21-the wonderful sheep-第4章

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loved　Miranda　so　dearly；　that　at　last　she　began　to　love

him　too。　Such　a　handsome　sheep；　who　was　so　polite

and　considerate；　could　hardly　fail　to　please；　especially

if　one　knew　that　he　was　really　a　king；　and　that　his　strange

imprisonment　would　soon　come　to　an　end。　So　the　Princess's

days　passed　very　gaily　while　she　waited　for　the

happy　time　to　come。　The　King　of　the　Sheep；　with　the

help　of　all　the　flock；　got　up　balls；　concerts；　and　hunting

parties；　and　even　the　shadows　joined　in　all　the　fun；　and

came；　making　believe　to　be　their　own　real　selves。



One　evening；　when　the　couriers　arrived　（for　the　King

sent　most　carefully　for　newsand　they　always　brought

the　very　best　kinds）；　it　was　announced　that　the　sister　of

the　Princess　Miranda　was　going　to　be　married　to　a　great

Prince；　and　that　nothing　could　be　more　splendid　than　all

the　preparations　for　the　wedding。



〃Ah！〃　cried　the　young　Princess；　〃how　unlucky　I　am

to　miss　the　sight　of　so　many　pretty　things！　Here　am　I

imprisoned　under　the　earth；　with　no　company　but　sheep

and　shadows；　while　my　sister　is　to　be　adorned　like　a

queen　and　surrounded　by　all　who　love　and　admire　her；

and　everyone　but　myself　can　go　to　wish　her　joy！〃



〃Why　do　you　complain；　Princess？〃　said　the　King　of

the　Sheep。　〃Did　I　say　that　you　were　not　to　go　to　the

wedding？　Set　out　as　soon　as　you　please；　only　promise

me　that　you　will　come　back；　for　I　love　you　too　much　to

be　able　to　live　without　you。〃



Miranda　was　very　grateful　to　him；　and　promised

faithfully　that　nothing　in　the　world　should　keep　her　from

coming　back。　The　King　caused　an　escort　suitable　to　her

rank　to　be　got　ready　for　her；　and　she　dressed　herself

splendidly；　not　forgetting　anything　that　could　make　her

more　beautiful。　Her　chariot　was　of　mother…of…pearl；

drawn　by　six　dun…colored　griffins　just　brought　from　the

other　side　of　the　world；　and　she　was　attended　by　a

number　of　guards　in　splendid　uniforms；　who　were　all　at　least

eight　feet　high　and　had　come　from　far　and　near　to　ride

in　the　Princess's　train。



Miranda　reached　her　father's　palace　just　as　the

wedding　ceremony　began；　and　everyone；　as　soon　as　she　came

in；　was　struck　with　surprise　at　her　beauty　and　the

splendor　of　her　jewels。　She　heard　exclamations　of

admiration　on　all　sides；　and　the　King　her　father　looked　at

her　so　attentively　that　she　was　afraid　he　must　recognize

her；　but　he　was　so　sure　that　she　was　dead　that　the　idea

never　occurred　to　him。



However；　the　fear　of　not　getting　away　made　her　leave

before　the　marriage　was　over。　She　went　out　hastily；

leaving　behind　her　a　little　coral　casket　set　with　emeralds。

On　it　was　written　in　diamond　letters：　〃Jewels　for　the

Bride；〃　and　when　they　opened　it；　which　they　did　as　soon

as　it　was　found；　there　seemed　to　be　no　end　to　the　pretty

things　it　contained。　The　King；　who　had　hoped　to　join

the　unknown　Princess　and　find　out　who　she　was；　was

dreadfully　disappointed　when　she　disappeared　so

suddenly；　and　gave　orders　that　if　she　ever　came　again　the

doors　were　to　be　shut　that　she　might　not　get　away　so

easily。　Short　as　Miranda's　absence　had　been；　it　had

seemed　like　a　hundred　years　to　the　King　of　the　Sheep。

He　was　waiting　for　her　by　a　fountain　in　the　thickest　part

of　the　forest；　and　the　ground　was　strewn　with　splendid

presents　which　he　had　prepared　for　her　to　show　his　joy

and　gratitude　at　her　coming　back。



As　soon　as　she　was　in　sight　he　rushed　to　meet　her；

leaping　and　bounding　like　a　real　sheep。　He　caressed　her

tenderly；　throwing　himself　at　her　feet　and　kissing　her

hands；　and　told　her　how　uneasy　he　had　been　in　her

absence；　and　how　impatient　for　her　return；　with　an

eloquence　which　charmed　her。



After　some　time　came　the　news　that　the　King's　second

daughter　was　going　to　be　married。　When　Miranda　heard

it　she　begged　the　King　of　the　Sheep　to　allow　her　to　go　and

see　the　wedding　as　before。　This　request　made　him　feel

very　sad；　as　if　some　misfortune　must　surely　come　of　it；

but　his　love　for　the　Princess　being　stronger　than　anything

else　he　did　not　like　to　refuse　her。



〃You　wish　to　leave　me；　Princess；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　my

