21-the wonderful sheep-第4部分

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ever　forget　my　cruelty？　I　ordered　you　to　be　put　to　death

because　I　thought　your　dream　portended　the　loss　of　my

crown。　And　so　it　did；〃　he　added；　〃for　now　your　sisters

are　both　married　and　have　kingdoms　of　their　ownand

mine　shall　be　for　you。〃　So　saying　he　put　his　crown　on　the

Princess's　head　and　cried：



〃Long　live　Queen　Miranda！〃



All　the　Court　cried：　〃Long　live　Queen　Miranda！〃　after

him；　and　the　young　Queen's　two　sisters　came　running　up；

and　threw　their　arms　round　her　neck；　and　kissed　her　a

thousand　times；　and　then　there　was　such　a　laughing　and

crying；　talking　and　kissing；　all　at　once；　and　Miranda

thanked　her　father；　and　began　to　ask　after　everyone

particularly　the　Captain　of　the　Guard；　to　whom　she　owed

so　much；　but；　to　her　great　sorrow；　she　heard　that　he　was

dead。　Presently　they　sat　down　to　the　banquet；　and　the

King　asked　Miranda　to　tell　them　all　that　had　happened

to　her　since　the　terrible　morning　when　he　had　sent　the

Captain　of　the　Guard　to　fetch　her。　This　she　did　with　so

much　spirit　that　all　the　guests　listened　with　breathless

interest。　But　while　she　was　thus　enjoying　herself　with

the　King　and　her　sisters；　the　King　of　the　Sheep　was　waiting

impatiently　for　the　time　of　her　return；　and　when　it

came　and　went；　and　no　Princess　appeared；　his　anxiety

became　so　great　that　he　could　bear　it　no　longer。



〃She　is　not　coming　back　any　more；〃　he　cried。　〃My

miserable　sheep's　face　displeases　her；　and　without

Miranda　what　is　left　to　me；　wretched　creature　that　I　am！

Oh！　cruel　Ragotte；　my　punishment　is　complete。〃



For　a　long　time　he　bewailed　his　sad　fate　like　this；　and

then；　seeing　that　it　was　growing　dark；　and　that　still　there

was　no　sign　of　the　Princess；　he　set　out　as　fast　as　he　could

in　the　direction　of　the　town。　When　he　reached　the　palace

he　asked　for　Miranda；　but　by　this　time　everyone　had

heard　the　story　of　her　adventures；　and　did　not　want　her

to　go　back　again　to　the　King　of　the　Sheep；　so　they　refused

sternly　to　let　him　see　her。　In　vain　he　begged　and　prayed

them　to　let　him　in；　though　his　entreaties　might　have

melted　hearts　of　stone　they　did　not　move　the　guards　of

the　palace；　and　at　last；　quite　broken…hearted；　he　fell　dead

at　their　feet。



In　the　meantime　the　King；　who　had　not　the　least　idea

of　the　sad　thing　that　was　happening　outside　the　gate　of　his

palace；　proposed　to　Miranda　that　she　should　be　driven　in

her　chariot　all　round　the　town；　which　was　to　be　illuminated

with　thousands　and　thousands　of　torches；　placed　in

windows　and　balconies；　and　in　all　the　grand　squares。

But　what　a　sight　met　her　eyes　at　the　very　entrance　of　the

palace！　There　lay　her　dear；　kind　sheep；　silent　and　motionless；

upon　the　pavement！



She　threw　herself　out　of　the　chariot　and　ran　to　him；

crying　bitterly；　for　she　realized　that　her　broken　promise

had　cost　him　his　life；　and　for　a　long；　long　time　she　was　so

unhappy　that　they　thought　she　would　have　died　too。



So　you　see　that　even　a　princess　is　not　always　happy

especially　if　she　forgets　to　keep　her　word；　and　the　greatest

misfortunes　often　happen　to　people　just　as　they　think　they

have　obtained　their　heart's　desires！＇1＇





＇1＇　Madame　d'Aulnoy。