poor　shoeblack。〃





Here　the　prince's　voice　faltered；　and　he　very　nearly　grew

sentimental；　in　spite　of　his　resolution。



〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　before　what　your　condition　was？　　Such　a　fuss

about　nothing！〃　exclaimed　the　king。



〃Do　you　grant　it？〃　persisted　the　prince。

〃Of　course　I　do；〃　replied　the　king。



〃Very　well。　　I　am　ready。〃



〃Go　and　have　some　dinner；　then；　while　I　set　my　people　to　find　the

place。〃



The　king　ordered　out　his　guards；　and　gave　directions　to　the

officers　to　find　the　hole　in　the　lake　at　once。　　So　the　bed　of　the

lake　was　marked　out　in　divisions　and　thoroughly　examined；　and　in　an

hour　or　so　the　hole　was　discovered。　　It　was　in　the　middle　of　a

stone；　near　the　centre　of　the　lake；　in　the　very　pool　where　the

golden　plate　had　been　found。　　It　was　a　three…cornered　hole　of　no

great　size。　　There　was　water　all　round　the　stone；　but　very　little

was　flowing　through　the　hole。





14。This　Is　Very　Kind　of　You。





The　prince　went　to　dress　for　the　occasion；　for　he　was　resolved　to

die　like　a　prince。



When　the　princess　heard　that　a　man　had　offered　to　die　for　her；　she

was　so　transported　that　she　jumped　off　the　bed；　feeble　as　she　was；

and　danced　about　the　room　for　joy。　　She　did　not　care　who　the　man

was；　that　was　nothing　to　her。　　The　hole　wanted　stopping；　and　if　only

a　man　would　do；　why；　take　one。　　In　an　hour　or　two　more　everything

was　ready。　　Her　maid　dressed　her　in　haste；　and　they　carried　her　to

the　side　of　the　lake。　　When　she　saw　it　she　shrieked；　and　covered　her

face　with　her　hands。　　They　bore　her　across　to　the　stone　where　they

had　already　placed　a　little　boat　for　her。



The　water　was　not　deep　enough　to　float　it；　but　they　hoped　it　would

be；　before　long。　　They　laid　her　on　cushions；　placed　in　the　boat

wines　and　fruits　and　other　nice　things；　and　stretched　a　canopy　over

all。



In　a　few　minutes　the　prince　appeared。　　The　princess　recognized　him

at　once；　but　did　not　think　it　worth　while　to　acknowledge　him。



〃Here　I　am；〃　said　the　prince。　　〃Put　me　in。〃



〃They　told　me　it　was　a　shoeblack；〃　said　the　princess。



〃So　I　am；〃　said　the　prince。　　〃I　blacked　your　little　boots　three

times　a　day；　because　they　were　all　I　could　get　of　you。　　Put　me　in。〃



The　courtiers　did　not　resent　his　bluntness；　except　by　saying　to

each　other　that　he　was　taking　it　out　in　impudence。



But　how　was　he　to　be　put　in？　　The　golden　plate　contained　no

instructions　on　this　point。　　The　prince　looked　at　the　hole；　and　saw

but　one　way。　　He　put　both　his　legs　into　it；　sitting　on　the　stone；

and；　stooping　forward；　covered　the　corner　that　remained　open　with

his　two　hands。　　In　this　uncomfortable　position　he　resolved　to　abide

his　fate；　and　turning　to　the　people；　said；



〃Now　you　can　go。〃



The　king　had　already　gone　home　to　dinner。



