the little lame prince-第6章

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〃I　have　not　got　a　nameor；　rather；　I　have　so　many　names　that　I　don't　know　which　to　choose。　However；　it　was　I　who　gave　you　yours；　and　you　will　belong　to　me　all　your　days。　I　am　your　godmother。〃

〃Hurrah！〃　cried　the　little　Prince；　〃I　am　glad　I　belong　to　you；　for　I　like　you　very　much。　Will　you　come　and　play　with　me？〃

So　they　sat　down　together　and　played。　By　and　by　they　began　to　talk。

〃Are　you　very　dull　here？〃　asked　the　little　old　woman。

〃Not　particularly；　thank　you；　godmother。　I　have　plenty　to　eat　and　drink；　and　my　lessons　to　do；　and　my　books　to　readlots　of　books。〃

〃And　you　want　nothing？〃

〃Nothing。　Yesperhaps　If　you　please；　godmother；　could　you　bring　me　just　one　more　thing？〃

〃What　sort　of　thing！〃

〃A　little　boy　to　play　with。〃

The　old　woman　looked　very　sad。　〃Just　the　thing；　alas　I　which　I　cannot　give　you。　My　child；　I　cannot　alter　your　lot　in　any　way；　but　I　can　help　you　to　bear　it。〃

〃Thank　you。　But　why　do　you　talk　of　bearing　it？　I　have　nothing　to　bear。〃

〃My　poor　little　man！〃　said　the　old　woman　in　the　very　tenderest　tone　of　her　tender　voice。　〃Kiss　me！〃

〃What　is　kissing？〃　asked　the　wondering　child。

His　godmother　took　him　in　her　arms　and　embraced　him　many　times。　By　and　by　he　kissed　her　back　againat　first　awkwardly　and　shyly；　then　with　all　the　strength　of　his　warm　little　heart。

〃You　are　better　to　cuddle　than　even　my　white　kitten；　I　think。　Promise　me　that　you　will　never　go　away；〃

〃I　must；　but　I　will　leave　a　present　behind　me；something　as　good　as　myself　to　amuse　you；　something　that　will　take　you　wherever　you　want　to　go；　and　show　you　all　that　you　wish　to　see。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃A　traveling…cloak。〃

The　Prince's　countenance　fell。　〃I　don't　want　a　cloak；　for　I　never　go　out。　Sometimes　nurse　hoists　me　on　to　the　roof；　and　carries　me　round　by　the　parapet；　but　that　is　all。　I　can't　walk；　you　know；　as　she　does。〃

〃The　more　reason　why　you　should　ride；　and　besides；　this　traveling…cloak〃

〃Hush！she's　coming。〃

There　sounded　outside　the　room　door　a　heavy　step　and　a　grumpy　voice；　and　a　rattle　of　plates　and　dishes。

〃It's　my　nurse；　and　she　is　bringing　my　dinner；　but　I　don't　want　dinner　at　allI　only　want　you。　Will　her　coming　drive　you　away；　godmother？〃

〃Perhaps；　but　only　for　a　little　while。　Never　mind；　all　the　bolts　and　bars　in　the　world　couldn't　keep　me　out。　I'd　fly　in　at　the　window；　or　down　through　the　chimney。　Only　wish　for　me；　and　I　come。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Prince　Dolor；　but　almost　in　a　whisper；　for　he　was　very　uneasy　at　what　might　happen　next。　His　nurse　and　his　godmother　what　would　they　say　to　one　another？　how　would　they　look　at　one　another？two　such　different　faces：　one　harsh…lined；　sullen；　cross；　and　sad；　the　other　sweet　and　bright　and　calm　as　a　summer　evening　before　the　dark　begins。

When　the　door　was　flung　open；　Prince　Dolor　shut　his　eyes；　trembling　all　over；　opening　them　again；　he　saw　he　need　fear　nothinghis　lovely　old　godmother　had　melted　away　just　like　the　rainbow　out　of　the　sky；　as　he　had　watched　it　many　a　time。　Nobody　but　his　nurse　was　in　the　room。

〃What　a　muddle　your　Royal　Highness　is　sitting　in；〃　said　she　sharply。　〃Such　a　heap　of　untidy　books；　and　what's　this　rubbish？〃　knocking　a　little　bundle　that　lay　beside　them。

〃Oh；　nothing；　nothinggive　it　me！〃　cried　the　Prince；　and；　darting　after　it；　he　hid　it　under　his　pinafore；　and　then　pushed　it　quickly　into　his　pocket。　Rubbish　as　it　was；　it　was　left　in　the　place　where　she　sat；　and　might　be　something　belonging　to　herhis　dear；　kind　godmother；　whom　already　he　loved　with　all　his　lonely；　tender；　passionate　heart。

It　was；　though　he　did　not　know　this；　his　wonderful　traveling…cloak。



CHAPTER　IV

And　what　of　the　traveling…cloak？　What　sort　of　cloak　was　it；　and　what　A　good　did　it　do　the　Prince？

Stay；　and　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it。　Outside　it　was　the　commonest…looking　bundle　imaginableshabby　and　small；　and　the　instant　Prince　Dolor　touched　it；　it　grew　smaller　still；　dwindling　down　till　he　could　put　it　in　his　trousers　pocket；　like　a　handkerchief　rolled　up　into　a　ball。　He　did　this　at　once；　for　fear　his　nurse　should　see　it；　and　kept　it　there　all　dayall　night；　too。　Till　after　his　next　morning's　lessons　he　had　no　opportunity　of　examining　his　treasure。

