the little lame prince-第17章

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There　they　found　the　Prince；　sitting　calmly　on　the　floordeadly　pale；　indeed；　for　he　expected　a　quite　different　end　from　this；　and　was　resolved；　if　he　had　to　die；　to　die　courageously；　like　a　Prince　and　a　King。

But　when　they　hailed　him　as　Prince　and　King；　and　explained　to　him　how　matters　stood；　and　went　down　on　their　knees　before　him；　offering　the　crown　（on　a　velvet　cushion；　with　four　golden　tassels；　each　nearly　as　big　as　his　head）；small　though　he　was　and　lame；　which　lameness　the　courtiers　pretended　not　to　notice；　there　came　such　a　glow　into　his　face；　such　a　dignity　into　his　demeanor；　that　he　became　beautiful；　king…like。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　desire　it；　I　will　be　your　king。　And　I　will　do　my　best　to　make　my　people　happy。〃

Then　there　arose；　from　inside　and　outside　the　tower；　such　a　shout　as　never　yet　was　heard　across　the　lonely　plain。

Prince　Dolor　shrank　a　little　from　the　deafening　sound。　〃How　shall　I　be　able　to　rule　all　this　great　people？　You　forget；　my　lords；　that　I　am　only　a　little　boy　still。〃

〃Not　so　very　little；〃　was　the　respectful　answer。　〃We　have　searched　in　the　records；　and　found　that　your　Royal　Highnessyour　Majesty；　I　meanis　fifteen　years　old。〃

〃Am　I？〃　said　Prince　Dolor；　and　his　first　thought　was　a　thoroughly　childish　pleasure　that　he　should　now　have　a　birthday；　with　a　whole　nation　to　keep　it。　Then　he　remembered　that　his　childish　days　were　done。　He　was　a　monarch　now。　Even　his　nurse；　to　whom；　the　moment　he　saw　her；　he　had　held　out　his　hand；　kissed　it　reverently；　and　called　him　ceremoniously　〃his　Majesty　the　King。〃

〃A　king　must　be　always　a　king；　I　suppose；〃　said　he　half…sadly；　when；　the　ceremonies　over；　he　had　been　left　to　himself　for　just　ten　minutes；　to　put　off　his　boy's　clothes　and　be　reattired　in　magnificent　robes；　before　he　was　conveyed　away　from　his　tower　to　the　royal　palace。

He　could　take　nothing　with　him；　indeed；　he　soon　saw　that；　however　politely　they　spoke；　they　would　not　allow　him　to　take　anything。　If　he　was　to　be　their　king；　he　must　give　up　his　old　life　forever。　So　he　looked　with　tender　farewell　on　his　old　books；　old　toys；　the　furniture　he　knew　so　well；　and　the　familiar　plain　in　all　its　levelness　ugly　yet　pleasant；　simply　because　it　was　familiar。

〃It　will　be　a　new　life　in　a　new　world；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃but　I'll　remember　the　old　things　still。　And；　oh！　if　before　I　go　I　could　but　once　see　my　dear　old　godmother。〃

While　he　spoke　he　had　laid　himself　down　on　the　bed　for　a　minute　or　two；　rather　tired　with　his　grandeur；　and　confused　by　the　noise　of　the　trumpets　which　kept　playing　incessantly　down　below。　He　gazed；　half　sadly；　up　to　the　skylight；　whence　there　came　pouring　a　stream　of　sunrays；　with　innumerable　motes　floating　there；　like　a　bridge　thrown　between　heaven　and　earth。　Sliding　down　it；　as　if　she　had　been　made　of　air；　came　the　little　old　woman　in　gray。

So　beautiful　looked　sheold　as　she　wasthat　Prince　Dolor　was　at　first　quite　startled　by　the　apparition。　Then　he　held　out　his　arms　in　eager　delight。

〃Oh；　godmother；　you　have　not　forsaken　me！〃

〃Not　at　all；　my　son。　You　may　not　have　seen　me；　but　I　have　seen　you　many　a　time。〃

〃How？〃

〃Oh；　never　mind。　I　can　turn　into　anything　I　please；　you　know。　And　I　have　been　a　bearskin　rug；　and　a　crystal　gobletand　sometimes　I　have　changed　from　inanimate　to　animate　nature；　put　on　feathers；　and　made　myself　very　comfortable　as　a　bird。〃

〃Ha！〃　laughed　the　prince；　a　new　light　breaking　in　upon　him　as　he　caught　the　infection｛sic｝　of　her　tone；　lively　and　mischievous。　〃Ha！　ha！　a　lark；　for　instance？〃

〃Or　a　magpie；〃　answered　she；　with　a　capital　imitation　of　Mistress　Mag's　croaky　voice。　〃Do　you　suppose　I　am　always　sentimental；　and　never　funny？　If　anything　makes　you　happy；　gay；　or　grave；　don't　you　think　it　is　more　than　likely　to　come　through　your　old　godmother？〃

〃I　believe　that；〃　said　the　boy　tenderly；　holding　out　his　arms。　They　clasped　one　another　in　a　close　embrace。

Suddenly　Prince　Dolor　looked　very　anxious。　〃You　will　not　leave　me　now　that　I　am　a　king？　Otherwise　I　had　rather　not　be　a　king　at　all。　Promise　never　to　forsake　me！〃

