21-the history of dwarf long nose-第3章

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it　over　rage　filled　his　heart。　　Seven　years　of　his　youth　had　been
stolen　from　him；　and　what　had　he　got　in　return？　　　To　learn　to　rub
up　cocoa　nuts；　and　to　polish　glass　floors；　and　to　be　taught
cooking　by　guinea　pigs！　　He　stood　there　thinking；　till　at　last
his　father　asked　him：

'Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you；　young　gentleman？　　　Shall　I
make　you　a　pair　of　slippers；　or　perhaps'　with　a　smile'a　case
for　your　nose？'

'What　have　you　to　do　with　my　nose？'　asked　Jem。　　'And　why　should　I
want　a　case　for　it？'

'Well；　everyone　to　his　taste；'　replied　the　cobbler；　'but　I　must
say　if　I　had　such　a　nose　I　would　have　a　nice　red　leather　cover
made　for　it。　　Here　is　a　nice　piece；　and　think　what　a　protection
it　would　be　to　you。　　As　it　is；　you　must　be　constantly　knocking　up
against　things。'

The　lad　was　dumb　with　fright。　　He　felt　his　nose。　　It　was　thick；
and　quite　two　hands　long。　　So；　then；　the　old　woman　had　changed
his　shape；　and　that　was　why　his　own　mother　did　not　know　him；　and
called　him　a　horrid　dwarf！

'Master；'　said　he；　'have　you　got　a　glass　that　I　could　see　myself
in？'

'Young　gentleman；'　was　the　answer；　'your　appearance　is　hardly　one
to　be　vain　of；　and　there　is　no　need　to　waste　your　time　looking　in
a　glass。　　Besides；　I　have　none　here；　and　if　you　must　have　one　you
had　better　ask　Urban　the　barber；　who　lives　over　the　way；　to　lend
you　his。　　Good　morning。'

So　saying；　he　gently　pushed　Jem　into　the　street；　shut　the　door；
and　went　back　to　his　work。

Jem　stepped　across　to　the　barber；　whom　he　had　known　in　old　days。

'Good　morning；　Urban；'　said　he；　'may　I　look　at　myself　in　your
glass　for　a　moment？'

'With　pleasure；'　said　the　barber；　laughing；　and　all　the　people　in
his　shop　fell　to　laughing　also。　　'You　are　a　pretty　youth；　with
your　swan…like　neck　and　white　hands　and　small　nose。　　No　wonder
you　are　rather　vain；　but　look　as　long　as　you　like　at　yourself。'

So　spoke　the　barber；　and　a　titter　ran　round　the　room。　　Meantime
Jem　had　stepped　up　to　the　mirror；　and　stood　gazing　sadly　at　his
reflection。　　Tears　came　to　his　eyes。

'No　wonder　you　did　not　know　your　child　again；　dear　mother；'
thought　he；　'he　wasn't　like　this　when　you　were　so　proud　of　his
looks。'

His　eyes　had　grown　quite　small；　like　pigs'　eyes；　his　nose　was
huge　and　hung　down　over　his　mouth　and　chin；　his　throat　seemed　to
have　disappeared　altogether；　and　his　head　was　fixed　stiffly
between　his　shoulders。　　He　was　no　taller　than　he　had　been　seven
years　ago；　when　he　was　not　much　more　than　twelve　years　old；　but
he　made　up　in　breadth；　and　his　back　and　chest　had　grown　into
lumps　like　two　great　sacks。　　His　legs　were　small　and　spindly；　but
his　arms　were　as　large　as　those　of　a　well…grown　man；　with　large
brown　hands；　and　long　skinny　fingers。

Then　he　remembered　the　morning　when　he　had　first　seen　the　old
woman；　and　her　threats　to　him；　and　without　saying　a　word　he　left
the　barber's　shop。

He　determined　to　go　again　to　his　mother；　and　found　her　still　in
the　market…place。　　He　begged　her　to　listen　quietly　to　him；　and　he
reminded　her　of　the　day　when　he　went　away　with　the　old　woman；　and
of　many　things　in　his　childhood；　and　told　her　how　the　fairy　had
bewitched　him；　and　he　had　served　her　seven　years。　　Hannah　did　not
know　what　to　thinkthe　story　was　so　strange；　and　it　seemed
impossible　to　think　her　pretty　boy　and　this　hideous　dwarf　were
the　same。　　At　last　she　decided　to　go　and　talk　to　her　husband
about　it。　　She　gathered　up　her　baskets；　told　Jem　to　follow　her；
and　went　straight　to　the　cobbler's　stall。

'Look　here；'　said　she；　'this　creature　says　he　is　our　lost　son。　
He　has　been　telling　me　how　he　was　stolen　seven　years　ago；　and
bewitched　by　a　fairy。'

'Indeed！'　interrupted　the　cobbler　angrily。　　'Did　he　tell　you
this？　　　Wait　a　minute；　you　rascal！　　Why　I　told　him　all　about　it
myself　only　an　hour　ago；　and　then　he　goes　off　to　humbug　you。　　So
you　were　bewitched；　my　son　were　you？　　　Wait　a　bit；　and　I'll
bewitch　you！'

So　saying；　he　caught　up　a　bundle　of　straps；　and　hit　out　at　Jem　so
hard　that　he　ran　off　crying。

