the little lame prince-第21章

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some　and　young：　his　garments　had　been　magnificent；　but　he　had　torn　them　all　to　tatters。　The　prince；　moved　with　compassion；　made　toward　him；　and　mildly　accosted　him。　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃your　condition　appears　so　deplorable　that　I　must　ask　the　cause　of　your　sorrow；　assuring　you　of　every　assistance　in　my　power。〃

〃Oh；　sir；〃　answered　the　young　man；　〃nothing　can　cure　my　grief；　this　day　my　dear　mistress　is　to　be　sacrificed　to　a　rich　old　ruffian　of　a　husband　who　will　make　her　miserable。〃

〃Does　she　love　you；　then？〃　asked　Leander。

〃I　flatter　myself　so；〃　answered　the　young　man。

〃Where　is　she？〃　continued　Leander。

〃In　the　castle　at　the　end　of　this　forest；〃　replied　the　lover。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Leander；　〃stay　you　here　till　I　come　again；　and　in　a　little　while　I　will　bring　you　good　news。〃

He　then　put　on　his　little　red　cap　and　wished　himself　in　the　castle。　He　had　hardly　got　thither　before　he　heard　all　sorts　of　music；　he　entered　into　a　great　room；　where　the　friends　and　kindred　of　the　old　man　and　the　young　lady　were　assembled。　No　one　could　look　more　amiable　than　she；　but　the　paleness　of　her　complexion；　the　melancholy　that　appeared　in　her　countenance；　and　the　tears　that　now　and　then　dropped；　as　it　were　by　stealth　from　her　eyes；　betrayed　the　trouble　of　her　mind。

Leander　now　became　invisible；　and　placed　himself　in　a　corner　of　the　room。　He　soon　perceived　the　father　and　mother　of　the　bride；　and　coming　behind　the　mother's　chair；　whispered　in　her　ear；　〃If　you　marry　your　daughter　to　that　old　dotard；　before　eight　days　are　over　you　shall　certainly　die。〃　The　woman；　frightened　to　hear　such　a　terrible　sentence　pronounced　upon　her；　and　yet　not　know　from　whence　it　came；　gave　a　loud　shriek　and　dropped　upon　the　floor。　Her　husband　asked　what　ailed　her：　she　cried　that　she　was　a　dead　woman　if　the　marriage　of　her　daughter　went　forward；　and　therefore　she　would　not　consent　to　it　for　all　the　world。　Her　husband　laughed　at　her　and　called　her　a　fool。　But　the　invisible　Leander　accosting　the　man；　threatened　him　in　the　same　way；　which　frightened　him　so　terribly　that　he　also　insisted　on　the　marriage　being　broken　off。　When　the　lover　complained；　Leander　trod　hard　upon　his　gouty　toes　and　rang　such　an　alarm　in　his　ears　that；　not　being　able　any　longer　to　hear　himself　speak；　away　he　limped；　glad　enough　to　go。　The　real　lover　soon　appeared；　and　he　and　his　fair　mistress　fell　joyfully　into　one　another's　arms；　the　parents　consenting　to　their　union。　Leander；　assuming　his　own　shape；　appeared　at　the　hall　door；　as　if　he　were　a　stranger　drawn　thither　by　the　report　of　this　extraordinary　wedding。

From　hence　he　traveled　on；　and　came　to　a　great　city；　where；　upon　his　arrival；　he　understood　there　was　a　great　and　solemn　procession；　in　order　to　shut　up　a　young　woman　against　her　will　among　the　vestal…nuns。　The　prince　was　touched　with　compassion；　and　thinking　the　best　use　he　could　make　of　his　cap　was　to　redress　public　wrongs　and　relieve　the　oppressed；　he　flew　to　the　temple；　where　he　saw　the　young　woman；　crowned　with　flowers；　clad　in　white；　and　with　her　disheveled　hair　flowing　about　her　shoulders。　Two　of　her　brothers　led　her　by　each　hand；　and　her　mother　followed　her　with　a　great　crowd　of　men　and　women。　Leander；　being　invisible；　cried　out；　〃Stop；　stop；　wicked　brethren：　stop；　rash　and　inconsiderate　mother；　if　you　proceed　any　further；　you　shall　be　squeezed　to　death　like　so　many　frogs。〃　They　looked　about；　but　could　not　conceive　from　whence　these　terrible　menaces　came。　The　brothers　said　it　was　only　their　sister's　lover；　who　had　hid　himself　in　some　hole；　at　which　Leander；　in　wrath；　took　a　long　cudgel；　and　they　had　no　reason　to　say　the　blows　were　not　well　laid　on。　The　multitude　fled；　the　vestals　ran　away；　and　Leander　was　left　alone　with　the　victim；　immediately　he　pulled　off　his　red　cap　and　asked　her　wherein　he　might　serve　her。　She　answered　him　that　there　was　a　certain　gentleman　whom　she　would　be　glad　to　marry；　but　that　he　wanted　an　estate。　Leander　then　shook　his　rose　so　long　that　he　supplied　them　with　ten　millions；　after　which　they　were　married　and　lived　happily　together。

