the little lame prince-第4部分

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ody　knew　anything；　or　in　the　least　suspected　the　real　fact。

And　what　was　the　fact？　Why；　that　this　tower；　which　seemed　a　mere　mass　of　masonry；　utterly　forsaken　and　uninhabited；　was　not　so　at　all。　Within　twenty　feet　of　the　top　some　ingenious　architect　had　planned　a　perfect　little　house；　divided　into　four　roomsas　by　drawing　a　cross　within　a　circle　you　will　see　might　easily　be　done。　By　making　skylights；　and　a　few　slits　in　the　walls　for　windows；　and　raising　a　peaked　roof　which　was　hidden　by　the　parapet；　here　was　a　dwelling　complete；　eighty　feet　from　the　ground；　and　as　inaccessible　as　a　rook's　nest　on　the　top　of　a　tree。

A　charming　place　to　live　in！　if　you　once　got　up　there；and　never　wanted　to　come　down　again。

Insidethough　nobody　could　have　looked　inside　except　a　bird；　and　hardly　even　a　bird　flew　past　that　lonely　towerinside　it　was　furnished　with　all　the　comfort　and　elegance　imaginable；　with　lots　of　books　and　toys；　and　everything　that　the　heart　of　a　child　could　desire。　For　its　only　inhabitant；　except　a　nurse　of　course；　was　a　poor　solitary　child。

One　winter　night；　when　all　the　plain　was　white　with　moonlight；　there　was　seen　crossing　it　a　great　tall　black　horse；　ridden　by　a　man　also　big　and　equally　black；　carrying　before　him　on　the　saddle　a　woman　and　a　child。　The　woman　she　had　a　sad；　fierce　look；　and　no　wonder；　for　she　was　a　criminal　under　sentence　of　death；　but　her　sentence　had　been　changed　to　almost　as　severe　a　punishment。　She　was　to　inhabit　the　lonely　tower　with　the　child；　and　was　allowed　to　live　as　long　as　the　child　livedno　longer。　This　in　order　that　she　might　take　the　utmost　care　of　him；　for　those　who　put　him　there　were　equally　afraid　of　his　dying　and　of　his　living。

Yet　he　was　only　a　little　gentle　boy；　with　a　sweet；　sleepy　smilehe　had　been　very　tired　with　his　long　journeyand　clinging　arms；　which　held　tight　to　the　man's　neck；　for　he　was　rather　frightened；　and　the　face；　black　as　it　was；　looked　kindly　at　him。　And　he　was　very　helpless；　with　his　poor；　small　shriveled　legs；　which　could　neither　stand　nor　run　awayfor　the　little　forlorn　boy　was　Prince　Dolor。

He　had　not　been　dead　at　allor　buried　either。　His　grand　funeral　had　been　a　mere　pretense：　a　wax　figure　having　been　put　in　his　place；　while　he　himself　was　spirited　away　under　charge　of　these　two；　the　condemned　woman　and　the　black　man。　The　latter　was　deaf　and　dumb；　so　could　neither　tell　nor　repeat　anything。

When　they　reached　the　foot　of　the　tower；　there　was　light　enough　to　see　a　huge　chain　dangling　from　the　parapet；　but　dangling　only　halfway。　The　deaf…mute　took　from　his　saddle…　wallet　a　sort　of　ladder；　arranged　in　pieces　like　a　puzzle；　fitted　it　together；　and　lifted　it　up　to　meet　the　chain。　Then　he　mounted　to　the　top　of　the　tower；　and　slung　from　it　a　sort　of　chair；　in　which　the　woman　and　the　child　placed　themselves　and　were　drawn　up；　never　to　come　down　again　as　long　as　they　lived。　Leaving　them　there；　the　man　descended　the　ladder；　took　it　to　pieces　again　and　packed　it　in　his　pack；　mounted　the　horse　and　disappeared　across　the　plain。

Every　month　they　used　to　watch　for　him；　appearing　like　a　speck　in　the　distance。　He　fastened　his　horse　to　the　foot　of　the　tower；　and　climbed　it；　as　before；　laden　with　provisions　and　many　other　things。　He　always　saw　the　Prince；　so　as　to　make　sure　that　the　child　was　alive　and　well；　and　then　went　away　until　the　following　month。

