22-the golden branch-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



though　indeed　it　was　so　old　and　battered…looking　that　he　would

never　have　noticed　it　of　his　own　accord。　At　first　he　could　not　see

any　keyhole；　but　after　a　careful　search　he　found　one　hidden　in　the

carving；　and　the　golden　key　just　fitted　it；　so　the　Prince　gave　it　a

vigorous　turn　and　the　doors　flew　open。



Ugly　and　old　as　the　cabinet　was　outside；　nothing　could　have　been

more　rich　and　beautiful　than　what　met　the　Prince's　astonished　eyes。

Every　drawer　was　made　of　crystal；　of　amber；　or　of　some　precious

stone；　and　was　quite　full　of　every　kind　of　treasure。　Prince　Curlicue

was　delighted；　he　opened　one　after　another；　until　at　last　he　came　to

one　tiny　drawer　which　contained　only　an　emerald　key。



‘I　believe　that　this　must　open　that　little　golden　door　in　the

middle；'　said　the　Prince　to　himself。　And　he　fitted　in　the　little　key

and　turned　it。　The　tiny　door　swung　back；　and　a　soft　crimson　light

gleamed　over　the　whole　cabinet。　The　Prince　found　that　it　proceeded

from　an　immense　glowing　carbuncle；　made　into　a　box；　which　lay

before　him。　He　lost　no　time　in　opening　it；　but　what　was　his　horror

when　he　found　that　it　contained　a　man's　hand；　which　was　holding

a　portrait。　His　first　thought　was　to　put　back　the　terrible　box　and

fly　from　the　turret；　but　a　voice　in　his　ear　said；　‘This　hand　belonged

to　one　whom　you　can　help　and　restore。　Look　at　this　beautiful

portrait；　the　original　of　which　was　the　cause　of　all　my　misfortunes；

and　if　you　wish　to　help　me；　go　without　a　moment's　delay　to　the

great　gallery；　notice　where　the　sun's　rays　fall　most　brightly；　and　if

you　seek　there　you　will　find　my　treasure。'



The　voice　ceased；　and　though　the　Prince　in　his　bewilderment

asked　various　questions；　he　received　no　answer。　So　he　put　back　the

box　and　locked　the　cabinet　up　again；　and；　having　replaced　the　key

in　the　crack　in　the　wall；　hastened　down　to　the　gallery。



When　he　entered　it　all　the　windows　shook　and　clattered　in　the

strangest　way；　but　the　Prince　did　not　heed　them；　he　was　looking

so　carefully　for　the　place　where　the　sun　shone　most　brightly；　and　it

seemed　to　him　that　it　was　upon　the　portrait　of　a　most　splendidly

handsome　young　man。



He　went　up　and　examined　it；　and　found　that　it　rested　against　the

ebony　and　gold　panelling；　just　like　any　of　the　other　pictures　in　the

gallery。　He　was　puzzled；　not　knowing　what　to　do　next；　until　it

occurred　to　him　to　see　if　the　windows　would　help　him；　and；　looking

at　the　nearest；　he　saw　a　picture　of　himself　lifting　the　picture　from

the　wall。



The　Prince　took　the　hint；　and　lifting　aside　the　picture　without

difficulty；　found　himself　in　a　marble　hall　adorned　with　statues；　from

this　he　passed　on　through　numbers　of　splendid　rooms；　until　at　last

he　reached　one　all　hung　with　blue　gauze。　The　walls　were　of

turquoises；　and　upon　a　low　couch　lay　a　lovely　lady；　who　seemed　to　be

asleep。　Her　hair；　black　as　ebony；　was　spread　across　the　pillows；

making　her　face　look　ivory　white；　and　the　Prince　noticed　that　she

was　unquiet；　and　when　he　softly　advanced；　fearing　to　wake　her；　he

could　hear　her　sigh；　and　murmur　to　herself：



‘Ah！　how　dared　you　think　to　win　my　love　by　separating　me

from　my　beloved　Florimond；　and　in　my　presence　cutting　off　that

dear　hand　that　even　you　should　have　feared　and　honoured？'



And　then　the　tears　rolled　slowly　down　the　lovely　lady's　cheeks；

and　Prince　Curlicue　began　to　comprehend　that　she　was　under　an

enchantment；　and　that　it　was　the　hand　of　her　lover　that　he　had

found。



At　this　moment　a　huge　Eagle　flew　into　the　room；　holding　in　its

talons　a　Golden　Branch；　upon　which　were　growing　what　looked　like

clusters　of　cherries；　only　every　cherry　was　a　single　glowing　ruby。



This　he　presented　to　the　Prince；　who　guessed　by　this　time　that

he　was　in　some　way　to　break　the　enchantment　that　surrounded　the

sleeping　lady。　Taking　the　branch　he　touched　her　lightly　with　it；

saying：



‘Fair　one；　I　know　not　by　what　enchantment　thou　art　bound；　but

in　the　name　of　thy　beloved　Florimond　I　conjure　thee　to　come　back

to　the　life　which　thou　hast　lost；　but　not　forgotten。'



