《王尔德童话四则(英文版)》

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王尔德童话四则(英文版)- 第5部分


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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 is

funnier still。  Indeed he is almost as good as the puppets; only of

course not quite so natural。'  And she fluttered her big fan; and

applauded。



But the little Dwarf never looked up; and his sobs grew fainter and

fainter; and suddenly he gave a curious gasp; and clutched his

side。  And then he fell back again; and lay quite still。



'That is capital;' said the Infanta; after a pause; 'but now you

must dance for me。'



'Yes;' cried all the children; 'you must get up and dance; for you

are as clever as the Barbary apes; and much more ridiculous。'  But

the little Dwarf made no answer。



And the Infanta stamped her foot; and called out to her uncle; who

was walking on the terrace with the Chamberlain; reading some

despatches that had just arrived from Mexico; where the Holy Office

had recently been established。  'My funny little dwarf is sulking;'

she cried; 'you must wake him up; and tell him to dance for me。'



They smiled at each other; and sauntered in; and Don Pedro stooped

down; and slapped the Dwarf on the cheek with his embroidered

glove。  'You must dance;' he said; 'PETIT MONSIRE。  You must dance。

The Infanta of Spain and the Indies wishes to be amused。'



But the little Dwarf never moved。



'A whipping master should be sent for;' said Don Pedro wearily; and

he went back to the terrace。  But the Chamberlain looked grave; and

he knelt beside the little dwarf; and put his hand upon his heart。

And after a few moments he shrugged his shoulders; and rose up; and

having made a low bow to the Infanta; he said …



'MI BELLA PRINCESA; your funny little dwarf will never dance again。

It is a pity; for he is so ugly that he might have made the King

smile。'



'But why will he not dance again?' asked the Infanta; laughing。



'Because his heart is broken;' answered the Chamberlain。



And the Infanta frowned; and her dainty rose…leaf lips curled in

pretty disdain。  'For the future let those who come to play with me

have no hearts;' she cried; and she ran out into the garden。

 

 

年轻的国王
THE YOUNG KING





'TO MARGARET LADY BROOKE … THE RANEE OF SARAWAK'





It was the night before the day fixed for his coronation; and the

young King was sitting alone in his beautiful chamber。  His

courtiers had all taken their leave of him; bowing their heads to

the ground; according to the ceremonious usage of the day; and had

retired to the Great Hall of the Palace; to receive a few last

lessons from the Professor of Etiquette; there being some of them

anners; which in a courtier is; I need

hardly say; a very grave offence。



The lad … for he was only a lad; being but sixteen years of age …

was not sorry at their departure; and had flung himself back with a

deep sigh of relief on the soft cushions of his embroidered couch;

lying there; wild…eyed and open…mouthed; like a brown woodland

Faun; or some young animal of the forest newly snared by the

hunters。



And; indeed; it was the hunters who had found him; coming upon him

almost by chance as; bare…limbed and pipe in hand; he was following

the flock of the poor goatherd who had brought him up; and whose

son he had always fancied himself to be。  The child of the old

King's only daughter by a secret marriage with one much beneath her

in station … a stranger; some said; who; by the wonderful magic of

his lute…playing; had made the young Princess love him; while

others spoke of an artist from Rimini; to whom the Princess had

shown much; perhaps too much honour; and who had suddenly

disappeared from the city; leaving his work in the Cathedral

unfinished … he had been; when but a week old; stolen away from his

mother's side; as she slept; and given into the charge of a common

peasant and his wife; who were without children of their own; and

lived in a remote part of the forest; more than a day's ride from

the town。  Grief; or the plague; as the court physician stated; or;

as some suggested; a swift Italian poison administered in a cup of

spiced wine; slew; within an hour of her wakening; the white girl

who had given him birth; and as the trusty messenger who bare the

child across his saddle…bow stooped from his weary horse and

knocked at the rude door of the goatherd's hut; the body of the

Princess was being lowered into an open grave that had been dug in

a deserted churchyard; beyond the city gates; a grave where it was

said that another body was also lying; that of a young man of

marvellous and foreign beauty; whose hands were tied behind him

with a knotted cord; and whose breast was stabbed with many red

wounds。



Such; at least; was the story that men whispered to each other。

Certain it was that the old King; when on his deathbed; whether

moved by remorse for his great sin; or merely desiring that the

kingdom should not pass away from his line; had had the lad sent

for; and; in the presence of the Council
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