06-the sleeping beauty-第2章

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a　great　thick　wood？



Everyone　answered　according　as　they　had　heard。　Some

said：



That　it　was　a　ruinous　old　castle；　haunted　by　spirits。




Others；　That　all　the　sorcerers　and　witches　of　the

country　kept　there　their　sabbath　or　night's　meeting。



The　common　opinion　was：　That　an　ogre　lived　there；　and

that　he　carried　thither　all　the　little　children　he　could

catch；　that　he　might　eat　them　up　at　his　leisure；　without

anybody　being　able　to　follow　him；　as　having　himself　only

the　power　to　pass　through　the　wood。



The　Prince　was　at　a　stand；　not　knowing　what　to

believe；　when　a　very　good　countryman　spake　to　him　thus：



〃May　it　please　your　royal　highness；　it　is　now　about

fifty　years　since　I　heard　from　my　father；　who　heard　my

grandfather　say；　that　there　was　then　in　this　castle　a

princess；　the　most　beautiful　was　ever　seen；　that　she　must

sleep　there　a　hundred　years；　and　should　be　waked　by　a

king's　son；　for　whom　she　was　reserved。〃



The　young　Prince　was　all　on　fire　at　these　words；

believing；　without　weighing　the　matter；　that　he　could　put

an　end　to　this　rare　adventure；　and；　pushed　on　by　love　and

honor；　resolved　that　moment　to　look　into　it。



Scarce　had　he　advanced　toward　the　wood　when　all　the

great　trees；　the　bushes；　and　brambles　gave　way　of　themselves

to　let　him　pass　through；　he　walked　up　to　the　castle

which　he　saw　at　the　end　of　a　large　avenue　which　he　went

into；　and　what　a　little　surprised　him　was　that　he　saw

none　of　his　people　could　follow　him；　because　the　trees

closed　again　as　soon　as　he　had　passed　through　them。

However；　he　did　not　cease　from　continuing　his　way；　a

young　and　amorous　prince　is　always　valiant。



He　came　into　a　spacious　outward　court；　where　everything

he　saw　might　have　frozen　the　most　fearless　person

with　horror。　There　reigned　all　over　a　most　frightful

silence；　the　image　of　death　everywhere　showed　itself；　and

there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　but　stretched…out　bodies　of