〃Now　you　can　go；〃　repeated　the　princess　after　him；　like　a　parrot。



The　people　obeyed　her　and　went。



Presently　a　little　wave　flowed　over　the　stone；　and　wetted　one　of

the　prince's　knees。　　But　he　did　not　mind　it　much。　　He　began　to　sing；

and　the　song　he　sang　was　this：





〃As　a　world　that　has　no　well；　

Darting　bright　in　forest　dell；

As　a　world　without　the　gleam

Of　the　downward…going　stream；

As　a　world　without　the　glance

Of　the　ocean's　fair　expanse；

As　a　world　where　never　rain

Glittered　on　the　sunny　plain；

Such；　my　heart；　thy　world　would　be；

if　no　love　did　flow　in　thee。



As　a　world　without　the　sound

Of　the　rivulets　underground；

Or　the　bubbling　of　the　spring

Out　of　darkness　wandering；

Or　the　mighty　rush　and　flowing

Of　the　river's　downward　going；

Or　the　music…showers　that　drop

On　the　outspread　beech's　top；

Or　the　ocean's　mighty　voice；

When　his　lifted　waves　rejoice；

Such；　my　soul；　thy　world　would　be；

if　no　love　did　sing　in　thee。



Lady；　keep　thy　world's　delight；

Keep　the　waters　in　thy　sight。

Love　hath　made　me　strong　to　go；

For　thy　sake；　to　realms　below；

Where　the　water's　shine　and　hum

Through　the　darkness　never　come；

Let；　I　pray；　one　thought　of　me

Spring；　a　little　well；　in　thee；

Lest　thy　loveless　soul　be　found

Like　a　dry　and　thirsty　ground。〃





〃Sing　again；　prince。　　It　makes　it　less　tedious；〃　said　the　princess。



But　the　prince　was　too　much　overcome　to　sing　any　more；　and　a　long

pause　followed。



〃This　is　very　kind　of　you；　prince；〃　said　the　princess　at　last；

quite　coolly；　as　she　lay　in　the　boat　with　her　eyes　shut。



〃I　am　sorry　I　can't　return　the　compliment；〃　thought　the　prince；

〃but　you　are　worth　dying　for；　after　all。〃



Again　a　wavelet；　and　another；　and　another　flowed　over　the　stone；

and　wetted　both　the　prince's　knees；　but　he　did　not　speak　or　move。

Twothreefour　hours　passed　in　this　way；　the　princess　apparently

asleep；　and　the　prince　very　patient。　　But　he　was　much　disappointed

in　his　position；　for　he　had　none　of　the　consolation　he　had　hoped

for。



At　last　he　could　bear　it　no　longer。



〃Princess！〃　said　he。



But　at　the　moment　up　started　the　princess；　crying；



〃I'm　afloat！　　I'm　afloat！〃



And　the　little　boat　bumped　against　the　stone。



〃Princess！〃　repeated　the　prince；　encouraged　by　seeing　her　wide

awake　and　looking　eagerly　at　the　water。



〃Well？〃　said　she；　without　looking　round。



〃Your　papa　promised　that　you　should　look　at　me；　and　you　haven't

looked　at　me　once。〃



〃Did　he？　　Then　I　suppose　I　must。　　But　I　am　so　sleepy！〃



〃Sleep　then；　darling；　and　don't　mind　me；〃　said　the　poor　prince。



〃Really；　you　are　very　good；〃　replied　the　princess。　　〃I　think　I　will

go　to　sleep　again。〃



〃Just　give　me　a　glass　of　wine　and　a　biscuit　first；〃　said　the

prince；　very　humbly。





〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　princess；　and　gaped　as　she　said　it。



