04-the yellow dwarf-第5章

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spread　all　about　her；　in　one　hand　she　held　a　mirror；　and　in

the　other　a　comb；　and　instead　of　feet　she　had　a　beautiful

tail　like　a　fish；　with　which　she　swam。



The　King　was　struck　dumb　with　astonishment　at　this

unexpected　sight；　but　as　soon　as　she　came　within　speaking

distance；　she　said　to　him；　〃I　know　how　sad　you　are　at

losing　your　Princess　and　being　kept　a　prisoner　by　the　Fairy

of　the　Desert；　if　you　like　I　will　help　you　to　escape　from

this　fatal　place；　where　you　may　otherwise　have　to　drag　on

a　weary　existence　for　thirty　years　or　more。〃



The　King　of　the　Gold　Mines　hardly　knew　what　answer

to　make　to　this　proposal。　Not　because　he　did　not　wish

very　much　to　escape；　but　he　was　afraid　that　this　might

be　only　another　device　by　which　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert

was　trying　to　deceive　him。　As　he　hesitated　the　Mermaid；

who　guessed　his　thoughts；　said　to　him：



〃You　may　trust　me：　I　am　not　trying　to　entrap　you。　I

am　so　angry　with　the　Yellow　Dwarf　and　the　Fairy　of　the

Desert　that　I　am　not　likely　to　wish　to　help　them；

especially　since　I　constantly　see　your　poor　Princess；　whose

beauty　and　goodness　make　me　pity　her　so　much；　and　I

tell　you　that　if　you　will　have　confidence　in　me　I　will　help

you　to　escape。〃



〃I　trust　you　absolutely；〃　cried　the　King；　〃and　I　will　do

whatever　you　tell　me；　but　if　you　have　seen　my　Princess　I

beg　of　you　to　tell　me　how　she　is　and　what　is　happening　to

her。



〃We　must　not　waste　time　in　talking；〃　said　she。　〃Come

with　me　and　I　will　carry　you　to　the　Castle　of　Steel；　and

we　will　leave　upon　this　shore　a　figure　so　like　you　that　even

the　Fairy　herself　will　be　deceived　by　it。〃



So　saying；　she　quickly　collected　a　bundle　of　sea…weed；

and；　blowing　it　three　times；　she　said：



〃My　friendly　sea…weeds；　I　order　you　to　stay　here

stretched　upon　the　sand　until　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert

comes　to　take　you　away。〃　And　at　once　the　sea…weeds　became

like　the　King；　who　stood　looking　at　them　in　great

astonishment；　for　they　were　even　dressed　in　a　coat　like

his；　but　they　lay　there　pale　and　still　as　the　King　himself

might　have　lain　if　one　of　the　great　waves　had　overtaken

him　and　thrown　him　senseless　upon　the　shore。　And　then

the　Mermaid　caught　up　the　King；　and　away　they　swam

joyfully　together。



〃Now；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　time　to　tell　you　about　the

Princess。　In　spite　of　the　blow　which　the　Fairy　of　the

Desert　gave　her；　the　Yellow　Dwarf　compelled　her　to

mount　behind　him　upon　his　terrible　Spanish　cat；　but　she

soon　fainted　away　with　pain　and　terror；　and　did　not　recover

till　they　were　within　the　walls　of　his　frightful　Castle

of　Steel。　Here　she　was　received　by　the　prettiest　girls　it

was　possible　to　find；　who　had　been　carried　there　by　the

Yellow　Dwarf；　who　hastened　to　wait　upon　her　and　showed

her　every　possible　attention。　She　was　laid　upon　a　couch

covered　with　cloth　of　gold；　embroidered　with　pearls　as　big

as　nuts。〃



〃Ah！〃　interrupted　the　King　of　the　Gold　Mines；　〃if

Bellissima　forgets　me；　and　consents　to　marry　him；　I　shall

break　my　heart。〃



〃You　need　not　be　afraid　of　that；〃　answered　the

Mermaid；　〃the　Princess　thinks　of　no　one　but　you；　and　the

frightful　Dwarf　cannot　persuade　her　to　look　at　him。〃



〃Pray　go　on　with　your　story；〃　said　the　King。



〃What　more　is　there　to　tell　you？〃　replied　the　Mermaid。

〃Bellissima　was　sitting　in　the　wood　when　you　passed；　and

saw　you　with　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert；　who　was　so　cleverly