When　he　did；　it　seemed　no　treasure　at　all；　but　a　mere　piece　of　clothcircular　in　form；　dark　green　in　colorthat　is；　if　it　had　any　color　at　all；　being　so　worn　and　shabby；　though　not　dirty。　It　had　a　split　cut　to　the　center；　forming　a　round　hole　for　the　neckand　that　was　all　its　shape；　the　shape；　in　fact；　of　those　cloaks　which　in　South　America　are　called　ponchosvery　simple；　but　most　graceful　and　convenient。

Prince　Dolor　had　never　seen　anything　like　it。　In　spite　of　his　disappointment；　he　examined　it　curiously；　spread　it　out　on　the　door；　then　arranged　it　on　his　shoulders。　It　felt　very　warm　and　comfortable；　but　it　was　so　exceedingly　shabbythe　only　shabby　thing　that　the　Prince　had　ever　seen　in　his　life。

〃And　what　use　will　it　be　to　me？〃　said　he　sadly。　〃I　have　no　need　of　outdoor　clothes；　as　I　never　go　out。　Why　was　this　given　me；　I　wonder？　and　what　in　the　world　am　I　to　do　with　it？　She　must　be　a　rather　funny　person；　this　dear　godmother　of　mine。〃

Nevertheless；　because　she　was　his　godmother；　and　had　given　him　the　cloak；　he　folded　it　carefully　and　put　it　away；　poor　and　shabby　as　it　was；　hiding　it　in　a　safe　corner　of　his　top　cupboard；　which　his　nurse　never　meddled　with。　He　did　not　want　her　to　find　it；　or　to　laugh　at　it　or　at　his　godmotheras　he　felt　sure　she　would；　if　she　knew　all。

There　it　lay；　and　by　and　by　he　forgot　all　about　it；　nay；　I　am　sorry　to　say　that；　being　but　a　child；　and　not　seeing　her　again；　he　almost　forgot　his　sweet　old　godmother；　or　thought　of　her　only　as　he　did　of　the　angels　or　fairies　that　he　read　of　in　his　books；　and　of　her　visit　as　if　it　had　been　a　mere　dream　of　the　night。

There　were　times；　certainly；　when　he　recalled　her：　of　early　mornings；　like　that　morning　when　she　appeared　beside　him；　and　late　evenings；　when　the　gray　twilight　reminded　him　of　the　color　of　her　hair　and　her　pretty　soft　garments；　above　all；　when；　waking　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　with　the　stars　peering　in　at　his　window；　or　the　moonlight　shining　across　his　little　bed；　he　would　not　have　been　surprised　to　see　her　standing　beside　it；　looking　at　him　with　those　beautiful　tender　eyes；　which　seemed　to　have　a　pleasantness　and　comfort　in　them　different　from　anything　he　had　ever　known。

But　she　never　came；　and　gradually　she　slipped　out　of　his　memoryonly　a　boy's　memory；　after　all；　until　something　happened　which　made　him　remember　her；　and　want　her　as　he　had　never　wanted　anything　before。

Prince　Dolor　fell　ill。　He　caughthis　nurse　could　not　tell　howa　complaint　common　to　the　people　of　Nomansland；　called　the　doldrums；　as　unpleasant　as　measles　or　any　other　of　our　complaints；　and　it　made　him　restless；　cross；　and　disagreeable。　Even　when　a　little　better；　he　was　too　weak　to　enjoy　anything；　but　lay　all　day　long　on　his　sofa；　fidgeting　his　nurse　extremely　while；　in　her　intense　terror　lest　he　might　die；　she　fidgeted　him　still　more。　At　last；　seeing　he　really　was　getting　well；　she　left　him　to　himselfwhich　he　was　most　glad　of；　in　spite　of　his　dullness　and　dreariness。　There　he　lay；　alone；　quite　alone。

Now　and　then　an　irritable　fit　came　over　him；　in　which　he　longed　to　get　up　and　do　something；　or　to　go　somewherewould　have　liked　to　imitate　his　white　kittenjump　down　from　the　tower　and　run　away；　taking　the　chance　of　whatever　might　happen。

Only　one　thing；　alas！　was　likely　to　happen；　for　the　kitten；　he　remembered；　had　four　active　legs；　while　he

〃I　wonder　what　my　godmother　meant　when　she　looked　at　my　legs　and　sighed　so　bitterly？　I　wonder　why　I　can't　walk　straight　and　steady　like　my　nurse　only　I　wouldn't　like　to　have　her　great；　noisy；　clumping　shoes。　Still　it　would　be　very　nice　to　move　about　quicklyperhaps　to　fly；　like　a　bird；　like　that　string　of　birds　I　saw　the　other　day　skimming　across　the　sky；　one　after　the　other。〃

These　were　the　passage…birdsthe　only　living　creatures　that　ever　crossed　the　lonely　plain；　and　he　had　been　much　interested　in　them；　wonder…　ing　whence　they　came　and　whither　they　were　going。

〃How　nice　it　must　be　to　be　a　bird！　If　legs　are　no　good；　why　cannot　one　have　wings？　People　have　wings　when　they　dieperhaps；　I