men　and　animals；　all　seeming　to　be　dead。　He；　however；

very　well　knew；　by　the　ruby　faces　and　pimpled　noses　of

the　beefeaters；　that　they　were　only　asleep；　and　their

goblets；　wherein　still　remained　some　drops　of　wine；　showed

plainly　that　they　fell　asleep　in　their　cups。



He　then　crossed　a　court　paved　with　marble；　went　up

the　stairs　and　came　into　the　guard　chamber；　where　guards

were　standing　in　their　ranks；　with　their　muskets　upon

their　shoulders；　and　snoring　as　loud　as　they　could。　After

that　he　went　through　several　rooms　full　of　gentlemen　and

ladies；　all　asleep；　some　standing；　others　sitting。　At　last

he　came　into　a　chamber　all　gilded　with　gold；　where　he

saw　upon　a　bed；　the　curtains　of　which　were　all　open；　the

finest　sight　was　ever　behelda　princess；　who　appeared

to　be　about　fifteen　or　sixteen　years　of　age；　and　whose

bright　and；　in　a　manner；　resplendent　beauty；　had　somewhat

in　it　divine。　He　approached　with　trembling　and

admiration；　and　fell　down　before　her　upon　his　knees。



And　now；　as　the　enchantment　was　at　an　end；　the

Princess　awaked；　and　looking　on　him　with　eyes　more　tender

than　the　first　view　might　seem　to　admit　of：



〃Is　it　you；　my　Prince？〃　said　she　to　him。　〃You　have

waited　a　long　while。〃



The　Prince；　charmed　with　these　words；　and　much　more

with　the　manner　in　which　they　were　spoken；　knew　not

how　to　show　his　joy　and　gratitude；　he　assured　her　that　he

loved　her　better　than　he　did　himself；　their　discourse　was

not　well　connected；　they　did　weep　more　than　talklittle

eloquence；　a　great　deal　of　love。　He　was　more　at　a　loss

than　she；　and　we　need　not　wonder　at　it；　she　had　time　to

think　on　what　to　say　to　him；　for　it　is　very　probable

（though　history　mentions　nothing　of　it）　that　the　good

Fairy；　during　so　long　a　sleep；　had　given　her　very　agreeable

dreams。　In　short；　they　talked　four　hours　together；　and

yet　they　said　not　half　what　they　had　to　say。



In　the　meanwhile　all　the　palace　awaked；　everyone

thought　upon　their　particular　business；　and　as　all　of　them

were　not　in　love　they　were　ready　to　die　for　hunger。　The

chief　lady　of　honor；　being　as　sharp　set　as　other　folks；

grew　very　impatient；　and　told　the　Princess　aloud　that

supper　was　served　up。　The　Prince　helped　the　Princess　to

rise；　she　was　entirely　dressed；　and　very　magnificently；　but

his　royal　highness　took　care　not　to　tell　her　that　she　was

dressed　like　his　great…grandmother；　and　had　a　point　band

peeping　over　a　high　collar；　she　looked　not　a　bit　less　charming

and　beautiful　for　all　that。



They　went　into　the　great　hall　of　looking…glasses；　where

they　supped；　and　were　served　by　the　Princess's　officers；

the　violins　and　hautboys　played　old　tunes；　but　very

excellent；　though　it　was　now　above　a　hundred　years　since

they　had　played；　and　after　supper；　without　losing　any

time；　the　lord　almoner　married　them　in　the　chapel　of　the

castle；　and　the　chief　lady　of　honor　drew　the　curtains。

They　had　but　very　little　sleepthe　Princess　had　no

occasion；　and　the　Prince　left　her　next　morning　to　return

to　the　city；　where　his　father　must　needs　have　been　in　pain

for　him。　The　Prince　told　him：



That　he　lost　his　way　in　the　forest　as　he　was　hunting；

and　that　he　had　lain　in　the　cottage　of　a　charcoal…burner；

who　gave　him　cheese　and　brown　bread。



The　King；　his　father；　who　was　a　good　man；　believed

him；　but　his　mother　could　not　be　persuaded　it　was　true；

and　seeing　that　he　went　almost　every　day　a…hunting；　and

that　he　always　had　some　excuse　ready　for　so　doing；　though

he　had　lain　out　three　or　four　nights　together；　she　began

to　suspect　that　he　was　married；　for　he　lived　with　the

Princess　above　two　whole　years；　and　had　by　her　two

children；　the　eldest　of　which；　who　was　a　daughter；　was　named

Morning；　and　the　youngest；　who　was　a　son；　they　called

Day；　because　he　was　a　great　deal　handsomer　and　more

beautiful　than　his　sister。



The　Queen　spoke　several　times　to　her　son；　to　inform

herself　after　what　manner　he　did　pass　his　time；　and　that

in　this　he　ought　in　duty　to　satisfy　her。　But　he　never

dared　to　trust　her　with　his　secret；　he　feared　her；　though

he　loved　her；　for　she　was　of　the　race　of　the　Ogres；　and　the

King　would　never　have　married　her　had　it　not　been　for

her　vast　riches；　it　was　even　whispered　about　the　Court

that　she　had　Ogreish　inclinations；　and　that；　whenever　she

saw　little　children　passing　by；　she　had　all　the　difficulty　in

the　world　to　avoid　falling　upon　them。　And　so　the　Prince

would　never　tell　her　one　word。



But　when　the　King　was　dead；　which　happened　about

two　years　afterward；　and　he　saw　himself　lord　and　master；

he　openly　declared　his　marriage；　and　he　went　in　great

ceremony　to　conduct　his　Queen　to　the　palace。　They　made

a　magnificent　entry　into　the　capital　city；　she　riding

between　her　two　children。



Soon　after　the　King　went　to　make　war　with　the　Emperor

Contalabutte；　his　neighbor。　He　left　the　government

of　the　kingdom　to　the　Queen　his　mother；　and

earnestly　recommended　to　her　care　his　wife　and　children。

He　was　obliged　to　continue　his　expedition　all　the　summer；

and　as　soon　as　he　departed　the　Queen…mother　sent　her

daughter…in…law　to　a　country　house　among　the　woods；

that　she　might　with　the　more　ease　gratify　her　horrible

longing。



Some　few　days　afterward　she　went　thither　herself；　and

said　to　her　clerk　of　the　kitchen：



〃I　have　a　mind　to　eat　little　Morning　for　my　dinner　to…

morrow。〃



〃Ah！　madam；〃　cried　the　clerk　of　the　kitchen。



〃I　will　have　it　so；〃　replied　the　Queen　（and　this　she

spoke　in　the　tone　of　an　Ogress　who　had　a　strong　desire　to

eat　fresh　meat）；　〃and　will　eat　her　with　a　sauce　Robert。〃



The　poor　man；　knowing　very　well　that　he　must　not　play

tricks　with　Ogresses；　took　his　great　knife　and　went　up　into

little　Morning's　chamber。　She　was　then　four　years　old；

and　came　up　to　him　jumping　and　laughing；　to　take　him

about　the　neck；　and　ask　him　for　some　sugar…candy。　Upon

which　he　began　to　weep；　the　great　knife　fell　out　of　his

hand；　and　he　went　into　the　back　yard；　and　killed　a　little

lamb；　and　dressed　it　wit