Instantly　the　lady　opened　her　lustrous　eyes；　and　saw　the　Eagle

hovering　near。



‘Ah！　stay；　dear　love；　stay；'　she　cried。　But　the　Eagle；　uttering　a

dolorous　cry；　fluttered　his　broad　wings　and　disappeared。　Then　the

lady　turned　to　Prince　Curlicue；　and　said：



‘I　know　that　it　is　to　you　I　owe　my　deliverance　from　an　enchantment

which　has　held　me　for　two　hundred　years。　If　there　is　anything

that　I　can　do　for　you　in　return；　you　have　only　to　tell　me；　and

all　my　fairy　power　shall　be　used　to　make　you　happy。'



‘Madam；'　said　Prince　Curlicue；　‘I　wish　to　be　allowed　to　restore

your　beloved　Florimond　to　his　natural　form；　since　I　cannot　forget

the　tears　you　shed　for　him。'



‘That　is　very　amiable　of　you；　dear　Prince；'　said　the　Fairy；　‘but

it　is　reserved　for　another　person　to　do　that。　I　cannot　explain　more

at　present。　But　is　there　nothing　you　wish　for　yourself？'



‘Madam；'　cried　the　Prince；　flinging　himself　down　at　her　feet；

‘only　look　at　my　ugliness。　I　am　called　Curlicue；　and　am　an

object　of　derision；　I　entreat　you　to　make　me　less　ridiculous。'



‘Rise；　Prince；'　said　the　Fairy；　touching　him　with　the　Golden

Branch。　‘Be　as　accomplished　as　you　are　handsome；　and　take　the

name　of　Prince　Peerless；　since　that　is　the　only　title　which　will

suit　you　now。'



Silent　from　joy；　the　Prince　kissed　her　hand　to　express　his　thanks；

and　when　he　rose　and　saw　his　new　reflection　in　the　mirrors　which

surrounded　him；　he　understood　that　Curlicue　was　indeed　gone　for

ever。



‘How　I　wish；'　said　the　Fairy；　‘that　I　dared　to　tell　you　what　is

in　store　for　you；　and　warn　you　of　the　traps　which　lie　in　your　path；

but　I　must　not。　Fly　from　the　tower；　Prince；　and　remember　that

the　Fairy　Douceline　will　be　your　friend　always。'



When　she　had　finished　speaking；　the　Prince；　to　his　great

astonishment；　found　himself　no　longer　in　the　tower；　but　set　down　in　a

thick　forest　at　least　a　hundred　leagues　away　from　it。　And　there

we　must　leave　him　for　the　present；　and　see　what　was　happening

elsewhere。



When　the　guards　found　that　the　Prince　did　not　ask　for　his　supper

as　usual；　they　went　into　his　room；　and　not　finding　him　there；　were

very　much　alarmed；　and　searched　the　tower　from　turret　to　dungeon；

but　without　success。　Knowing　that　the　King　would　certainly　have

their　heads　cut　off　for　allowing　the　Prince　to　escape；　they　then

agreed　to　say　that　he　was　ill；　and　after　making　the　smallest　among

them　look　as　much　like　Prince　Curlicue　as　possible；　they　put　him

into　his　bed　and　sent　to　inform　the　King。



King　Grumpy　was　quite　delighted　to　hear　that　his　son　was　ill；

for　he　thought　that　he　would　all　the　sooner　be　brought　to　do　as　he

wished；　and　marry　the　Princess。　So　he　sent　back　to　the　guards　to

say　that　the　Prince　was　to　be　treated　as　severely　as　before；　which

was　just　what　they　had　hoped　he　would　say。　In　the　meantime　the

Princess　Cabbage…Stalk　had　reached　the　palace；　travelling　in　a　litter。



King　Grumpy　went　out　to　meet　her；　but　when　he　saw　her；　with

a　skin　like　a　tortoise's；　her　thick　eyebrows　meeting　above　her　large

nose；　and　her　mouth　from　ear　to　ear；　he　could　not　help　crying　out：



‘Well；　I　must　say　Curlicue　is　ugly　enough；　but　I　don't　think

YOU　need　have　thought　twice　before　consenting　to　marry　him。'



‘Sire；'　she　replied；　‘I　know　too　well　what　I　am　like　to　be　hurt

by　what　you　say；　but　I　assure　you　that　I　have　no　wish　to　marry

your　son　I　had　rather　be　called　Princess　Cabbage…Stalk　than　Queen

Curlicue。'



This　made　King　Grumpy　very　angry。



‘Your　father　has　sent　you　here　to　marry　my　son；'　he　said；　‘and

you　may　be　sure　that　I　am　not　going　to　offend　him　by　altering　his

arrangements。'　So　the　poor　Princess　was　sent　away　in　disgrace　to

her　own　apartments；　and　the　ladies　who　attended　upon　her　were

charged　to　bring　her　to　a　better　mind。



At　this　juncture　the　guards；　who　were　in　great　fear　that　they

would　be　found　out；　sent　to　tell　the　King　that