06-the sleeping beauty-第3章

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

lamb；　and　dressed　it　with　such　good　sauce　that　his

mistress　assured　him　that　she　had　never　eaten　anything　so

good　in　her　life。　He　had　at　the　same　time　taken　up　little

Morning；　and　carried　her　to　his　wife；　to　conceal　her　in　the

lodging　he　had　at　the　bottom　of　the　courtyard。



About　eight　days　afterward　the　wicked　Queen　said　to

the　clerk　of　the　kitchen；　〃I　will　sup　on　little　Day。〃



He　answered　not　a　word；　being　resolved　to　cheat　her　as

he　had　done　before。　He　went　to　find　out　little　Day；　and

saw　him　with　a　little　foil　in　his　hand；　with　which　he　was

fencing　with　a　great　monkey；　the　child　being　then　only

three　years　of　age。　He　took　him　up　in　his　arms　and　carried

him　to　his　wife；　that　she　might　conceal　him　in　her　chamber

along　with　his　sister；　and　in　the　room　of　little　Day　cooked

up　a　young　kid；　very　tender；　which　the　Ogress　found　to　be

wonderfully　good。



This　was　hitherto　all　mighty　well；　but　one　evening　this

wicked　Queen　said　to　her　clerk　of　the　kitchen：



〃I　will　eat　the　Queen　with　the　same　sauce　I　had　with

her　children。〃



It　was　now　that　the　poor　clerk　of　the　kitchen　despaired

of　being　able　to　deceive　her。　The　young　Queen　was　turned

of　twenty；　not　reckoning　the　hundred　years　she　had　been

asleep；　and　how　to　find　in　the　yard　a　beast　so　firm　was

what　puzzled　him。　He　took　then　a　resolution；　that　he

might　save　his　own　life；　to　cut　the　Queen's　throat；　and

going　up　into　her　chamber；　with　intent　to　do　it　at　once；　he

put　himself　into　as　great　fury　as　he　could　possibly；　and

came　into　the　young　Queen's　room　with　his　dagger　in　his

hand。　He　would　not；　however；　surprise　her；　but　told　her；

with　a　great　deal　of　respect；　the　orders　he　had　received

from　the　Queen…mother。



〃Do　it；　do　it〃　（said　she；　stretching　out　her　neck）。

〃Execute　your　orders；　and　then　I　shall　go　and　see　my

children；　my　poor　children；　whom　I　so　much　and　so

tenderly　loved。〃



For　she　thought　them　dead　ever　since　they　had　been

taken　away　without　her　knowledge。



〃No；　no；　madam〃　（cried　the　poor　clerk　of　the　kitchen；

all　in　tears）；　〃you　shall　not　die；　and　yet　you　shall　see　your

children　again；　but　then　you　must　go　home　with　me　to

my　lodgings；　where　I　have　concealed　them；　and　I　shall

deceive　the　Queen　once　more；　by　giving　her　in　your　stead

a　young　hind。〃



Upon　this　he　forthwith　conducted　her　to　his　chamber；

where；　leaving　her　to　embrace　her　children；　and　cry　along

with　them；　he　went　and　dressed　a　young　hind；　which　the

Queen　had　for　her　supper；　and　devoured　it　with　the　same

appetite　as　if　it　had　been　the　young　Queen。　Exceedingly

was　she　delighted　with　her　cruelty；　and　she　had　invented

a　story　to　tell　the　King；　at　his　return；　how　the　mad

wolves　had　eaten　up　the　Queen　his　wife　and　her　two

children。



One　evening；　as　she　was；　according　to　her　custom；

rambling　round　about　the　courts　and　yards　of　the　palace

to　see　if　she　could　smell　any　fresh　meat；　she　heard；　in　a

ground　room；　little　Day　crying；　for　his　mamma　was　going

to　whip　him；　because　he　had　been　naughty；　and　she

heard；　at　the　same　time；　little　Morning　begging　pardon

for　her　brother。



The　Ogress　presently　knew　the　voice　of　the　Queen　and

her　children；　and　being　quite　mad　that　she　had　been　thus

deceived；　she　commanded　next　morning；　by　break　of　day

（with　a　most　horrible　voice；　which　made　everybody　tremble）；

that　they　should　bring　into　the　middle　of　the　great

court　a　large　tub；　which　she　caused　to　be　filled　with　toads；

vipers；　snakes；　and　all　sorts　of　serpents；　in　order　to　have

thrown　into　it　the　Queen　and　her　children；　the　clerk　of　the

kitchen；　his　wife　and　maid；　all　whom　she　had　given　orders

should　be　brought　thither　with　their　hands　tied　behind

them。



They　were　brought　out　accordingly；　and　the　executioners

were　just　going　to　throw　them　into　the　tub；　when　the

King　（who　was　not　so　soon　expected）　entered　the　court　on

horseback　（for　he　came　post）　and　asked；　with　the　utmost

astonishment；　what　was　the　meaning　of　that　horrible

spectacle。



No　one　dared　to　tell　him；　when　the　Ogress；　all　enraged

to　see　what　had　happened；　threw　herself　head　foremost

into　the　tub；　and　was　instantly　devoured　by　the　ugly

creatures　she　had　ordered　to　be　thrown　into　it　for　others。

The　King　could　not　but　be　very　sorry；　for　she　was　his

mother；　but　he　soon　comforted　himself　with　his　beautiful

wife　and　his　pretty　children。