the hungry stones and other stories-第6章

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The　story…tellers　have　become　more　precise　in　their　turn。　　They　are　no　longer　content　with　the　old　indefinite；　〃There　was　a　king；〃　but　assume　instead　a　look　of　profound　learning；　　and　begin：　〃Once　there　was　a　king　named　Ajatasatru；〃

The　modern　reader's　curiosity；　however；　is　not　so　easily　satisfied。　　He　blinks　at　the　author　through　his　scientific　spectacles；　and　asks　again：　〃Which　Ajatasatru？　〃

〃Every　schoolboy　knows；〃　the　author　proceeds；　〃that　there　were　three　Ajatasatrus。　　The　first　was　born　in　the　twentieth　century　B。C。；　and　died　at　the　tender　age　of　two　years　and　eight　months；　　I　deeply　regret　that　it　is　impossible　to　find；　from　any　trustworthy　source；　a　detailed　account　of　his　reign。　　The　second　Ajatasatru　is　better　known　to　historians。　　If　you　refer　to　the　new　Encyclopedia　of　History。　。　。　。〃

By　this　time　the　modem　reader's　suspicions　are　dissolved。　　He　feels　he　may　safely　trust　his　author。　　He　says　to　himself：　〃Now　we　shall　have　a　story　that　is　both　improving　and　instructive。〃

Ah！　how　we　all　love　to　be　deluded！　　We　have　a　secret　dread　of　being　thought　ignorant。　　And　we　end　by　being　ignorant　after　all；　only　we　have　done　it　in　a　long　and　roundabout　way。

There　is　an　English　proverb　；　〃Ask　me　no　questions；　and　I　will　tell　you　no　lies。〃　　The　boy　of　seven　who　is　listening　to　a　fairy　story　understands　that　perfectly　well；　he　withholds　his　questions；　while　the　story　is　being　told。　　So　the　pure　and　beautiful　falsehood　of　it　all　remains　naked　and　innocent　as　a　babe；　transparent　as　truth　itself；　limpid　as　afresh　bubbling　spring。　　But　the　ponderous　and　learned　lie　of　our　moderns　has　to　keep　its　true　character　draped　and　veiled。　　And　if　there　is　discovered　anywhere　the　least　little　peep…hole　of　deception；　the　reader　turns　away　with　a　prudish　disgust；　and　the　author　is　discredited。

When　we　were　young；　we　understood　all　sweet　things；　and　we　could　detect　the　sweets　of　a　fairy　story　by　an　unerring　science　of　our　own。　　We　never　cared　for　such　useless　things　as　knowledge。　　We　only　cared　for　truth。　And　our　unsophisticated　little　hearts　knew　well　where　the　Crystal　Palace　of　Truth　lay　and　how　to　reach　it。　　But　to…day　we　are　expected　to　write　pages　of　facts；　while　the　truth　is　simply　this：

〃There　was　a　king。〃

I　remember　vividly　that　evening　in　Calcutta　when　the　fairy　story　began。　The　rain　and　the　storm　had　been　incessant。　　The　whole　of　the　city　was　flooded。　　The　water　was　knee…deep　in　our　lane。　　I　had　a　　straining　hope；　which　was　almost　a　certainty；　that　my　tutor　would　be　prevented　from　coming　that　evening。　　I　sat　on　the　stool　in　the　far　corner　of　the　veranda　looking　down　the　lane；　with　a　heart　beating　faster　and　faster。　Every　minute　I　kept　my　eye　on　the　rain；　and　when　it　began　to　grow　less　I　prayed　with　all　my　might；　〃Please；　God；　send　some　more　rain　till　half…　past　seven　is　over。〃　　For　I　was　quite　ready　to　believe　that　there　was　no　other　need　for　rain　except　to　protect　one　helpless　boy　one　evening　in　one　corner　of　Calcutta　from　the　deadly　clutches　of　his　tutor。

If　not　in　answer　to　my　prayer；　at　any　rate　according　to　some　grosser　law　of　physical　nature；　the　rain　did　not　give　up。

But；　alas　！　　nor　did　my　teacher。

Exactly　to　the　minute；　in　the　bend　of　the　lane；　I　saw　his　approaching　umbrella。　　The　great　bubble　of　hope　burst　in　my　breast；　and　my　heart　collapsed。　　Truly；　if　there　is　a　punishment　to　fit　the　crime　after　death；　then　my　tutor　will　be　born　again　as　me；　and　I　shall　be　born　as　my　tutor。

As　soon　as　I　saw　his　umbrella　I　ran　as　hard　as　I　could　to　my　mother's　room。　　My　mother　and　my　grandmother　were　sitting　opposite　one　another　playing　cards　by　the　light　of　a　lamp。　　I　ran　into　the　room；　and　flung　myself　on　the　bed　beside　my　mother；　and　said：

〃Mother　dear；　the　tutor　has　come；　and　I　have　such　a　bad　headache；　couldn't　I　have　no　lessons　today？〃

I　hope　no　child　of　immature　age　will　be　allowed　to　read　this　story；　and　I　sincerely　trust　it　will　not　be　used　in　text…books　or　primers　for　schools。　　For　what　I　did　was　dreadfully　bad；　and　I　received　no　punishment　whatever。　　On　the　contrary；　my　wickedness　was　crowned　with　success。

My　mother　said　to　me：　〃All　right；〃　and　turning　to　the　servant　added：　〃Tell　the　tutor　that　he　can　go　back　home。〃