But　his　last　adventure　was　the　most　agreeable。　Entering　into　a　wide　forest；　he　heard　lamentable　cries。　Looking　about　him　every　way；　at　length　he　spied　four　men　well　armed；　who　were　carrying　away　by　force　a　young　lady；　thirteen　or　fourteen　years　of　age；　upon　which；　making　up　to　them　as　fast　as　he　could；　〃What　harm　has　that　girl　done？〃　said　he。

〃Ha！　ha！　my　little　master；〃　cried　he　who　seemed　to　be　the　ringleader　of　the　rest；　〃who　bade　you　inquire？〃

〃Let　her　alone；〃　said　Leander；　〃and　go　about　your　business。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　to　be　sure；〃　cried　they；　laughing；　whereupon　the　prince；　alighting；　put　on　his　red　cap；　not　thinking　it　otherwise　prudent　to　attack　four　who　seemed　strong　enough　to　fight　a　dozen。　One　of　them　stayed　to　take　care　of　the　young　lady；　while　the　three　others　went　after　Gris…de…line；　who　gave　them　a　great　deal　of　unwelcome　exercise。

Meantime　the　young　lady　continued　her　cries　and　complaints。　〃Oh；　my　dear　princess；〃　said　she；　〃how　happy　was　I　in　your　palace！　Did　you　but　know　my　sad　misfortune；　you　would　send　your　Amazons　to　rescue　poor　Abricotina。〃

Leander；　having　listened　to　what　she　said；　without　delay　seized　the　ruffian　that　held　her；　and　bound　him　fast　to　a　tree　before　he　had　time　or　strength　to　defend　himself。　He　then　went　to　the　second；　and　taking　him　by　both　arms；　bound　him　in　the　same　manner　to　another　tree。　In　the　meantime　Abricotina　made　the　best　of　her　good　fortune　and　betook　herself　to　her　heels；　not　knowing　which　way　she　went。　But　Leander；　missing　her；　called　out　to　his　horse　Gris…de…line；　who；　by　two　kicks　with　his　hoof；　rid　himself　of　the　two　ruffians　who　had　pursued　him：　one　of　them　had　his　head　broken　and　the　other　three　of　his　ribs。　And　now　Leander　only　wanted　to　overtake　Abricotina；　for　he　thought　her　so　handsome　that　he　wished　to　see　her　again。　He　found　her　leaning　against　a　tree。　When　she　saw　Gris…　de…line　coming　toward　her；　〃How　lucky　am　I！〃　cried　she；　〃this　pretty　little　horse　will　carry　me　to　the　palace　of　pleasure。〃　Leander　heard　her；　though　she　saw　him　not：　he　rode　up　to　her；　Gris…de…line　stopped；　and　when　Abricotina　mounted　him；　Leander　clasped　her　in　his　arms　and　placed　her　gently　before　him。　Oh；　how　great　was　Abricotina's　fear　to　feel　herself　fast　embraced；　and　yet　see　nobody！　She　durst　not　stir；　and　shut　her　eyes　for　fear　of　seeing　a　spirit。　But　Leander　took　off　his　little　cap。　〃How　comes　it；　fair　Abricotina；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　are　afraid　of　me；　who　delivered　you　out　of　the　hands　of　the　ruffians？〃

With　that　she　opened　her　eyes；　and　knowing　him　again；　〃Oh；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃I　am　infinitely　obliged　to　you；　but　I　was　afraid；　for　I　felt　myself　held　fast　and　could　see　no　one。〃

〃Surely；〃　replied　Leander；　〃the　danger　you　have　been　in　has　disturbed　you　and　cast　a　mist　before　your　eyes。〃

Abricotina　would　not　seem　to　doubt　him；　though　she　was　otherwise　extremely　sensible。　And　after　they　had　talked　for　some　time　of　indifferent　things；　Leander　requested　her　to　tell　him　her　age；　her　country；　and　by　what　accident　she　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　ruffians。

〃Know　then；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃there　was　a　certain　very　great　fairy　married　to　a　prince　who　wearied　of　her：　she　therefore　banished　him　from　her　presence；　and　established　herself　and　daughter　in　the　Island　of　Calm　Delights。　The　princess；　who　is　my　mistress；　being　very　fair；　has　many　loversamong　others；　one　named　Furibon；　whom　she　detests；　he　it　was　whose　ruffians　seized　me　to…day　when　I　was　wandering　in　search　of　a　stray　parrot。　Accept；　noble　prince；　my　best　thanks　for　your　valor；　which　I　shall　never　forget。〃

Leander　said　how　happy　he　was　to　have　served　her；　and　asked　if　he　could　not　obtain　admission　into　the　island。　Abricotina　assured　him　this　was　impossible；　and　therefore　he　had　better　forget　all　about　it。　While　they　were　thus　conversing；　they　came　to　the　bank　of　a　large　river。　Abricotina　alighted　with　a　nimble　jump　from　the　horse。

〃Farewell；　sir；〃　said　she　to　the　prince；　making　a　profound　reverence；　〃I　wish　you　every　happiness。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　Leander；　〃wish　that　I　may　now　and　then　have　a　small　share　in　your　remembrance。〃

So　saying；　he　galloped　away　and　soon　entered　into　the　thickest　part　of　the　wood；　near　a　river；　w