王尔德童话四则(英文版)-第3部分

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better　taste　if　he　had　looked　sad；　or　at　least　pensive；　instead　of

jumping　about　merrily；　and　throwing　himself　into　such　grotesque　and

silly　attitudes。



As　for　the　old　Sundial；　who　was　an　extremely　remarkable　individual；

and　had　once　told　the　time　of　day　to　no　less　a　person　than　the

Emperor　Charles　V。　himself；　he　was　so　taken　aback　by　the　little

Dwarf's　appearance；　that　he　almost　forgot　to　mark　two　whole　minutes

with　his　long　shadowy　finger；　and　could　not　help　saying　to　the

great　milk…white　Peacock；　who　was　sunning　herself　on　the

balustrade；　that　every　one　knew　that　the　children　of　Kings　were

Kings；　and　that　the　children　of　charcoal…burners　were　charcoal…

burners；　and　that　it　was　absurd　to　pretend　that　it　wasn't　so；　a

statement　with　which　the　Peacock　entirely　agreed；　and　indeed

screamed　out；　'Certainly；　certainly；'　in　such　a　loud；　harsh　voice；

that　the　gold…fish　who　lived　in　the　basin　of　the　cool　splashing

fountain　put　their　heads　out　of　the　water；　and　asked　the　huge　stone

Tritons　what　on　earth　was　the　matter。



But　somehow　the　Birds　liked　him。　　They　had　seen　him　often　in　the

forest；　dancing　about　like　an　elf　after　the　eddying　leaves；　or

crouched　up　in　the　hollow　of　some　old　oak…tree；　sharing　his　nuts

with　the　squirrels。　　They　did　not　mind　his　being　ugly；　a　bit。　　Why；

even　the　nightingale　herself；　who　sang　so　sweetly　in　the　orange

groves　at　night　that　sometimes　the　Moon　leaned　down　to　listen；　was

not　much　to　look　at　after　all；　and；　besides；　he　had　been　kind　to

them；　and　during　that　terribly　bitter　winter；　when　there　were　no

berries　on　the　trees；　and　the　ground　was　as　hard　as　iron；　and　the

wolves　had　come　down　to　the　very　gates　of　the　city　to　look　for

food；　he　had　never　once　forgotten　them；　but　had　always　given　them

crumbs　out　of　his　little　hunch　of　black　bread；　and　divided　with

them　whatever　poor　breakfast　he　had。



So　they　flew　round　and　round　him；　just　touching　his　cheek　with

their　wings　as　they　passed；　and　chattered　to　each　other；　and　the

little　Dwarf　was　so　pleased　that　he　could　not　help　showing　them　the

beautiful　white　rose；　and　telling　them　that　the　Infanta　herself　had

given　it　to　him　because　she　loved　him。



They　did　not　understand　a　single　word　of　what　he　was　saying；　but

that　made　no　matter；　for　they　put　their　heads　on　one　side；　and

looked　wise；　which　is　quite　as　good　as　understanding　a　thing；　and

very　much　easier。



The　Lizards　also　took　an　immense　fancy　to　him；　and　when　he　grew

tired　of　running　about　and　flung　himself　down　on　the　grass　to　rest；

they　played　and　romped　all　over　him；　and　tried　to　amuse　him　in　the

best　way　they　could。　　'Every　one　cannot　be　as　beautiful　as　a

lizard；'　they　cried；　'that　would　be　too　much　to　expect。　　And；

though　it　sounds　absurd　to　say　so；　he　is　really　not　so　ugly　after

all；　provided；　of　course；　that　one　shuts　one's　eyes；　and　does　not

look　at　him。'　　The　Lizards　were　extremely　philosophical　by　nature；

and　often　sat　thinking　for　hours　and　hours　together；　when　there　was

nothing　else　to　do；　or　when　the　weather　was　too　rainy　for　them　to

go　out。



The　Flowers；　however；　were　excessively　annoyed　at　their　behaviour；

and　at　the　behaviour　of　the　birds。　　'It　only　shows；'　they　said；

'what　a　vulgarising　effect　this　incessant　rushing　and　flying　about

has。　　Well…bred　people　always　stay　exactly　in　the　same　place；　as　we

do。　　No　one　ever　saw　us　hopping　up　and　down　the　walks；　or　galloping

madly　through　the　grass　after　dragon…flies。　　When　we　do　want　change

of　air；　we　send　for　the　gardener；　and　he　carries　us　to　another　bed。

This　is　dignified；　and　as　it　should　be。　　But　birds　and　lizards　have