While　his　first　childhood　lasted　Prince　Dolor　was　happy　enough。　He　had　every　luxury　that　even　a　prince　could　need；　and　the　one　thing　wanting；love；never　having　known；　he　did　not　miss。　His　nurse　was　very　kind　to　him　though　she　was　a　wicked　woman。　But　either　she　had　not　been　quite　so　wicked　as　people　said；　or　she　grew　better　through　being　shut　up　continually　with　a　little　innocent　child　who　was　dependent　upon　her　for　every　comfort　and　pleasure　of　his　life。

It　was　not　an　unhappy　life。　There　was　nobody　to　tease　or　ill…use　him；　and　he　was　never　ill。　He　played　about　from　room　to　roomthere　were　four　rooms；　parlor；　kitchen；　his　nurse's　bedroom；　and　his　own；　learned　to　crawl　like　a　fly；　and　to　jump　like　a　frog；　and　to　run　about　on　all…fours　almost　as　fast　as　a　puppy。　In　fact；　he　was　very　much　like　a　puppy　or　a　kitten；　as　thoughtless　and　as　merryscarcely　ever　cross；　though　sometimes　a　little　weary。

As　he　grew　older；　he　occasionally　liked　to　be　quiet　for　a　while；　and　then　he　would　sit　at　the　slits　of　windowswhich　were；　however；　much　bigger　than　they　looked　from　the　bottom　of　the　towerand　watch　the　sky　above　and　the　ground　below；　with　the　storms　sweeping　over　and　the　sunshine　coming　and　going；　and　the　shadows　of　the　clouds　running　races　across　the　blank　plain。

By　and　by　he　began　to　learn　lessonsnot　that　his　nurse　had　been　ordered　to　teach　him；　but　she　did　it　partly　to　amuse　herself。　She　was　not　a　stupid　woman；　and　Prince　Dolor　was　by　no　means　a　stupid　boy；　so　they　got　on　very　well；　and　his　continual　entreaty；　〃What　can　I　do？　what　can　you　find　me　to　do？〃　was　stopped；　at　least　for　an　hour　or　two　in　the　day。

It　was　a　dull　life；　but　he　had　never　known　any　other；　anyhow；　he　remembered　no　other；　and　he　did　not　pity　himself　at　all。　Not　for　a　long　time；　till　he　grew　quite　a　big　little　boy；　and　could　read　quite　easily。　Then　he　suddenly　took　to　books；　which　the　deaf…mute　brought　him　from　time　to　timebooks　which；　not　being　acquainted　with　the　literature　of　Nomansland；　I　cannot　describe；　but　no　doubt　they　were　very　interesting；　and　they　informed　him　of　everything　in　the　outside　world；　and　filled　him　with　an　intense　longing　to　see　it。

From　this　time　a　change　came　over　the　boy。　He　began　to　look　sad　and　thin；　and　to　shut　himself　up　for　hours　without　speaking。　For　his　nurse　hardly　spoke；　and　whatever　questions　he　asked　beyond　their　ordinary　daily　life　she　never　answered。　She　had；　indeed；　been　forbidden；　on　pain　of　death；　to　tell　him　anything　about　himself；　who　he　was；　or　what　he　might　have　been。

He　knew　he　was　Prince　Dolor；　because　she　always　addressed　him　as　〃My　Prince〃　and　〃Your　Royal　Highness；〃　but　what　a　prince　was　he　had　not　the　least　idea。　He　had　no　idea　of　anything　in　the　world；　except　what　he　found　in　his　books。

He　sat　one　day　surrounded　by　them；　having　built　them　up　round　him　like　a　little　castle　wall。　He　had　been　reading　them　half　the　day；　but　feeling　all　the　while　that　to　read　about　things　which　you　never　can　see　is　like　hearing　about　a　beautiful　dinner　while　you　are　starving。　For　almost　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　grew　melancholy；　his　hands　fell　on　his　lap；　he　sat　gazing　out　of　the　window…slit　upon　the　view　outside　the　view　he　had　looked　at　every　day　of　his　life；　and　might　look　at　for　endless　days　more。

Not　a　very　cheerful　view；just　the　plain　and　the　sky；but　he　liked　it。　He　used　to　think；　if　he　could　only　fly　out　of　that　window；　up　to　the　sky　or　down　to　the　plain；　how　nice　it　would　be！　Perhaps　when　he　diedhis　nurse　had　told　him　once　in　anger　that　he　would　never　leave　the　tower　till　he　diedhe　might　be　able　to　do　this。　Not　that　he　understood　much　what　dying　meant；　but　it　must　be　a　change；　and　any　change　seemed　to　him　a　blessing。

