15-felicia-第2章

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inherit　his　kingdom　she　should　have　her　head　cut　off。



〃So　when　the　Queen　had　another　little　daughter　she

was　quite　frightened；　and　agreed　with　her　sister　（who　was

a　fairy）　to　exchange　her　for　the　fairy's　little　son。　Now　the

Queen　had　been　shut　up　in　a　great　tower　by　the　King's

orders；　and　when　a　great　many　days　went　by　and　still　she

heard　nothing　from　the　Fairy　she　made　her　escape　from

the　window　by　means　of　a　rope　ladder；　taking　her　little

baby　with　her。　After　wandering　about　until　she　was　half

dead　with　cold　and　fatigue　she　reached　this　cottage。　I

was　the　laborer's　wife；　and　was　a　good　nurse；　and　the

Queen　gave　you　into　my　charge；　and　told　me　all　her

misfortunes；　and　then　died　before　she　had　time　to　say　what

was　to　become　of　you。



〃As　I　never　in　all　my　life　could　keep　a　secret；　I　could

not　help　telling　this　strange　tale　to　my　neighbors；　and　one

day　a　beautiful　lady　came　here；　and　I　told　it　to　her　also。

When　I　had　finished　she　touched　me　with　a　wand　she

held　in　her　hand；　and　instantly　I　became　a　hen；　and　there

was　an　end　of　my　talking！　I　was　very　sad；　and　my　husband；

who　was　out　when　it　happened；　never　knew　what

had　become　of　me。　After　seeking　me　everywhere　he

believed　that　I　must　have　been　drowned；　or　eaten　up　by

wild　beasts　in　the　forest。　That　same　lady　came　here　once

more；　and　commanded　that　you　should　be　called　Felicia；

and　left　the　ring　and　the　pot　of　pinks　to　be　given　to　you；

and　while　she　was　in　the　house　twenty…five　of　the　King's

guards　came　to　search　for　you；　doubtless　meaning　to　kill

you；　but　she　muttered　a　few　words；　and　immediately　they

all　turned　into　cabbages。　It　was　one　of　them　whom　you

threw　out　of　your　window　yesterday。



〃I　don't　know　how　it　was　that　he　could　speakI　have

never　heard　either　of　them　say　a　word　before；　nor　have

I　been　able　to　do　it　myself　until　now。〃



The　Princess　was　greatly　astonished　at　the　hen's　story；

and　said　kindly：　〃I　am　truly　sorry　for　you；　my　poor　nurse；

and　wish　it　was　in　my　power　to　restore　you　to　your　real

form。　But　we　must　not　despair；　it　seems　to　me；　after

what　you　have　told　me；　that　something　must　be　going

to　happen　soon。　Just　now；　however；　I　must　go　and　look

for　my　pinks；　which　I　love　better　than　anything　in　the

world。〃



Bruno　had　gone　out　into　the　forest；　never　thinking　that

Felicia　would　search　in　his　room　for　the　pinks；　and　she

was　delighted　by　his　unexpected　absence；　and　thought　to

get　them　back　without　further　trouble。　But　as　soon　as

she　entered　the　room　she　saw　a　terrible　army　of　rats；　who

were　guarding　the　straw　bed；　and　when　she　attempted　to

approach　it　they　sprang　at　her；　biting　and　scratching

furiously。　Quite　terrified；　she　drew　back；　crying　out：

〃Oh！　my　dear　pinks；　how　can　you　stay　here　in　such　bad

company？〃



Then　she　suddenly　bethought　herself　of　the　pitcher　of

water；　and；　hoping　that　it　might　have　some　magic　power；

she　ran　to　fetch　it；　and　sprinkled　a　few　drops　over　the

fierce…looking　swarm　of　rats。　In　a　moment　not　a　tail　or　a

whisker　was　to　be　seen。　Each　one　had　made　for　his　hole　as

fast　as　his　legs　could　carry　him；　so　that　the　Princess　could

safely　take　her　pot　of　pinks。　She　found　them　nearly　dying

for　want　of　water；　and　hastily　poured　all　that　was　left　in

the　pitcher　upon　them。　As　she　bent　over　them；　enjoying

their　delicious　scent；　a　soft　voice；　that　seemed　to　rustle

among　the　leaves；　said：



〃Lovely　Felicia；　the　day　has　come　at　last　when　I　may

have　the　happiness　of　telling　you　how　even　the　flowers

love　you　and　rejoice　in　your　beauty。



The　Princess；　quite　overcome　by　the　strangeness　of

hearing　a　cabbage；　a　hen；　and　a　pink　speak；　and　by　the

terrible　sight　of　an　army　of　rats；　suddenly　became　very

pale；　and　fainted　away。



At　this　moment　in　came　Bruno。　Working　hard　in　the

heat　had　not　improved　his　temper；　and　when　he　saw　that

Felicia　had　succeeded　in　finding　her　pinks　he　was　so　angry

that　he　dragged　her　out　into　the　garden　and　shut　the　door

upon　her。　The　fresh　air　soon　made　her　open　her　pretty

eyes；　and　there　before　her　stood　the　Queen　of　the　Woods；

looking　as　charming　as　ever。



〃You　have　a　bad　brother；〃she　said；　〃I　saw

he　turned　you　out。　Shall　I　punish　him　for　it？〃



〃Ah！　no；　madam；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　not　angry　with

