the enchanted island of yew-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





13。　　The　Hidden　Kingdom　of　Twi


Knowing　that　at　last　they　were　free　to　roam　according　to　their　desire；　the　travelers　rode　gaily　along　the　paths；　taking　but　scant　heed　of　their　way。

〃Our　faces　are　set　toward　new　adventures；〃　remarked　the　prince。　　〃Let　us　hope　they　will　prove　more　pleasant　than　the　last。〃

〃To　be　sure！〃　responded　Nerle。　　〃Let　us　hope；　at　any　rate；　that　we　shall　suffer　more　privations　and　encounter　more　trouble　than　we　did　in　that　mountainous　Kingdom　of　Spor。〃　　Then　he　added：　〃For　one　reason；　I　regret　you　are　my　master。〃

〃What　is　that　reason？〃　asked　the　prince；　turning　to　smile　upon　his　esquire。

〃You　have　a　way　of　overcoming　all　difficulties　without　any　trouble　whatsoever；　and　that　deprives　me　of　any　chance　of　coming　to　harm　while　in　your　company。〃

〃Cheer　up；　my　boy！〃　cried　Marvel。　　〃Did　I　not　say　there　are　new　adventures　before　us？　　We　may　not　come　through　them　so　easily　as　we　came　through　the　others。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　replied　Nerle；　〃it　is　always　best　to　hope。〃　And　then　he　inquired：　〃Why　do　you　stop　here；　in　the　middle　of　the　path？〃

〃Because　the　path　has　ended　rather　suddenly；〃　answered　Marvel。　　〃Here　is　a　thick　hedge　of　prickly　briers　barring　our　way。〃

Nerle　looked　over　his　master's　shoulder　and　saw　that　a　great　hedge；　high　and　exceedingly　thick；　cut　off　all　prospect　of　their　advancing。

〃This　is　pleasant；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　might　try　to　force　our　way　through　the　hedge。　　The　briers　would　probably　prick　me　severely；　and　that　would　be　delightful。〃

〃Try　it！〃　the　prince　returned；　with　twinkling　eyes。

Nerle　sprang　from　his　horse　to　obey；　but　at　the　first　contact　with　the　briers　he　uttered　a　howl　of　pain　and　held　up　his　hands；　which　were　bleeding　in　a　dozen　places　from　the　wounds　of　the　thorns。

〃Ah；　that　will　content　you　for　a　time；　I　trust；〃　said　Marvel。　　〃Now　follow　me；　and　we　will　ride　along　beside　the　hedge　until　we　find　an　opening。　　For　either　it　will　come　to　an　end　or　there　will　prove　to　be　a　way　through　it　to　the　other　side。〃

So　they　rode　alongside　the　hedge　for　hour　after　hour；　yet　it　did　not　end；　nor　could　they　espy　any　way　to　get　through　the　thickly　matted　briers。　　By　and　by　night　fell；　and　they　tethered　their　horses　to　some　shrubs；　where　there　were　a　few　scanty　blades　of　grass　for　them　to　crop；　and　then　laid　themselves　down　upon　the　ground；　with　bare　rocks　for　pillows；　where　they　managed　to　sleep　soundly　until　morning。

They　had　brought　a　supply　of　food　in　their　pouches；　and　on　this　they　breakfasted；　afterward　continuing　their　journey　beside　the　hedge。

At　noon　Prince　Marvel　uttered　an　exclamation　of　surprise　and　stopped　his　horse。

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Nerle。

〃I　have　found　the　handkerchief　with　which　you　wiped　the　blood　from　your　hands　yesterday　morning；　and　then　carelessly　dropped；〃　replied　the　prince。　　〃This　proves　that　we　have　made　a　complete　circle　around　this　hedge　without　finding　a　way　to　pass　through　it。〃

〃In　that　case；〃　said　Nerle；　〃we　had　better　leave　the　hedge　and　go　in　another　direction。〃

〃Not　so；〃　declared　Marvel。　　〃The　hedge　incloses　some　unknown　country；　and　I　am　curious　to　find　out　what　it　is。〃

〃But　there　is　no　opening；〃　remonstrated　Nerle。

〃Then　we　must　make　one。　　Wouldn't　you　like　to　enjoy　a　little　more　pain？〃

〃Thank　you；〃　answered　Nerle；　〃my　hands　are　still　smarting　very　comfortably　from　the　pricks　of　yesterday。〃

〃Therefore　I　must　make　the　attempt　myself；〃　said　the　prince；　and　drawing　his　sword　he　whispered　a　queer　word　to　it；　and　straightway　began　slashing　at　the　hedge。

The　brambles　fell　fast　before　his　blade；　and　when　he　had　cut　a　big　heap　of　branches　from　the　hedge　Nerle　dragged　them　to　one　side；　and　the　prince　began　again。

It　was　marvelous　how　thick　the　hedge　proved。　　Only　a　magic　sword　could　have　done　this　work　and　remained　sharp；　and　only　a　fairy　arm　could　have　proved　strong　enough　to　hew　through　the　tough　wood。　　But　the　magic　sword　and　fairy　arm　were　at　work；　and　naught　could　resist　them。

After　a　time　the　last　branches　were　severed　and　dragged　from　the　path；　and　then　the　travelers　rode　their　horses　through　the　gap　into　the　unknown　country　beyond。

