04-the yellow dwarf-第6章

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for　ever！〃



So；　without　reply　to　the　nymphs；　he　rushed　forward

instantly；　breaking　their　garlands；　and　scattering　them　in

all　directions；　and　then　went　on　without　further　hindrance

to　the　little　wood　where　he　had　seen　Bellissima。　She　was

seated　by　the　brook　looking　pale　and　weary　when　he

reached　her；　and　he　would　have　thrown　himself　down　at

her　feet；　but　she　drew　herself　away　from　him　with　as

much　indignation　as　if　he　had　been　the　Yellow　Dwarf



〃Ah！　Princess；〃　he　cried；　〃do　not　be　angry　with　me。　Let

me　explain　everything。　I　am　not　faithless　or　to　blame　for

what　has　happened。　I　am　a　miserable　wretch　who　has

displeased　you　without　being　able　to　help　himself。〃



〃Ah！〃　cried　Bellissima；　〃did　I　not　see　you　flying　through

the　air　with　the　loveliest　being　imaginable？　Was　that

against　your　will？〃



〃Indeed　it　was；　Princess；〃　he　answered；　〃the　wicked

Fairy　of　the　Desert；　not　content　with　chaining　me　to　a

rock；　carried　me　off　in　her　chariot　to　the　other　end　of　the

earth；　where　I　should　even　now　be　a　captive　but　for　the

unexpected　help　of　a　friendly　mermaid；　who　brought　me

here　to　rescue　you；　my　Princess；　from　the　unworthy　hands

that　hold　you。　Do　not　refuse　the　aid　of　your　most　faithful

lover。〃　So　saying；　he　threw　himself　at　her　feet　and

held　her　by　her　robe。　But；　alas！　in　so　doing　he　let　fall　the

magic　sword；　and　the　Yellow　Dwarf；　who　was　crouching

behind　a　lettuce；　no　sooner　saw　it　than　he　sprang　out　and

seized　it；　well　knowing　its　wonderful　power。



The　Princess　gave　a　cry　of　terror　on　seeing　the　Dwarf；

but　this　only　irritated　the　little　monster；　muttering　a　few

magical　words　he　summoned　two　giants；　who　bound　the

King　with　great　chains　of　iron。



〃Now；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　〃I　am　master　of　my　rival's

fate；　but　I　will　give　him　his　life　and　permission　to　depart

unharmed　if　you；　Princess；　will　consent　to　marry　me。〃



〃Let　me　die　a　thousand　times　rather；〃　cried　the

unhappy　King。



〃Alas！〃　cried　the　Princess；　〃must　you　die？　Could

anything　be　more　terrible？〃



〃That　you　should　marry　that　little　wretch　would　be　far

more　terrible；〃　answered　the　King。



〃At　least；〃　continued　she；　〃let　us　die　together。〃



〃Let　me　have　the　satisfaction　of　dying　for　you；　my

Princess；〃　said　he。



〃Oh；　no；　no！〃　she　cried；　turning　to　the　Dwarf；　〃rather

than　that　I　will　do　as　you　wish。〃



〃Cruel　Princess！〃　said　the　King；　〃would　you　make　my

life　horrible　to　me　by　marrying　another　before　my　eyes？〃



〃Not　so；〃　replied　the　Yellow　Dwarf；　〃you　are　a　rival

of　whom　I　am　too　much　afraid；　you　shall　not　see　our

marriage。〃　So　saying；　in　spite　of　Bellissima's　tears　and

cries；　he　stabbed　the　King　to　the　heart　with　the　diamond

sword。



The　poor　Princess；　seeing　her　lover　lying　dead　at　her

feet；　could　no　longer　live　without　him；　she　sank　down　by

him　and　died　of　a　broken　heart。



So　ended　these　unfortunate　lovers；　whom　not　even　the

Mermaid　could　help；　because　all　the　magic　power　had

been　lost　with　the　diamond　sword。



As　to　the　wicked　Dwarf；　he　preferred　to　see　the

Princess　dead　rather　than　married　to　the　King　of　the　Gold

Mines；　and　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert；　when　she　heard　of　the

King's　adventures；　pulled　down　the　grand　monument

which　she　had　built；　and　was　so　angry　at　the　trick　that

had　been　played　her　that　she　hated　him　as　much　as　she

had　loved　him　before。



The　kind　Mermaid；　grieved　at　the　sad　fate　of　the　lovers；

caused　them　to　be　changed　into　two　tall　palm　trees；　which

stand　always　side　by　side；　whispering　together　of　their

faithful　love　and　caressing　one　another　with　their

interlacing　branches。＇1＇





＇1＇　Madame　d'Aulnoy。