16-the white cat-第3章

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Cat　looked　serious；　and　said　she　must　think　what　was　to

be　done；　but　that；　luckily；　there　were　some　cats　in　the

castle　who　could　spin　very　well；　and　if　anybody　could

manage　it　they　could；　and　she　would　set　them　the　task

herself。



And　then　the　hands　appeared　carrying　torches；　and

conducted　the　Prince　and　the　White　Cat　to　a　long　gallery

which　overlooked　the　river；　from　the　windows　of　which

they　saw　a　magnificent　display　of　fireworks　of　all　sorts；

after　which　they　had　supper；　which　the　Prince　liked　even

better　than　the　fireworks；　for　it　was　very　late；　and　he　was

hungry　after　his　long　ride。　And　so　the　days　passed　quickly

as　before；　it　was　impossible　to　feel　dull　with　the　White

Cat；　and　she　had　quite　a　talent　for　inventing　new　amusements

indeed；　she　was　cleverer　than　a　cat　has　any　right

to　be。　But　when　the　Prince　asked　her　how　it　was　that　she

was　so　wise；　she　only　said：



〃King's　son；　do　not　ask　me；　guess　what　you　please。　I

may　not　tell　you　anything。〃



The　Prince　was　so　happy　that　he　did　not　trouble　himself

at　all　about　the　time；　but　presently　the　White　Cat

told　him　that　the　year　was　gone；　and　that　he　need　not　be

at　all　anxious　about　the　piece　of　muslin；　as　they　had　made

it　very　well。



〃This　time；〃　she　added；　〃I　can　give　you　a　suitable

escort〃；　and　on　looking　out　into　the　courtyard　the　Prince

saw　a　superb　chariot　of　burnished　gold；　enameled　in　flame

color　with　a　thousand　different　devices。　It　was　drawn　by

twelve　snow…white　horses；　harnessed　four　abreast；　their

trappings　were　flame…colored　velvet；　embroidered　with

diamonds。　A　hundred　chariots　followed；　each　drawn　by

eight　horses；　and　filled　with　officers　in　splendid　uniforms；

and　a　thousand　guards　surrounded　the　procession。　〃Go！〃

said　the　White　Cat；　〃and　when　you　appear　before　the

King　in　such　state　he　surely　will　not　refuse　you　the　crown

which　you　deserve。　Take　this　walnut；　but　do　not　open

it　until　you　are　before　him；　then　you　will　find　in　it　the

piece　of　stuff　you　asked　me　for。〃



〃Lovely　Blanchette；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃how　can　I

