09-the little green frog-第3章

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in　the　spot　where　he　had　left　it；　he　saw　in　its　place　a　little

rustic　palace　built　in　the　best　taste；　and　standing　in　the

doorway　a　charming　maiden；　at　whose　sight　his　mind　seemed　to　give

way。



'What！　　Madam！'　he　cried；　hardly　knowing　what　he　said。　　'What！　

Is　it　you？'



The　maiden　blushed　and　answered：　'Ah；　my　lord；　it　is　long　since　I

first　beheld　your　face；　but　I　did　not　think　you　had　ever　seen

mine。'



'Oh；　madam；'　replied　he；　'you　can　never　guess　the　days　and　the

hours　I　have　passed　lost　in　admiration　of　you。'　　And　after　these

words　they　each　related　all　the　strange　things　that　had　happened；

and　the　more　they　talked　the　more　they　felt　convinced　of　the

truth　of　the　images　they　had　seen　in　their　mirrors。　　After　some

time　spent　in　the　most　tender　conversation；　the　Prince　could　not

restrain　himself　from　asking　the　lovely　unknown　by　what　lucky

chance　she　was　wandering　in　the　forest；　where　the　fountain　had

gone；　and　if　she　knew　anything　of　the　Frog　to　whom　he　owed　all

his　happiness；　and　to　whom　he　must　give　up　the　bird；　which；

somehow　or　other；　was　still　sound　asleep。



'Ah；　my　lord；'　she　replied；　with　rather　an　awkward　air；　'as　to

the　Frog；　she　stands　before　you。　　Let　me　tell　you　my　story；　it　is

not　a　long　one。　　I　know　neither　my　country　nor　my　parents；　and

the　only　thing　I　can　say　for　certain　is　that　I　am　called

Serpentine。　　The　fairies；　who　have　taken　care　of　me　ever　since　I

was　born；　wished　me　to　be　in　ignorance　as　to　my　family；　but　they

have　looked　after　my　education；　and　have　bestowed　on　me　endless

kindness。　　I　have　always　lived　in　seclusion；　and　for　the　last　two

years　I　have　wished　for　nothing　better。　　I　had　a　mirror'here

shyness　and　embarrassment　choked　her　wordsbut　regaining　her

self…control；　she　added；　'You　know　that　fairies　insist　on　being

obeyed　without　questioning。　　It　was　they　who　changed　the　little

house　you　saw　before　you　into　the　fountain　for　which　you　are　now

asking；　and；　having　turned　me　into　a　frog；　they　ordered　me　to　say

to　the　first　person　who　came　to　the　fountain　exactly　what　I

repeated　to　you。　　But；　my　lord；　when　you　stood　before　me；　it　was

agony　to　my　heart；　filled　as　it　was　with　thoughts　of　you；　to

appear　to　your　eyes　under　so　monstrous　a　form。　　However；　there

was　no　help　for　it；　and；　painful　as　it　was；　I　had　to　submit。　　I

desired　your　success　with　all　my　soul；　not　only　for　your　own

sake；　but　also　for　my　own；　because　I　could　not　get　back　my　proper

shape　till　you　had　become　master　of　the　beautiful　bird；　though　I

am　quite　ignorant　as　to　your　reason　for　seeking　it。'



On　this　Saphir　explained　about　the　state　of　his　father's　health；

and　all　that　has　been　told　before。



On　hearing　this　story　Serpentine　grew　very　sad；　and　her　lovely

eyes　filled　with　tears。



'Ah；　my　lord；'　she　said；　'you　know　nothing　of　me　but　what　you

have　seen　in　the　mirror；　and　I；　who　cannot　even　name　my　parents；

learn　that　you　are　a　king's　son。'



In　vain　Saphir　declared　that　love　made　them　equal；　Serpentine

would　only　reply：　'I　love　you　too　much　to　allow　you　to　marry

beneath　your　rank。　　I　shall　be　very　unhappy；　of　course；　but　I

shall　never　alter　my　mind。　　If　I　do　not　find　from　the　fairies

that　my　birth　is　worthy　of　you；　then；　whatever　be　my　feelings；　I

will　never　accept　your　hand。'



The　conversation　was　at　this　point；　and　bid　fair　to　last　some

time　longer；　when　one　of　the　fairies　appeared　in　her　ivory　car；

accompanied　by　a　beautiful　woman　past　her　early　youth。　　At　this

moment　the　bird　suddenly　awakened；　and；　flying　on　to　Saphir's

shoulder　（which　it　never　afterwards　left）；　began　fondling　him　as

well　as　a　bird　can　do。　　The　fairy　told　Serpentine　that　she　was

quite　satisfied　with　her　conduct；　and　made　herself　very　agreeable

to　Saphir；　whom　she　presented　to　the　lady　she　had　brought　with

her；　explaining　that　the　lady　was　no　other　than　his　Aunt

Aglantine；　widow　of　Diamantino。



Then　they　all　fell　into　each　other's　arms；　till　the　fairy　mounted

her　chariot；　placed　Aglantine　by　her　side；　and　Saphir　and

Serpentine　on　the　front　seat。　　She　also　sent　a　message　to　the

Prince's　attendants　that　they　might　travel　slowly　back　to　the

Court　of　King　Peridor；　and　that　the　beautiful　bird　had　really

been　found。　　This　matter　being　comfortably　arranged；　she　started

off　her　chariot。　　But　in　spite　of　the　swiftness　with　which　they

flew　through　the　air；　the　time　passed　even　quicker　for　Saphir　and

Serpentine；　who　had　so　much　to　think　about。



They　were　still　quite　confused　with　the　pleasure　of　seeing　each

other；　when　the　chariot　arrived　at　King　Peridor's　palace。　　He　had

had　himself　carried　to　a　room　on　the　roof；　where　his　nurses

thought　that　he　would　die　at　any　moment。　　Directly　the　chariot

drew　within　sight　of　the　castle　the　beautiful　bird　took　flight；

and；　making　straight　for　the　dying　King；　at　once　cured　him　of　his

sickness。　　Then　she　resumed　her　natural　shape；　and　he　found　that

the　bird　was　no　other　than　the　Queen　Constance；　whom　he　had　long

believed　to　be　dead。　　Peridor　was　rejoiced　to　embrace　his　wife

and　his　son　once　more；　and　with　the　help　of　the　fairies　began　to

make　preparations　for　the　marriage　of　Saphir　and　Serpentine；　who

turned　out　to　be　the　daughter　of　Aglantine　and　Diamantino；　and　as

much　a　princess　as　he　was　a　prince。　　The　people　of　the　kingdom

were　delighted；　and　everybody　lived　happy　and　contented　to　the

end　of　their　lives。