him。



〃But　supposing　he　was　not　your　brother；　after　all；

what　would　you　say　then？〃　asked　the　Queen。



〃Oh！　but　I　think　he　must　be；〃　said　Felicia。



〃What！〃　said　the　Queen；　〃have　you　not　heard　that　you

are　a　Princess？〃



〃I　was　told　so　a　little　while　ago；　madam；　but　how　could

I　believe　it　without　a　single　proof？〃



〃Ah！　dear　child；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃the　way　you　speak

assures　me　that；　in　spite　of　your　humble　upbringing；　you

are　indeed　a　real　princess；　and　I　can　save　you　from　being

treated　in　such　a　way　again。〃



She　was　interrupted　at　this　moment　by　the　arrival　of

a　very　handsome　young　man。　He　wore　a　coat　of　green

velvet　fastened　with　emerald　clasps；　and　had　a　crown　of

pinks　on　his　head。　He　knelt　upon　one　knee　and　kissed　the

Queen's　hand。



〃Ah！〃　she　cried；　〃my　pink；　my　dear　son；　what　a　happiness

to　see　you　restored　to　your　natural　shape　by　Felicia's

aid！〃　And　she　embraced　him　joyfully。　Then；　turning　to

Felicia；　she　said：



〃Charming　Princess；　I　know　all　the　hen　told　you；　but

you　cannot　have　heard　that　the　zephyrs；　to　whom　was

entrusted　the　task　of　carrying　my　son　to　the　tower　where

the　Queen；　your　mother；　so　anxiously　waited　for　him；

left　him　instead　in　a　garden　of　flowers；　while　they　flew

off　to　tell　your　mother。　Whereupon　a　fairy　with　whom　I

had　quarrelled　changed　him　into　a　pink；　and　I　could　do

nothing　to　prevent　it。



〃You　can　imagine　how　angry　I　was；　and　how　I　tried　to

find　some　means　of　undoing　the　mischief　she　had　done；

but　there　was　no　help　for　it。　I　could　only　bring　Prince

Pink　to　the　place　where　you　were　being　brought　up；　hoping

that　when　you　grew　up　he　might　love　you；　and　by

your　care　be　restored　to　his　natural　form。　And　you　see

everything　has　come　right；　as　I　hoped　it　would。　Your

giving　me　the　silver　ring　was　the　sign　that　the　power　of

the　charm　was　nearly　over；　and　my　enemy's　last　chance

was　to　frighten　you　with　her　army　of　rats。　That　she　did

not　succeed　in　doing；　so　now；　my　dear　Felicia；　if　you　will

be　married　to　my　son　with　this　silver　ring　your　future

happiness　is　certain。　Do　you　think　him　handsome　and

amiable　enough　to　be　willing　to　marry　him？〃



〃Madam；〃　replied　Felicia；　blushing；　〃you　overwhelm

me　with　your　kindness。　I　know　that　you　are　my　mother's

sister；　and　that　by　your　art　you　turned　the　soldiers　who

were　sent　to　kill　me　into　cabbages；　and　my　nurse　into　a

hen；　and　that　you　do　me　only　too　much　honor　in　proposing

that　I　shall　marry　your　son。　How　can　I　explain　to　you

the　cause　of　my　hesitation？　I　feel；　for　the　first　time　in　my

life；　how　happy　it　would　make　me　to　be　beloved。　Can

you　indeed　give　me　the　Prince's　heart？〃



〃It　is　yours　already；　lovely　Princess！〃　he　cried；　taking

her　hand　in　his；　〃but　for　the　horrible　enchantment　which

kept　me　silent　I　should　have　told　you　long　ago　how　dearly

I　love　you。



This　made　the　Princess　very　happy；　and　the　Queen；

who　could　not　bear　to　see　her　dressed　like　a　poor

shepherdess；　touched　her　with　her　wand；　saying：



〃I　wish　you　to　be　attired　as　befits　your　rank　and

beauty。〃　And　immediately　the　Princess's　cotton　dress

became　a　magnificent　robe　of　silver　brocade　embroidered

with　carbuncles；　and　her　soft　dark　hair　was　encircled　by

a　crown　of　diamonds；　from　which　floated　a　clear　white

veil。　With　her　bright　eyes；　and　the　charming　color　in　her

cheeks；　she　was　altogether　such　a　dazzling　sight　that　the

Prince　could　hardly　bear　it。



〃How　pretty　you　are；　Felicia！〃　he　cried。　〃Don't　keep

me　in　suspense；　I　entreat　you；　say　that　you　will　marry

me。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　Queen；　smiling；　〃I　think　she　will　not

refuse　now。〃



Just　then　Bruno；　who　was　going　back　to　his　work；　came

out　of　the　cottage；　and　thought　he　must