thank　you　properly　for　all　your　kindness　to　me？　Only　tell

me　that　you　wish　it；　and　I　will　give　up　for　ever　all　thought

of　being　king；　and　will　stay　here　with　you　always。〃



〃King's　son；〃　she　replied；　〃it　shows　the　goodness　of

your　heart　that　you　should　care　so　much　for　a　little　white

cat；　who　is　good　for　nothing　but　to　catch　mice；　but　you

must　not　stay。〃



So　the　Prince　kissed　her　little　paw　and　set　out。　You　can

imagine　how　fast　he　traveled　when　I　tell　you　that　they

reached　the　King's　palace　in　just　half　the　time　it　had

taken　the　wooden　horse　to　get　there。　This　time　the

Prince　was　so　late　that　he　did　not　try　to　meet　his　brothers

at　their　castle；　so　they　thought　he　could　not　be　coming；

and　were　rather　glad　of　it；　and　displayed　their　pieces　of

muslin　to　the　King　proudly；　feeling　sure　of　success。　And

indeed　the　stuff　was　very　fine；　and　would　go　through　the

eye　of　a　very　large　needle；　but　the　King；　who　was　only　too

glad　to　make　a　difficulty；　sent　for　a　particular　needle；

which　was　kept　among　the　Crown　jewels；　and　had　such　a

small　eye　that　everybody　saw　at　once　that　it　was　impossible

that　the　muslin　should　pass　through　it。　The　Princes

were　angry；　and　were　beginning　to　complain　that　it　was

a　trick；　when　suddenly　the　trumpets　sounded　and　the

youngest　Prince　came　in。　His　father　and　brothers　were

quite　astonished　at　his　magnificence；　and　after　he　had

greeted　them　he　took　the　walnut　from　his　pocket　and

opened　it；　fully　expecting　to　find　the　piece　of　muslin；　but

instead　there　was　only　a　hazel…nut。　He　cracked　it；　and

there　lay　a　cherry…stone。　Everybody　was　looking　on；　and

the　King　was　chuckling　to　himself　at　the　idea　of　finding

the　piece　of　muslin　in　a　nutshell。



However；　the　Prince　cracked　the　cherry…stone；　but

everyone　laughed　when　he　saw　it　contained　only　its　own

kernel。　He　opened　that　and　found　a　grain　of　wheat；　and

in　that　was　a　millet　seed。　Then　he　himself　began　to

wonder；　and　muttered　softly：



〃White　Cat；　White　Cat；　are　you　making　fun　of　me？〃



In　an　instant　he　felt　a　cat's　claw　give　his　hand　quite　a

sharp　scratch；　and　hoping　that　it　was　meant　as　an

encouragement　he　opened　the　millet　seed；　and　drew　out　of

it　a　piece　of　muslin　four　hundred　ells　long；　woven　with　the

loveliest　colors　and　most　wonderful　patterns；　and　when

the　needle　was　brought　it　went　through　the　eye　six　times

with　the　greatest　ease！　The　King　turned　pale；　and　the

other　Princes　stood　silent　and　sorrowful；　for　nobody　could

deny　that　this　was　the　most　marvelous　piece　of　muslin

that　was　to　be　found　in　the　world



Presently　the　King　turned　to　his　sons；　and　said；　with　a

deep　sigh：



〃Nothing　could　console　me　more　in　my　old　age　than　to

realize　your　willingness　to　gratify　my　wishes。　Go　then

once　more；　and　whoever　at　the　end　of　a　year　can　bring

back　the　loveliest　princess　shall　be　married　to　her；　and

shall；　without　further　delay；　receive　the　crown；　for　my

successor　must　certainly　be　married。〃　The　Prince　considered

that　he　had　earned　the　kingdom　fairly　twice　over

but　still　he　was　too　well　bred　to　argue　about　it；　so　he

just　went　back　to　his　gorgeous　chariot；　and；　surrounded

by　his　escort；　returned　to　the　White　Cat　faster　than　he

had　come。　This　time　she　was　expecting　him；　the　path　was

strewn　with　flowers；　and　a　thousand　braziers　were　burning

scented　woods　which　perfumed　the　air。　Seated　in　a　gallery

from　which　she　could　see　his　arrival；　the　White　Cat　waited

for　him。　〃Well；　King's　son；〃　she　said；　〃here　you　are　once

more；　without　a　crown。〃　〃Madam；〃　said　he；　〃thanks　to

your　generosity　I　have　earned　one　twice　over；　but　the

fact　is　that　my　father　is　so　loth　to　part　with　it　that　it　would

be　no　pleasure　to　me　to　take　it。〃



〃Never　mind；〃　she　answered；　〃it's　just　as　well　to　try

and　deserve　it。　As　you　must　take　back　a　lovely　princess

with　you　next　time　I　will　be　on　the　look…out　for　one　for

you。　In　the　meantime　let　us　enjoy　ourselves；　to…night　I

have　ordered　a　battle　between　my　cats　and　the　river　rats

on　purpose　to　amuse　you。〃　So　this　year　slipped　away

even　more　pleasantly　than　the　preceding　ones。　Sometimes

the　Prince　could　not　help　asking　the　White　Cat　how

it　was　she　could　talk。



〃Perhaps　you　are　a　fairy；〃　he　said。　〃Or　has　some

enchanter　changed　you　into　a　cat？〃



But　she　only　gave　him　answers　that　told　him　nothing。

Days　go　by　so　quickly　when　one　is　very　happy　that　it　is

certain　the　Prince　would　never　have　thought　of　its　being

time　to　go　back；　when　one　evening　as　they　sat　together

the　White　Cat　said　to　him　that　if　he　wanted　to　take　a

lovely　princess　home　with　him　the　next　day　he　must　be

prepared　to　do　what　she　told　him。



〃Take　this　sword；〃　she　said；　〃and　cut　off　my　head！〃



〃I！〃　cried　the　Prince；　〃I　cut　off　your　head！　Blanchette

darling；　how　could　I　do　it？〃



〃I　entreat　you　to　do　as　I　tell　you；　King's　son；〃　she

replied。



The　tears　came　into　the　Prince's　eyes　as　he　begged　her

to　ask　him　anything　but　thatto　set　him　any　task　she

pleased　as　a　proof　of　his　devotion；　but　to　spare　him　the

grief　of　killing　his　dear　Pussy。　But　nothing　he　could　say

altered　her　determination；　and　at　last　he　drew　his　sword；

and　desperately；　with　a　trembling　hand；　cut　off　the　little

white　head。　But　imagine　his　astonishment　and　delight

when　suddenly　a　lovely　princess　stood　before　him；　and；

while　he　was　still　speechless　with　amazement；　the　door

opened　and　a　goodly　company　of　knights　and　ladies

entered；　each　carrying　a　cat's　skin！　They　hastened　with

every　sign　of　joy　to　the　Princess；　kissing　her　hand　and

congratulating　her　on　being　once　more　restored　to　her

natural　shape。　She　received　them　graciously；　but　after　a

few　minutes　begged　that　they　would　leave　her　alone　with

the　Prince；　to　whom　she　said：



〃You　see；　Prince；　that　you　were　right　in　supposing　me

to　be　no　ordinary　cat。　My　father　reigned　over　six

kingdoms。　The　Queen；　my　mother；　whom　he　loved　dearly；

had　a　passion　for