王尔德童话四则(英文版)-第4章

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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　Europe；　with　the　Emperor's　eldest　son。　　The

hangings　were　of　gilt　Cordovan　leather；　and　a　heavy　gilt　chandelier

with　branches　for　three　hundred　wax　lights　hung　down　from　the　black

and　white　ceiling。　　Underneath　a　great　canopy　of　gold　cloth；　on

which　the　lions　and　towers　of　Castile　were　broidered　in　seed

pearls；　stood　the　throne　itself；　covered　with　a　rich　pall　of　black

velvet　studded　with　silver　tulips　and　elaborately　fringed　with

silver　and　pearls。　　On　the　second　step　of　the　throne　was　placed　the

kneeling…stool　of　the　Infanta；　with　its　cushion　of　cloth　of　silver

tissue；　and　below　that　again；　and　beyond　the　limit　of　the　canopy；

stood　the　chair　for　the　Papal　Nuncio；　who　alone　had　the　right　to　be

seated　in　the　King's　presence　on　the　occasion　of　any　public

ceremonial；　and　whose　Cardinal's　hat；　with　its　tangled　scarlet

tassels；　lay　on　a　purple　TABOURET　in　front。　　On　the　wall；　facing

the　throne；　hung　a　life…sized　portrait　of　Charles　V。　in　hunting

dress；　with　a　great　mastiff　by　his　side；　and　a　picture　of　Philip

II。　receiving　the　homage　of　the　Netherlands　occupied　the　centre　of

the　other　wall。　　Between　the　windows　stood　a　black　ebony　cabinet；

inlaid　with　plates　of　ivory；　on　which　the　figures　from　Holbein's

Dance　of　Death　had　been　graved　…　by　the　hand；　some　said；　of　that

famous　master　himself。



But　the　little　Dwarf　cared　nothing　for　all　this　magnificence。　　He

would　not　have　given　his　rose　for　all　the　pearls　on　the　canopy；　nor

one　white　petal　of　his　rose　for　the　throne　itself。　　What　he　wanted

was　to　see　the　Infanta　before　she　went　down　to　the　pavilion；　and　to

ask　her　to　come　away　with　him　when　he　had　finished　his　dance。

Here；　in　the　Palace；　the　air　was　close　and　heavy；　but　in　the　forest

the　wind　blew　free；　and　the　sunlight　with　wandering　hands　of　gold

moved　the　tremulous　leaves　aside。　　There　were　flowers；　too；　in　the

forest；　not　so　splendid；　perhaps；　as　the　flowers　in　the　garden；　but

more　sweetly　scented　for　all　that；　hyacinths　in　early　spring　that

flooded　with　waving　purple　the　cool　glens；　and　grassy　knolls；

yellow　primroses　that　nestled　in　little　clumps　round　the　gnarled

roots　of　the　oak…trees；　bright　celandine；　and　blue　speedwell；　and

irises　lilac　and　gold。　　There　were　grey　catkins　on　the　hazels；　and

the　foxgloves　drooped　with　the　weight　of　their　dappled　bee…haunted

cells。　　The　chestnut　had　its　spires　of　white　stars；　and　the

hawthorn　its　pallid　moons　of　beauty。　　Yes：　　surely　she　would　come

if　he　could　only　find　her！　　She　would　come　with　him　to　the　fair

forest；　and　all　day　long　he　would　dance　for　her　delight。　　A　smile

lit　up　his　eyes　at　the　thought；　and　he　passed　into　the　next　room。



Of　all　the　rooms　this　was　the　brightest　and　the　most　beautiful。

The　walls　were　covered　with　a　pink…flowered　Lucca　damask；　patterned

with　birds　and　dotted　with　dainty　blossoms　of　silver；　the　furniture

was　of　massive　silver；　festooned　with　florid　wreaths；　and　swinging

Cupids；　in　front　of　the　two　large　fire…places　stood　great　screens

broidered　with　parrots　and　peacocks；　and　the　floor；　which　was　of

sea…green　onyx；　seemed　to　stretch　far　away　into　the　distance。　　Nor

was　he　alone。　　Standing　under　the　shadow　of　the　doorway；　at　the

extreme　end　of　the　room；　he　saw　a　little　figure　watching　him。　　His

heart　trembled；　a　cry　of　joy　broke　from　his　lips；　and　he　moved　out

into　the　sunlight。　　As　he　did　so；　the　figure　moved　out　also；　and　he