no　sense　of　repose；　and　indeed　birds　have　not　even　a　permanent

address。　　They　are　mere　vagrants　like　the　gipsies；　and　should　be

treated　in　exactly　the　same　manner。'　　So　they　put　their　noses　in

the　air；　and　looked　very　haughty；　and　were　quite　delighted　when

after　some　time　they　saw　the　little　Dwarf　scramble　up　from　the

grass；　and　make　his　way　across　the　terrace　to　the　palace。



'He　should　certainly　be　kept　indoors　for　the　rest　of　his　natural

life；'　they　said。　　'Look　at　his　hunched　back；　and　his　crooked

legs；'　and　they　began　to　titter。



But　the　little　Dwarf　knew　nothing　of　all　this。　　He　liked　the　birds

and　the　lizards　immensely；　and　thought　that　the　flowers　were　the

most　marvellous　things　in　the　whole　world；　except　of　course　the

Infanta；　but　then　she　had　given　him　the　beautiful　white　rose；　and

she　loved　him；　and　that　made　a　great　difference。　　How　he　wished

that　he　had　gone　back　with　her！　　She　would　have　put　him　on　her

right　hand；　and　smiled　at　him；　and　he　would　have　never　left　her

side；　but　would　have　made　her　his　playmate；　and　taught　her　all

kinds　of　delightful　tricks。　　For　though　he　had　never　been　in　a

palace　before；　he　knew　a　great　many　wonderful　things。　　He　could

make　little　cages　out　of　rushes　for　the　grasshoppers　to　sing　in；

and　fashion　the　long　jointed　bamboo　into　the　pipe　that　Pan　loves　to

hear。　　He　knew　the　cry　of　every　bird；　and　could　call　the　starlings

from　the　tree…top；　or　the　heron　from　the　mere。　　He　knew　the　trail

of　every　animal；　and　could　track　the　hare　by　its　delicate

footprints；　and　the　boar　by　the　trampled　leaves。　　All　the　wild…

dances　he　knew；　the　mad　dance　in　red　raiment　with　the　autumn；　the

light　dance　in　blue　sandals　over　the　corn；　the　dance　with　white

snow…wreaths　in　winter；　and　the　blossom…dance　through　the　orchards

in　spring。　　He　knew　where　the　wood…pigeons　built　their　nests；　and

once　when　a　fowler　had　snared　the　parent　birds；　he　had　brought　up

the　young　ones　himself；　and　had　built　a　little　dovecot　for　them　in

the　cleft　of　a　pollard　elm。　　They　e；　and　used　to　feed

out　of　his　hands　every　morning。　　She　would　like　them；　and　the

rabbits　that　scurried　about　in　the　long　fern；　and　the　jays　with

their　steely　feathers　and　black　bills；　and　the　hedgehogs　that　could

curl　themselves　up　into　prickly　balls；　and　the　great　wise　tortoises

that　crawled　slowly　about；　shaking　their　heads　and　nibbling　at　the

young　leaves。　　Yes；　she　must　certainly　come　to　the　forest　and　play

with　him。　　He　would　give　her　his　own　little　bed；　and　would　watch

outside　the　window　till　dawn；　to　see　that　the　wild　horned　cattle

did　not　harm　her；　nor　the　gaunt　wolves　creep　too　near　the　hut。　　And

at　dawn　he　would　tap　at　the　shutters　and　wake　her；　and　they　would

go　out　and　dance　together　all　the　day　long。　　It　was　really　not　a

bit　lonely　in　the　forest。　　Sometimes　a　Bishop　rode　through　on　his

white　mule；　reading　out　of　a　painted　book。　　Sometimes　in　their

green　velvet　caps；　and　their　jerkins　of　tanned　deerskin；　the

falconers　passed　by；　with　hooded　hawks　on　their　wrists。　　At

vintage…time　came　the　grape…treaders；　with　purple　hands　and　feet；

wreathed　with　glossy　ivy　and　carrying　dripping　skins　of　wine；　and

the　charcoal…burners　sat　round　their　huge　braziers　at　night；

watching　the　dry　logs　charring　slowly　in　the　fire；　and　roasting

chestnuts　in　the　ashes；　and　the　robbers　came　out　of　their　caves　and

made　merry　with　them。　　Once；　too；　he　had　seen　a　beautiful

procession　winding　up　the　long　dusty　road　to　Toledo。　　The　monks

went　in　front　singing　sweetly；　and　carrying　bright　banners　and

crosses　of　gold；　and　then；　in　silver　armour；　with　matchlocks　and

pikes；　came　the　soldiers；　and　in　their　midst　walked　three