She　got　the　wine　and　the　biscuit；　however；　and　leaning　over　the

side　of　the　boat　towards　him；　was　compelled　to　look　at　him。



〃Why；　prince；〃　she　said；　〃you　don't　look　well！　　Are　you　sure　you

don't　mind　it？〃

〃Not　a　bit；〃　answered　he；　feeling　very　faint　in　deed。　　〃Only　I　shall

die　before　it　is　of　any　use　to　you；　unless　I　have　something　to

eat。〃



〃There；　then；〃　said　she；　holding　out　the　wine　to　him。



〃Ah！　you　must　feed　me。　　I　dare　not　move　my　hands。　　The　water　would

run　away　directly。〃



〃Good　gracious！〃　said　the　princess；　and　she　began　at　once　to　feed

him　with　bits　of　biscuit　and　sips　of　wine。



As　she　fed　him；　he　contrived　to　kiss　the　tips　of　her　fingers　now

and　then。　　She　did　not　seem　to　mind　it；　one　way　or　the　other。　　But

the　prince　felt　better。



〃Now　for　your　own　sake；　princess；〃　said　he；　〃I　cannot　let　you　go　to

sleep。　　You　must　sit　and　look　at　me；　else　I　shall　not　be　able　to

keep　up。〃



〃Well；　I　will　do　anything　I　can　to　oblige　you；〃　answered　she；　with

condescension；　and；　sitting　down；　she　did　look　at　him；　and　kept

looking　at　him　with　wonderful　steadiness；　considering　all　things。



The　sun　went　down；　and　the　moon　rose；　and；　gush　after　gush；　the

waters　were　rising　up　the　prince's　body。　　They　were　up　to　his　waist

now。



〃Why　can't　we　go　and　have　a　swim？〃　said　the　princess。　　〃There　seems

to　be　water　enough　Just　about　here。〃



〃I　shall　never　swim　more；〃　said　the　prince。



〃Oh；　I　forgot；〃　said　the　princess；　and　was　silent。



So　the　water　grew　and　grew；　and　rose　up　and　up　on　the　prince。　　And

the　princess　sat　and　looked　at　him。　　She　fed　him　now　and　then。　　The

night　wore　on。　　The　waters　rose　and　rose。　　The　moon　rose　likewise

higher　and　higher；　and　shone　full　on　the　face　of　the　dying　prince。

The　water　was　up　to　his　neck。



〃Will　you　kiss　me；　princess？〃　said　he；　feebly。



The　nonchalance　was　all　gone　now。



〃Yes；　I　will；〃　answered　the　princess；　and　kissed　him　with　a　long；

sweet；　cold　kiss。



〃Now；〃　said　he；　with　a　sigh　of　content；　〃I　die　happy。〃



He　did　not　speak　again。　　The　princess　gave　him　some　wine　for　the

last　time：　he　was　past　eating。　　Then　she　sat　down　again；　and　looked

at　him。　　The　water　rose　and　rose。　　It　touched　his　chin。　　It　touched

his　lower　lip。　　It　touched　between　his　lips。　　He　shut　them　hard　to

keep　it　out。　　The　princess　began　to　feel　strange。　　It　touched　his

upper　lip。　　He　breathed　through　his　nostrils。　　The　princess　looked

wild。　　It　covered　his　nostrils。　　Her　eyes　looked　scared；　and　shone

strange　in　the　moonlight。　　His　head　fell　back；　the　water　closed　over

it；　and　the　bubbles　of　his　last　breath　bubbled　up　through　the

water。　　The　princess　gave　a　shriek；　and　sprang　into　the　lake。



She　laid　hold　first　of　one　leg；　and　then　of　the　other；　and　pulled

and　tugged；　but　she　could　not　move　either。　　She　stopped　to　take

breath；　and　that　made　her　think　that　HE　could　not　get　any　breath。

She　was　frantic。　　She　got　hold　of　him；　and　held　his　head　above　the

water；　which　was　possible　now　his　hands　were　no　longer　on　the　hole。

But　it　was　of　no　use；　for　he　was　past　breathing。



Love　and　water　brought　back　all　her　strength。　　She　got　under　the

water；　and　pulled　and　pulled　with　her　whole　might；　till　at　last　she

got　one　leg　out。　　The　other　easily　followed。　　How　she　got　him　into

the　boat　she　never　could　tell；　but　when　she　did；　she　fainted　away。

Coming　to　herself；　she　seized　the　oars；　kept　herself　steady　as　best

she　could；　and　rowed　and　rowed；　though　she　had　never　rowed　before。

Round　rocks；　and　over　shallows；　and　through　mud　she　rowed；　till　she

got　to　the　landing…　stairs　of　the　palace。　　By　this　time　her　people

were　on　the　shore；　for　they　had　heard　her　shriek。　　She　made　them

carry　the　prince　to　her　own　room；　and　lay　him　in　her　bed；　and　light

a　fire；　and　send　for　the　doctors。



〃But　the　lake；　your　Highness！〃　said