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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