The　little　old　woman　laughed　gayly。　〃Forsake　you？　that　is　impossible。　But　it　is　just　possible　you　may　forsake　me。　Not　probable　though。　Your　mother　never　did；　and　she　was　a　queen。　The　sweetest　queen　in　all　the　world　was　the　Lady　Dolorez。〃

〃Tell　me　about　her；〃　said　the　boy　eagerly。　〃As　I　get　older　I　think　I　can　understand　more。　Do　tell　me。〃

〃Not　now。　You　couldn't　hear　me　for　the　trumpets　and　the　shouting。　But　when　you　are　come　to　the　palace；　ask　for　a　long…closed　upper　room；　which　looks　out　upon　the　Beautiful　Mountains；　open　it　and　take　it　for　your　own。　Whenever　you　go　there　you　will　always　find　me；　and　we　will　talk　together　about　all　sorts　of　things。〃

〃And　about　my　mother？〃

The　little　old　woman　noddedand　kept　nodding　and　smiling　to　herself　many　times；　as　the　boy　repeated　over　and　over　again　the　sweet　words　he　had　never　known　or　understood〃my　mothermy　mother。〃

〃Now　I　must　go；〃　said　she；　as　the　trumpets　blared　louder　and　louder；　and　the　shouts　of　the　people　showed　that　they　would　not　endure　any　delay。　〃Good…by；　good…by！　Open　the　window　and　out　I　fly。〃

Prince　Dolor　repeated　gayly　the　musical　rhymebut　all　the　while　tried　to　hold　his　godmother　fast。

Vain；　vain！　for　the　moment　that　a　knocking　was　heard　at　his　door　the　sun　went　behind　a　cloud；　the　bright　stream　of　dancing　motes　vanished；　and　the　little　old　woman　with　them　he　knew　not　where。

So　Prince　Dolor　quitted　his　towerwhich　he　had　entered　so　mournfully　and　ignominiously　as　a　little　helpless　baby　carried　in　the　deaf…mute's　armsquitted　it　as　the　great　King　of　Nomansland。

The　only　thing　he　took　away　with　him　was　something　so　insignificant　that　none　of　the　lords；　gentlemen；　and　soldiers　who　escorted　him　with　such　triumphant　splendor　could　possibly　notice　ita　tiny　bundle；　which　he　had　found　lying　on　the　floor　just　where　the　bridge　of　sunbeams　had　rested。　At　once　he　had　pounced　upon　it；　and　thrust　it　secretly　into　his　bosom；　where　it　dwin…　　dled　into　such　small　proportions　that　it　might　have　been　taken　for　a　mere　chest…comforter；　a　bit　of　flannel；　or　an　old　pocket…handkerchief。　It　was　his　traveling…cloak！



CHAPTER　X

Did　Prince　Dolar　become　a　great　king？　Was　he；　though　little　more　than　a　boy；　〃the　father　of　his　people；〃　as　all　kings　ought　to　be？　Did　his　reign　last　longlong　and　happy？　and　what　were　the　principal　events　of　it；　as　chronicled　in　the　history　of　Nomansland？

Why；　if　I　were　to　answer　all　these　questions　I　should　have　to　write　another　book。　And　I'm　tired；　children；　tiredas　grown…up　people　sometimes　are；　though　not　always　with　play。　（Besides；　I　have　a　small　person　belonging　to　me；　who；　though　she　likes　extremely　to　listen　to　the　word…of…mouth　story　of　this　book；　grumbles　much　at　the　writing　of　it；　and　has　run　about　the　house　clapping　her　hands　with　joy　when　mamma　told　her　that　it　was　nearly　finished。　But　that　is　neither　here　nor　there。）

I　have　related　as　well　as　I　could　the　history　of　Prince　Dolor；　but　with　the　history　of　Nomansland　I　am　as　yet　unacquainted。　If　anybody　knows　it；　perhaps　he　or　she　will　kindly　write　it　all　down　in　another　book。　But　mine　is　done。

However；　of　this　I　am　sure；　that　Prince　Dolor　made　an　excellent　king。　Nobody　ever　does　anything　less　well；　not　even　the　commonest　duty　of　common　daily　life；　for　having　such　a　godmother　as　the　little　old　woman　clothed　in　gray；　whose　name　iswell；　I　leave　you　to　guess。　Nor；　I　think；　is　anybody　less　good；　less　capable　of　both　work　and　enjoyment　in　after…life；　for　having　been　a　little　unhappy　in　his　youth；　as　the　prince　had　been。

I　cannot　take　upon　myself　to　say　that　he　was　always　happy　nowwho　is？or　that　he　had　no　cares；　just　show　me　the　person　who　is　quite　free　from　them！　But　whenever　people　worried　and　bothered　himas　they　did　sometimes；　with　state　etiquette；　state　squabbles；　and　the　like；　setting　up　themselves　and　pulling　down　their　neighbors　he　would　take　refuge　in　that　upper　room　which　looked　out　on　the　Beautiful　Mountains；　and；　laying　his　head　on　his　godmother's　shoulder；　become　calmed　and　at　rest。

Also；　she　helped　him　out　of　any　difficulty　which　now　and　then　occurredfor　there　never　was　such　a　wise　old　woman。　When　the　people　of　Nomansland　raised　the　alarmas　sometimes　t