〃And　I　wish　I　had　somebody　to　tell　me　all　about　itabout　that　and　many　other　things；　somebody　that　would　be　fond　of　me；　like　my　poor　white　kitten。〃

Here　the　tears　came　into　his　eyes；　for　the　boy's　one　friend；　the　one　interest　of　his　life；　had　been　a　little　white　kitten；　which　the　deaf…mute；　kindly　smiling；　once　took　out　of　his　pocket　and　gave　himthe　only　living　creature　Prince　Dolor　had　ever　seen。

For　four　weeks　it　was　his　constant　plaything　and　companion；　till　one　moonlight　night　it　took　a　fancy　for　wandering；　climbed　on　to　the　parapet　of　the　tower；　dropped　over　and　disap…　peared。　It　was　not　killed；　he　hoped；　for　cats　have　nine　lives；　indeed；　he　almost　fancied　he　saw　it　pick　itself　up　and　scamper　away；　but　he　never　caught　sight　of　it　more。

〃Yes；　I　wish　I　had　something　better　than　a　kittena　person；　a　real　live　person；　who　would　be　fond　of　me　and　kind　to　me。　Oh；　I　want　somebody　dreadfully；　dreadfully！〃

As　he　spoke；　there　sounded　behind　him　a　slight　tap…tap…tap；　as　of　a　stick　or　a　cane；　and　twisting　himself　round；　he　sawwhat　do　you　think　he　saw？

Nothing　either　frightening　or　ugly；　but　still　exceedingly　curious。　A　little　woman；　no　bigger　than　he　might　himself　have　been　had　his　legs　grown　like　those　of　other　children；　but　she　was　not　a　childshe　was　an　old　woman。　Her　hair　was　gray；　and　her　dress　was　gray；　and　there　was　a　gray　shadow　over　her　wherever　she　moved。　But　she　had　the　sweetest　smile；　the　prettiest　hands；　and　when　she　spoke　it　was　in　the　softest　voice　imaginable。

〃My　dear　little　boy；〃and　dropping　her　cane；　the　only　bright　and　rich　thing　about　her；　she　laid　those　two　tiny　hands　on　his　shoulders；　〃my　own　little　boy；　I　could　not　come　to　you　until　you　had　said　you　wanted　me；　but　now　you　do　want　me；　here　I　am。〃

〃And　you　are　very　welcome；　madam；〃　replied　the　Prince；　trying　to　speak　politely；　as　princes　always　did　in　books；　〃and　I　am　exceedingly　obliged　to　you。　May　I　ask　who　you　are？　Perhaps　my　mother？〃　For　he　knew　that　little　boys　usually　had　a　mother；　and　had　occasionally　wondered　what　had　become　of　his　own。

〃No；〃　said　the　visitor；　with　a　tender；　half…　sad　smile；　putting　back　the　hair　from　his　forehead；　and　looking　right　into　his　eyes〃no；　I　am　not　your　mother；　though　she　was　a　dear　friend　of　mine；　and　you　are　as　like　her　as　ever　you　can　be。〃

〃Will　you　tell　her　to　come　and　see　me；　then？〃

〃She　cannot；　but　I　dare　say　she　knows　all　about　you。　And　she　loves　you　very　muchand　so　do　I；　and　I　want　to　help　you　all　I　can；　my　poor　little　boy。〃

〃Why　do　you　call　me　poor？〃　asked　Prince　Dolor；　in　surprise。

The　little　old　woman　glanced　down　on　his　legs　and　feet；　which　he　did　not　know　were　different　from　those　of　other　children；　and　then　at　his　sweet；　bright　face；　which；　though　he　knew　not　that　either；　was　exceedingly　different　from　many　children's　faces；　which　are　often　so　fretful；　cross；　sullen。　Looking　at　him；　instead　of　sighing；　she　smiled。　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　my　Prince；〃　said　she。

〃Yes；　I　am　a　prince；　and　my　name　is　Dolor；　will　you　tell　me　yours；　madam？〃

The　little　old　woman　laughed　like　a　chime　of　silver　bells。

〃I　have　not　got　a　nameor；　rather；　I　have　so　many　names　that　I　don't　know　which　to　choose。　However；　it　was　I　who　gave　you　yours；　and　you　will　belong　to　me　all　yo