The　poor　little　dwarf　roamed　about　all　the　rest　of　the　day
without　food　or　drink；　and　at　night　was　glad　to　lie　down　and
sleep　on　the　steps　of　a　church。　　He　woke　next　morning　with　the
first　rays　of　light；　and　began　to　think　what　he　could　do　to　earn
a　living。　　Suddenly　he　remembered　that　he　was　an　excellent　cook；
and　he　determined　to　look　out　for　a　place。

As　soon　as　it　was　quite　daylight　he　set　out　for　the　palace；　for
he　knew　that　the　grand　duke　who　reigned　over　the　country　was　fond
of　good　things。

When　he　reached　the　palace　all　the　servants　crowded　about　him；
and　made　fun　of　him；　and　at　last　their　shouts　and　laughter　grew
so　loud　that　the　head　steward　rushed　out；　crying；　'For　goodness
sake；　be　quiet；　can't　you。　　Don't　you　know　his　highness　is　still
asleep？'

Some　of　the　servants　ran　off　at　once；　and　others　pointed　out　Jem。

Indeed；　the　steward　found　it　hard　to　keep　himself　from　laughing
at　the　comic　sight；　but　he　ordered　the　servants　off　and　led　the
dwarf　into　his　own　room。

When　he　heard　him　ask　for　a　place　as　cook；　he　said：　　'You　make
some　mistake；　my　lad。　　I　think　you　want　to　be　the　grand　duke's
dwarf；　don't　you？'

'No；　sir；'　replied　Jem。　　'I　am　an　experienced　cook；　and　if　you
will　kindly　take　me　to　the　head　cook　he　may　find　me　of　some　use。'

'Well；　as　you　will；　but　believe　me；　you　would　have　an　easier
place　as　the　grand　ducal　dwarf。'

So　saying；　the　head　steward　led　him　to　the　head　cook's　room。

'Sir；'　asked　Jem；　as　he　bowed　till　his　nose　nearly　touched　the
floor；　'do　you　want　an　experienced　cook？'

The　head　cook　looked　him　over　from　head　to　foot；　and　burst　out
laughing。

'You　a　cook！　　Do　you　suppose　our　cooking　stoves　are　so　low　that
you　can　look　into　any　saucepan　on　them？　　　Oh；　my　dear　little
fellow；　whoever　sent　you　to　me　wanted　to　make　fun　of　you。'

But　the　dwarf　was　not　to　be　put　off。

'What　matters　an　extra　egg　or　two；　or　a　little　butter　or　flour
and　spice　more　or　less；　in　such　a　house　as　this？'　said　he。　　'Name
any　dish　you　wish　to　have　cooked；　and　give　me　the　materials　I　ask
for；　and　you　shall　see。'

He　said　much　more；　and　at　last　persuaded　the　head　cook　to　give
him　a　trial。

They　went　into　the　kitchena　huge　place　with　at　least　twenty
fireplaces；　always　alight。　　A　little　stream　of　clear　water　ran
through　the　room；　and　live　fish　were　kept　at　one　end　of　it。　
Everything　in　the　kitchen　was　of　the　best　and　most　beautiful
kind；　and　swarms　of　cooks　and　scullions　were　busy　preparing
dishes。

When　the　head　cook　came　in　with　Jem　everyone　stood　quite　still。

'What　has　his　highness　ordered　for　luncheon？'　asked　the　head
cook。

'Sir；　his　highness　has　graciously　ordered　a　Danish　soup　and　red
Hamburg　dumplings。'

'Good；'　said　the　head　cook。　　'Have　you　heard；　and　do　you　feel
equal　to　making　these　dishes？　　　Not　that　you　will　be　able　to　make
the　dumplings；　for　they　are　a　secret　receipt。'

'Is　that　all！'　said　Jem；　who　had　often　made　both　dishes。　
'Nothing　easier。　　Let　me　have　some　eggs；　a　piece　of　wild　boar；
and　such　and　such　roots　and　herbs　for　the　soup；　and　as　for　the
dumplings；'　he　added　in　a　low　voice　to　the　head　cook；　'I　shall
want　four　different　kinds　of　meat；　some　wine；　a　duck's　marrow；
some　ginger；　and　a　herb　called　heal…well。'

'Why；'　cried　the　astonished　cook；　'where　did　you　learn　cooking？　　
Yes；　those　are　the　exact　materials；　but　we　never　used　the　herb
heal…well；　which；　I　am　sure；　must　be　an　improvement。'

And　now　Jem　was　allowed　to　try　his　hand。　　He　could　not　nearly
reach　up　to　the　kitchen　range；　but　by　putting　a　wide　plank　on　two
chairs　he　managed　very　well。　　All　the　cooks　stood　round　to　look
on；　and　could　not　help　admiring　the　quick；　clever　way　in　which　he
set　to　work。　　At　last；　when　all　was　ready；　Jem　ordered　the　two
dishes　to　be　put　on　the　fire　till　he　gave　the　word。　　Then　he
began　to　count：　　'One；　two；　three；'　till　he　got　to　five　hundred
when　he　cried；　'Now！'　The　saucepans　were　taken　off；　and　he
invited　the　head　cook　to　taste。

The　first　cook　took　a　golden　spoon；　washed　and　wiped　it；　and
handed　it　to　the　head　cook；　who　solemnly　approached；　tasted　the
dishes；　and　smacked　his　lips　over　them。　　'First　rate；　indeed！'　he
exclaimed。　　'You　certain