disguised　that　the　Princess　took　her　to　be　prettier　than

herself；　you　may　imagine　her　despair；　for　she　thought　that

you　had　fallen　in　love　with　her。〃



〃She　believes　that　I　love　her！〃　cried　the　King。　〃What

a　fatal　mistake！　What　is　to　be　done　to　undeceive　her？〃



〃You　know　best；〃　answered　the　Mermaid；　smiling

kindly　at　him。　〃When　people　are　as　much　in　love　with

one　another　as　you　two　are；　they　don't　need　advice　from

anyone　else。〃



As　she　spoke　they　reached　the　Castle　of　Steel；　the　side

next　the　sea　being　the　only　one　which　the　Yellow　Dwarf

had　left　unprotected　by　the　dreadful　burning　walls。



〃I　know　quite　well；〃　said　the　Mermaid；　〃that　the

Princess　is　sitting　by　the　brook…side；　just　where　you　saw　her

as　you　passed；　but　as　you　will　have　many　enemies　to　fight

with　before　you　can　reach　her；　take　this　sword；　armed　with

it　you　may　dare　any　danger；　and　overcome　the　greatest

difficulties；　only　beware　of　one　thingthat　is；　never　to　let

it　fall　from　your　hand。　Farewell；　now　I　will　wait　by　that

rock；　and　if　you　need　my　help　in　carrying　off　your　beloved

Princess　I　will　not　fail　you；　for　the　Queen；　her　mother；　is

my　best　friend；　and　it　was　for　her　sake　that　I　went　to

rescue　you。〃



So　saying；　she　gave　to　the　King　a　sword　made　from　a

single　diamond；　which　was　more　brilliant　than　the　sun。

He　could　not　find　words　to　express　his　gratitude；　but　he

begged　her　to　believe　that　he　fully　appreciated　the

importance　of　her　gift；　and　would　never　forget　her　help　and

kindness。



We　must　now　go　back　to　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert。　When

she　found　that　the　King　did　not　return；　she　hastened　out

to　look　for　him；　and　reached　the　shore；　with　a　hundred　of

the　ladies　of　her　train；　loaded　with　splendid　presents　for

him。　Some　carried　baskets　full　of　diamonds；　others

golden　cups　of　wonderful　workmanship；　and　amber；　coral；

and　pearls；　others；　again；　balanced　upon　their　heads　bales

of　the　richest　and　most　beautiful　stuffs；　while　the　rest

brought　fruit　and　flowers；　and　even　birds。　But　what　was

the　horror　of　the　Fairy；　who　followed　this　gay　troop；　when

she　saw；　stretched　upon　the　sands；　the　image　of　the　King

which　the　Mermaid　had　made　with　the　sea…weeds。　Struck

with　astonishment　and　sorrow；　she　uttered　a　terrible　cry；

and　threw　herself　down　beside　the　pretended　King；　weeping；

and　howling；　and　calling　upon　her　eleven　sisters；　who

were　also　fairies；　and　who　came　to　her　assistance。　But

they　were　all　taken　in　by　the　image　of　the　King；　for；

clever　as　they　were；　the　Mermaid　was　still　cleverer；　and

all　they　could　do　was　to　help　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert　to

make　a　wonderful　monument　over　what　they　thought　was

the　grave　of　the　King　of　the　Gold　Mines。　But　while　they

were　collecting　jasper　and　porphyry；　agate　and　marble；

gold　and　bronze；　statues　and　devices；　to　immortalize　the

King's　memory；　he　was　thanking　the　good　Mermaid　and

begging　her　still　to　help　him；　which　she　graciously　promised

to　do　as　she　disappeared；　and　then　he　set　out　for　the

Castle　of　Steel。　He　walked　fast；　looking　anxiously　round

him；　and　longing　once　more　to　see　his　darling　Bellissima；

but　he　had　not　gone　far　before　he　was　surrounded　by　four

terrible　sphinxes　who　would　very　soon　have　torn　him　to

pieces　with　their　sharp　talons　if　it　had　not　been　for　the

Mermaid's　diamond　sword。　For；　no　sooner　had　he　flashed

it　before　their　eyes　than　down　they　fell　at　his　feet　quite

helpless；　and　he　killed　them　with　one　blow。　But　he　had

hardly　turned　to　continue　his　search　when　he　met　six

dragons　covered　with　scales　that　were　harder　than　iron。

Frightful　as　this　encounter　was　the　King's　courage　was

unshaken；　and　by　the　aid　of　his　wonderful　sword　he　cut

them　in　pieces　one　after　the　other。　Now　he　hoped　his

difficulties　were　over；　but　at　the　next　turning　he　was　met

by　one　which　he　did　not　know　how　to　overcome。　Four…

and…twenty　pretty　and　graceful　nymphs　advanced　toward

him；　holding　garlands　of　flowers；　with　which　they

barred　the　way。



〃Where　are　you　going；　Prince？〃　they　said；　〃it　is　our

duty　to　guard　this　place；　and　if　we　let　you　pass　great

misfortunes　will　happen　to　you　and　to　us。　We　beg　you　not

to　insist　upon　going　on。　Do　you　want　to　kill　four…and…

twenty　girls　who　have　never　displeased　you　in　any　way？〃



The　King　did　not　know　what　to　do　or　to　say。　It　went

against　all　his　ideas　as　a　knight　to　do　anything　a　lady

begged　him　not　to　do；　but；　as　he　hesitated；　a　voice　in　his

ear　said：



〃Strike！　strike！　and　do　not　spare；　or　your　Princess　is　lost

for　ever！〃



So；　without　reply　to　the　nymphs；　he　rushed