saw　it　plainly。



The　Infanta！　　It　was　a　monster；　the　most　grotesque　monster　he　had

ever　beheld。　　Not　properly　shaped；　as　all　other　people　were；　but

hunchbacked；　and　crooked…limbed；　with　huge　lolling　head　and　mane　of

black　hair。　　The　little　Dwarf　frowned；　and　the　monster　frowned

also。　　He　laughed；　and　it　laughed　with　him；　and　held　its　hands　to

its　sides；　just　as　he　himself　was　doing。　　He　made　it　a　mocking　bow；

and　it　returned　him　a　low　reverence。　　He　went　towards　it；　and　it

came　to　meet　him；　copying　each　step　that　he　made；　and　stopping　when

he　stopped　himself。　　He　shouted　with　amusement；　and　ran　forward；

and　reached　out　his　hand；　and　the　hand　of　the　monster　touched　his；

and　it　was　as　cold　as　ice。　　He　grew　afraid；　and　moved　his　hand

across；　and　the　monster's　hand　followed　it　quickly。　　He　tried　to

press　on；　but　something　smooth　and　hard　stopped　him。　　The　face　of

the　monster　was　now　close　to　his　own；　and　seemed　full　of　terror。

He　brushed　his　hair　off　his　eyes。　　It　imitated　him。　　He　struck　at

it；　and　it　returned　blow　for　blow。　　He　loathed　it；　and　it　made

hideous　faces　at　him。　　He　drew　back；　and　it　retreated。



What　is　it？　　He　thought　for　a　moment；　and　looked　round　at　the　rest

of　the　room。　　It　was　strange；　but　everything　seemed　to　have　its

double　in　this　invisible　wall　of　clear　water。　　Yes；　picture　for

picture　was　repeated；　and　couch　for　couch。　　The　sleeping　Faun　that

lay　in　the　alcove　by　the　doorway　had　its　twin　brother　that

slumbered；　and　the　silver　Venus　that　stood　in　the　sunlight　held　out

her　arms　to　a　Venus　as　lovely　as　herself。



Was　it　Echo？　　He　had　called　to　her　once　in　the　valley；　and　she　had

answered　him　word　for　word。　　Could　she　mock　the　eye；　as　she　mocked

the　voice？　　Could　she　make　a　mimic　world　just　like　the　real　world？

Could　the　shadows　of　things　have　colour　and　life　and　movement？

Could　it　be　that　…　？



He　started；　and　taking　from　his　breast　the　beautiful　white　rose；　he

turned　round；　and　kissed　it。　　The　monster　had　a　rose　of　its　own；

petal　for　petal　the　same！　　It　kissed　it　with　like　kisses；　and

pressed　it　to　its　heart　with　horrible　gestures。



When　the　truth　dawned　upon　him；　he　gave　a　wild　cry　of　despair；　and

fell　sobbing　to　the　ground。　　So　it　was　he　who　was　misshapen　and

hunchbacked；　foul　to　look　at　and　grotesque。　　He　himself　was　the

monster；　and　it　was　at　him　that　all　the　children　had　been　laughing；

and　the　little　Princess　who　he　had　thought　loved　him　…　she　too　had

been　merely　mocking　at　his　ugliness；　and　making　merry　over　his

twisted　limbs。　　Why　had　they　not　left　him　in　the　forest；　where

there　was　no　mirror　to　tell　him　how　loathsome　he　was？　　Why　had　his

father　not　killed　him；　rather　than　sell　him　to　his　shame？　　The　hot

tears　poured　down　his　cheeks；　and　he　tore　the　white　rose　to　pieces。

The　sprawling　monster　did　the　same；　and　scattered　the　faint　petals

in　the　air。　　It　grovelled　on　the　ground；　and；　when　he　looked　at　it；

it　watched　him　with　a　face　drawn　with　pain。　　He　crept　away；　lest　he

should　see　it；　and　covered　his　eyes　with　his　hands。　　He　crawled；

like　some　wounded　thing；　into　the　shadow；　and　lay　there　moaning。



And　at　that　moment　the　Infanta　herself　came　in　with　her　companions

through　the　open　window；　and　when　they　saw　the　ugly　little　dwarf

lying　on　the　ground　and　beating　the　floor　with　his　clenched　hands；

in　the　most　fantastic　and　exaggerated　manner；　they　went　off　into

shouts　of　happy　laughter；　and　stood　all　round　him　and　watched　him。



'His　dancing　was　funny；'　said　the　Infanta；　'but　his　acting