barefooted　men；　in　strange　yellow　dresses　painted　all　over　with

wonderful　figures；　and　carrying　lighted　candles　in　their　hands。

Certainly　there　was　a　great　deal　to　look　at　in　the　forest；　and　when

she　was　tired　he　would　find　a　soft　bank　of　moss　for　her；　or　carry

her　in　his　arms；　for　he　was　very　strong；　though　he　knew　that　he　was

not　tall。　　He　would　make　her　a　necklace　of　red　bryony　berries；　that

would　be　quite　as　pretty　as　the　white　berries　that　she　wore　on　her

dress；　and　when　she　was　tired　of　them；　she　could　throw　them　away；

and　he　would　find　her　others。　　He　would　bring　her　acorn…cups　and

dew…drenched　anemones；　and　tiny　glow…worms　to　be　stars　in　the　pale

gold　of　her　hair。



But　where　was　she？　　He　asked　the　white　rose；　and　it　made　him　no

answer。　　The　whole　palace　seemed　asleep；　and　even　where　the

shutters　had　not　been　closed；　heavy　curtains　had　been　drawn　across

the　windows　to　keep　out　the　glare。　　He　wandered　all　round　looking

for　some　place　through　which　he　might　gain　an　entrance；　and　at　last

he　caught　sight　of　a　little　private　door　that　was　lying　open。　　He

slipped　through；　and　found　himself　in　a　splendid　hall；　far　more

splendid；　he　feared；　than　the　forest；　there　was　so　much　more

gilding　everywhere；　and　even　the　floor　was　made　of　great　coloured

stones；　fitted　together　into　a　sort　of　geometrical　pattern。　　But

the　little　Infanta　was　not　there；　only　some　wonderful　white　statues

that　looked　down　on　him　from　their　jasper　pedestals；　with　sad　blank

eyes　and　strangely　smiling　lips。



At　the　end　of　the　hall　hung　a　richly　embroidered　curtain　of　black

velvet；　powdered　with　suns　and　stars；　the　King's　favourite　devices；

and　broidered　on　the　colour　he　loved　best。　　Perhaps　she　was　hiding

behind　that？　　He　would　try　at　any　rate。



So　he　stole　quietly　across；　and　drew　it　aside。　　No；　there　was　only

another　room；　though　a　prettier　room；　he　thought；　than　the　one　he

had　just　left。　　The　walls　were　hung　with　a　many…figured　green　arras

of　needle…wrought　tapestry　representing　a　hunt；　the　work　of　some

Flemish　artists　who　had　spent　more　than　seven　years　in　its

composition。　　It　had　once　been　the　chamber　of　JEAN　LE　FOU；　as　he

was　called；　that　mad　King　who　was　so　enamoured　of　the　chase；　that

he　had　often　tried　in　his　delirium　to　mount　the　huge　rearing

horses；　and　to　drag　down　the　stag　on　which　the　great　hounds　were

leaping；　sounding　his　hunting　horn；　and　stabbing　with　his　dagger　at

the　pale　flying　deer。　　It　was　now　used　as　the　council…room；　and　on

the　centre　table　were　lying　the　red　portfolios　of　the　ministers；

stamped　with　the　gold　tulips　of　Spain；　and　with　the　arms　and

emblems　of　the　house　of　Hapsburg。



The　little　Dwarf　looked　in　wonder　all　round　him；　and　was　half…

afraid　to　go　on。　　The　strange　silent　horsemen　that　galloped　so

swiftly　through　the　long　glades　without　making　any　noise；　seemed　to

him　like　those　terrible　phantoms　of　whom　he　had　heard　the　charcoal…

burners　speaking　…　the　Comprachos；　who　hunt　only　at　night；　and　if

they　meet　a　man；　turn　him　into　a　hind；　and　chase　him。　　But　he

thought　of　the　pretty　Infanta；　and　took　courage。　　He　wanted　to　find

her　alone；　and　to　tell　her　that　he　too　loved　her。　　Perhaps　she　was

in　the　room　beyond。



He　ran　across　the　soft　Moorish　carpets；　and　opened　the　door。　　No！

She　was　not　here　either。　　The　room　pty。



It　was　a　throne…room；　used　for　the　reception　of　foreign

ambassadors；　when　the　King；　which　of　late　had　not　been　often；

consented　to　give　them　a　personal　audience；　the　same　room　in　which；

many　years　before；　envoys　had　appeared　from　England　to　make

arrangements　for　the　marriage　of　their　Queen；　then　one　of　the

Catholic　sovereigns　of　Euro