They　saw　at　first　glance　that　it　was　a　land　of　great　beauty；　but　after　that　one　look　both　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle　paused　and　rubbed　their　eyes；　to　assure　themselves　that　their　vision　was　not　blurred。

Before　them　were　two　trees；　exactly　alike。　　And　underneath　the　trees　two　cows　were　grazingeach　a　perfect　likeness　of　the　other。　　At　their　left　were　two　cottages；　with　every　door　and　window　and　chimney　the　exact　counterpart　of　another。　　Before　these　houses　two　little　boys　were　playing；　evidently　twins；　for　they　not　only　looked　alike　and　dressed　alike；　but　every　motion　one　made　was　also　made　by　the　other　at　the　same　time　and　in　precisely　the　same　way。　　When　one　laughed　the　other　laughed；　and　when　one　stubbed　his　toe　and　fell　down；　the　other　did　likewise；　and　then　they　both　sat　up　and　cried　lustily　at　the　same　time。

At　this　two　womenit　was　impossible　to　tell　one　from　the　otherrushed　out　of　the　two　houses；　caught　up　the　two　boys；　shook　and　dusted　them　in　precisely　the　same　way；　and　led　them　by　their　ears　back　into　the　houses。

Again　the　astonished　travelers　rubbed　their　eyes；　and　then　Prince　Marvel　looked　at　Nerle　and　said：

〃I　thought　at　first　that　I　saw　everything　double；　but　there　seems　to　be　only　one　of　YOU。〃

〃And　of　you；〃　answered　the　boy。　　〃But　see！　there　are　two　hills　ahead　of　us；　and　two　paths　lead　from　the　houses　over　the　hills！　　How　strange　it　all　is！〃

Just　then　two　birds　flew　by；　close　together　and　perfect　mates；　and　the　cows　raised　their　heads　and　〃mooed〃　at　the　same　time；　and　two　menalso　twinscame　over　the　two　hills　along　the　two　paths　with　two　dinner…pails　in　their　hands　and　entered　the　two　houses。　　They　were　met　at　the　doors　by　the　two　women；　who　kissed　them　exactly　at　the　same　time　and　helped　them　off　with　their　coats　with　the　same　motions；　and　closed　the　two　doors　with　two　slams　at　the　same　instant。

Nerle　laughed。　　〃What　sort　of　country　have　we　got　into？〃　he　asked。

〃Let　us　find　out；〃　replied　the　prince；　and　riding　up　to　one　of　the　houses　he　knocked　on　the　door　with　the　hilt　of　his　sword。

Instantly　the　doors　of　both　houses　flew　open；　and　both　men　appeared　in　the　doorways。　　Both　started　back　in　amazement　at　sight　of　the　strangers；　and　both　women　shrieked　and　both　little　boys　began　to　cry。　Both　mothers　boxed　the　children's　ears；　and　both　men　gasped　out：

〃Whowho　are　you？〃

Their　voices　were　exactly　alike；　and　their　words　were　spoken　in　unison。　　Prince　Marvel　replied；　courteously：

〃We　are　two　strangers　who　have　strayed　into　your　country。　　But　I　do　not　understand　why　our　appearance　should　so　terrify　you。〃

〃Whyyou　are　singular！　　There　is　only　half　of　each　of　you！〃　exclaimed　the　two　men；　together。

〃Not　so；〃　said　the　prince；　trying　hard　not　to　laugh　in　their　faces。　〃We　may　be　single；　while　you　appear　to　be　double；　but　each　of　us　is　perfect；　nevertheless。〃

〃Perfect！　　And　only　half　of　you！〃　cried　the　men。　　And　again　the　two　women；　who　were　looking　over　their　husbands'　shoulders；　screamed　at　sight　of　the　strangers；　and　again　the　two　boys；　who　were　clinging　to　their　mothers'　dresses　in　the　same　positions；　began　to　cry。

〃We　did　not　know　such　strange　people　existed！〃　said　the　two　men；　both　staring　at　the　strangers　and　then　wiping　the　beads　of　perspiration　from　their　two　brows　with　two　faded　yellow　handkerchiefs。

〃Nor　did　we！〃　retorted　the　prince。　　〃I　assure　you　we　are　as　much　surprised　as　you　are。〃

Nerle　laughed　again　at　this；　and　to　hear　only　one　of　the　strangers　speak　and　the　other　only　laugh　seemed　to　terrify　the　double　people　anew。　　So　Prince　Marvel　quickly　asked：

〃Please　tell　us　what　country　this　is？〃

〃The　Land　of　Twi；〃　answered　both　men；　together。

〃Oh！　the　Land　of　Twi。　　And　why　is　the　light　here　so　dim？〃　continued　the　prince。

〃Dim？〃　repeated　the　men；　as　if　surprised；　〃why；　this　is　twilight；　of　course。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Nerle。　　〃I　hadn't　thought　of　that。　　We　are　in　the　long　hidden　Land　of　Twi；　which　all　men　have　heard　of；　but　no　man　has　found　before。〃

〃And　who　may　you　be？〃　questioned　the　prince；　looking　from　one　man　to　the　other；　curiously。

〃We　are　Twis；〃　they　answered。

〃Twice？〃

〃Twisinha