unhappy　fateyou　are　not　to　blame。　I　consent　to　your

going；　but；　believe　me；　I　can　give　you　no　stronger　proof

of　my　love　than　by　so　doing。〃



The　Princess　assured　him　that　she　would　only　stay　a

very　short　time；　as　she　had　done　before；　and　begged　him

not　to　be　uneasy；　as　she　would　be　quite　as　much　grieved

if　anything　detained　her　as　he　could　possibly　be。



So；　with　the　same　escort；　she　set　out；　and　reached　the

palace　as　the　marriage　ceremony　began。　Everybody　was

delighted　to　see　her；　she　was　so　pretty　that　they　thought

she　must　be　some　fairy　princess；　and　the　Princes　who　were

there　could　not　take　their　eyes　off　her。



The　King　was　more　glad　than　anyone　else　that　she　had

come　again；　and　gave　orders　that　the　doors　should　all　be

shut　and　bolted　that　very　minute。　When　the　wedding

was　all　but　over　the　Princess　got　up　quickly；　hoping　to

slip　away　unnoticed　among　the　crowd；　but；　to　her　great

dismay；　she　found　every　door　fastened。



She　felt　more　at　ease　when　the　King　came　up　to　her；　and

with　the　greatest　respect　begged　her　not　to　run　away　so

soon；　but　at　least　to　honor　him　by　staying　for　the　splendid

feast　which　was　prepared　for　the　Princes　and　Princesses。

He　led　her　into　a　magnificent　hall；　where　all　the　Court　was

assembled；　and　himself　taking　up　the　golden　bowl　full　of

water；　he　offered　it　to　her　that　she　might　dip　her　pretty

fingers　into　it。



At　this　the　Princess　could　no　longer　contain　herself；

throwing　herself　at　the　King's　feet；　she　cried　out：



〃My　dream　has　come　true　after　allyou　have　offered

me　water　to　wash　my　hands　on　my　sister's　wedding　day；

and　it　has　not　vexed　you　to　do　it。〃



The　King　recognized　her　at　onceindeed；　he　had

already　thought　several　times　how　much　like　his　poor　little

Miranda　she　was。



〃Oh！　my　dear　daughter；〃　he　cried；　kissing　her；　〃can　you

ever　forget　my　cruelty？　I　ordered　you　to　be　put　to　death

because　I　thought　your　dream　portended　the　loss　of　my

crown。　And　so　it　did；〃　he　added；　〃for　now　your　sisters

are　both　married　and　have　kingdoms　of　their　ownand

mine　shall　be　for　you。〃　So　saying　he　put　his　crown　on　the

Princess's　head　and　cried：



〃Long　live　Queen　Miranda！〃



All　the　Court　cried：　〃Long　live　Queen　Miranda！〃　after

him；　and　the　young　Queen's　two　sisters　came　running　up；

and　threw　their　arms　round　her　neck；　and　kissed　her　a

thousand　times；　and　then　there　was　such　a　laughing　and

crying；　talking　and　kissing；　all　at　once；　and　Miranda

thanked　her　father；　and　began　to　ask　after　everyone

particularly　the　Captain　of　the　Guard；　to　whom　she　owed

so　much；　but；　to　her　great　sorrow；　she　heard　that　he　was

dead。　Presently　they　sat　down　to　the　banquet；　and　the

King　asked　Miranda　to　tell　them　all　that　had　happened

to　her　since　the　terrible　morning　when　he　had　sent　the

Captain　of　the　Guard　to　fetch　her。　This　she　did　with　so

much　spirit　that　all　the　guests　listened　with　breathless

interest。　But　while　she　was　thus　enjoying　herself　with

the　King　and　her　sisters；　the　King　of　the　Sheep　was　waiting

impatiently　for　the　time　of　her　return；　and　when　it

came　and　went；　and　no　Princess　appeared；　his　anxiety

became　so　great　that　he　could　bear　it　no　longer。



〃She　is　not　coming　back　any　more；〃　he　cried。　〃My

miserable　sheep's　face　displeases　her；　and　without

Miranda　what　is　left　to　me；　wretched　creature　that　I　am！

Oh！　cruel　Ragotte；　my　punishment　is　complete。〃



For　a　long　time　he　bewailed　his　sad　fate　like　this；　and

then；　seeing　that　it　was　growing　dark；　and　that　still　there

was　no　sign　of　the　Princess；　he　set　out　as　fast　as　he　could

in　the　direction　of　the　town。　When　he　reached　the　palace

he　asked　for　Miranda；　but　by　this　time　everyone　had

heard　the　story　of　her　adventures；　and　did　not　want　her

to　go　back　again　to　the　King　of　the　Sheep；　so　they　refused

sternly　to　let　him　see　her。　In　vain　he　begged　and　prayed

them　to　le