It　was　perfectly　plain　that　she　didn't　think　my　illness　very　serious；　as　she　went　on　with　her　game　as　before；　and　took　no　further　notice。　　And　I　also；　burying　my　head　in　the　pillow；　laughed　to　my　heart's　content。　　We　perfectly　understood　one　another；　my　mother　and　I。

But　every　one　must　know　how　hard　it　is　for　a　boy　of　seven　years　old　to　keep　up　the　illusion　of　illness　for　a　long　time。　　After　about　a　minute　I　got　hold　of　Grandmother；　and　said：　〃Grannie；　do　tell　me　a　story。〃

I　had　to　ask　this　many　times。　　Grannie　and　Mother　went　on　playing　cards；　and　took　no　notice。　　At　last　Mother　said　to　me：　〃Child；　don't　bother。　Wait　till　we've　finished　our　game。〃　　But　I　persisted：　　〃Grannie；　　do　tell　me　a　story。〃　　I　told　Mother　she　could　finish　her　game　to…morrow；　but　she　must　let　Grannie　tell　me　a　story　there　and　then。

At　last　Mother　threw　down　the　cards　and　said：　〃You　had　better　do　what　he　wants。　　I　can't　manage　him。〃　　Perhaps　she　had　it　in　her　mind　that　she　would　have　no　tiresome　tutor　on　the　morrow；　while　I　should　be　obliged　to　be　back　to　those　stupid　lessons。

As　soon　as　ever　Mother　had　given　way；　I　rushed　at　Grannie。　　I　got　hold　of　her　hand；　and；　dancing　with　delight；　dragged　her　inside　my　　mosquito　curtain　on　to　the　bed。　　I　clutched　hold　of　the　bolster　with　both　hands　in　my　excitement；　and　jumped　up　and　down　with　joy；　and　when　I　had　got　a　little　quieter；　said：　〃Now；　Grannie；　let'　s　　have　　the　story！〃

Grannie　went　on：　〃And　the　king　had　a　queen。〃　　That　was　good　to　begin　with。　　He　had　only　one。

It　is　usual　for　kings　in　fairy　stories　to　be　extravagant　in　queens。　　And　whenever　we　hear　that　there　are　two　queens；　our　hearts　begin　to　sink。　One　is　sure　to　be　unhappy。　　But　in　Grannie's　story　that　danger　was　past。　He　had　only　one　queen。

We　next　hear　that　the　king　had　not　got　any　son。　　At　the　age　of　seven　I　didn't　think　there　was　any　need　to　bother　if　a　man　had　had　no　son。　　He　might　only　have　been　in　the　way。　　Nor　are　we　greatly　excited　when　we　hear　that　the　king　has　gone　away　into　the　forest　to　practise　austerities　in　order　to　get　a　son。　　There　was　only　one　thing　that　would　have　made　me　go　into　the　forest；　and　that　was　to　get　away　from　my　tutor！

But　the　king　left　behind　with　his　queen　a　small　girl；　who　grew　up　into　a　beautiful　princess。

Twelve　years　pass　away；　and　the　king　goes　on　practising　austerities；　and　never　thinks　all　this　while　of　his　beautiful　daughter。　　The　princess　has　reached　the　full　bloom　of　her　youth。　　The　age　of　marriage　has　passed；　but　the　king　does　not　return。　　And　the　queen　pines　away　with　grief　and　cries　：　〃Is　my　golden　daughter　destined　to　die　unmarried？　　Ah　me！　　What　a　fate　is　mine。〃

Then　the　queen　sent　men　to　the　king　to　entreat　him　earnestly　to　come　back　for　a　single　night　and　take　one　meal　in　the　palace。　　And　the　king　consented。

The　queen　cooked　with　her　own　hand；　and　with　the　greatest　care；　sixty…　four　dishes；　and　made　a　seat　for　him　of　sandal…wood；　and　arranged　the　food　in　plates　of　gold　and　cups　of　silver。　　The　princess　stood　behind　with　the　peacock…tail　fan　in　her　hand。　　The　king；　after　twelve　years'　absence；　came　into　the　house；　and　the　princess　waved　the　fan；　lighting　up　all　the　room　with　her　beauty。　　The　king　looked　in　his　daughter's　face；　and　forgot　to　take　his　food。

At　last　he　asked　his　queen：　〃Pray；　who　is　this　girl　whose　beauty　shines　as　the　gold　image　of　the　goddess？　　Whose　daughter　is　she？〃

The　queen　beat　her　forehead；　and　cried：　〃Ah；　how　evil　is　my　fate　！　　Do　you　not　know　your　own　daughter？〃

The　king　was　struck　with　amazement。　　He　said　at　last；　〃My　tiny　daughter　has　grown　to　be　a　woman。〃

〃What　else？　〃　the　queen　said　with　a　sigh。　〃Do　you　not　know　that　twelve　years　have　passed　by？〃

〃But　why　did　you　not　give　her　in　marriage？　〃　asked　the　king。

〃You　were　away；〃　the　queen　said。　〃And　how　could　I　find　her　a　suitable　husband？〃

The　king　became　vehement　with　excitement。　〃The　first　man　I　see　to…morrow；〃　he　said；　〃when　I　come　out　of　the　palace　shall　marry　her。〃

The　princess　went　on　waving　her　fan　of　peacock　feathers