《快乐王子童话集》

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快乐王子童话集- 第15部分


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great many times; it bees true in the end。

suddenly; a sharp; dry cough was heard; and they all looked round。

it came from a tall; supercilious…looking rocket; who was tied to

the end of a long stick。  he always coughed before he made any

observation; so as to attract attention。

〃ahem! ahem!〃 he said; and everybody listened except the poor

catherine wheel; who was still shaking her head; and murmuring;

〃romance is dead。〃

〃order! order!〃 cried out a cracker。  he was something of a

politician; and had always taken a prominent part in the local

elections; so he knew the proper parliamentary expressions to use。

〃quite dead;〃 whispered the catherine wheel; and she went off to

sleep。

as soon as there was perfect silence; the rocket coughed a third

time and began。  he spoke with a very slow; distinct voice; as if

he was dictating his memoirs; and always looked over the shoulder

of the person to whom he was talking。  in fact; he had a most

distinguished manner。

〃how fortunate it is for the kings son;〃 he remarked; 〃that he is

to be married on the very day on which i am to be let off。  really;

if it had been arranged beforehand; it could not have turned out

better for him; but; princes are always lucky。〃

〃dear me!〃 said the little squib; 〃i thought it was quite the other

way; and that we were to be let off in the princes honour。〃

〃it may be so with you;〃 he answered; 〃indeed; i have no doubt that

it is; but with me it is different。  i am a very remarkable rocket;

and e of remarkable parents。  my mother was the most celebrated

catherine wheel of her day; and was renowned for her graceful

dancing。  when she made her great public appearance she spun round

nineteen times before she went out; and each time that she did so

she threw into the air seven pink stars。  she was three feet and a

half in diameter; and made of the very best gunpowder。  my father

was a rocket like myself; and of french extraction。  he flew so

high that the people were afraid that he would never e down

again。  he did; though; for he was of a kindly disposition; and he

made a most brilliant descent in a shower of golden rain。  the

newspapers wrote about his performance in very flattering terms。

indeed; the court gazette called him a triumph of pylotechnic art。〃

〃pyrotechnic; pyrotechnic; you mean;〃 said a bengal light; 〃i know

it is pyrotechnic; for i saw it written on my own canister。〃

〃well; i said pylotechnic;〃 answered the rocket; in a severe tone

of voice; and the bengal light felt so crushed that he began at

once to bully the little squibs; in order to show that he was still

a person of some importance。

〃i was saying;〃 continued the rocket; 〃i was saying … what was i

saying?〃

〃you were talking about yourself;〃 replied the roman candle。

〃of course; i knew i was discussing some interesting subject when i

was so rudely interrupted。  i hate rudeness and bad manners of

every kind; for i am extremely sensitive。  no one in the whole

world is so sensitive as i am; i am quite sure of that。〃

〃what is a sensitive person?〃 said the cracker to the roman candle。

〃a person who; because he has corns himself; always treads on other

peoples toes;〃 answered the roman candle in a low whisper; and the

cracker nearly exploded with laughter。

〃pray; what are you laughing at?〃 inquired the rocket; 〃i am not

laughing。〃

〃i am laughing because i am happy;〃 replied the cracker。

〃that is a very selfish reason;〃 said the rocket angrily。  〃what

right have you to be happy?  you should be thinking about others。

in fact; you should be thinking about me。  i am always thinking

about myself; and i expect everybody else to do the same。  that is

what is called sympathy。  it is a beautiful virtue; and i possess

it in a high degree。  suppose; for instance; anything happened to

me to…night; what a misfortune that would be for every one!  the

prince and princess would never be happy again; their whole married

life would be spoiled; and as for the king; i know he would not get

over it。  really; when i begin to reflect on the importance of my

position; i am almost moved to tears。〃

〃if you want to give pleasure to others;〃 cried the roman candle;

〃you had better keep yourself dry。〃

〃certainly;〃 exclaimed the bengal light; who was now in better

spirits; 〃that is only mon sense。〃

〃mon sense; indeed!〃 said the rocket indignantly; 〃you forget

that i am very unmon; and very remarkable。  why; anybody can

have mon sense; provided that they have no imagination。  but i

have imagination; for i never think of things as they really are; i

always think of them as being quite different。  as for keeping

myself dry; there is evidently no one here who can at all

appreciate an emotional nature。  fortunately for myself; i dont

care。  the only thing that sustains one through life is the

consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else; and

this is a feeling that i have always cultivated。  but none of you

have any hearts。  here you are laughing and making merry just as if

the prince and princess had not just been married。〃

〃well; really;〃 exclaimed a small fire…balloon; 〃why not?  it is a

most joyful occasion; and when i soar up into the air i intend to

tell the stars all about it。  you will see them twinkle when i talk

to them about the pretty bride。〃

〃ah! what a trivial view of life!〃 said the rocket; 〃but it is only

what i expected。  there is nothing in you; you are hollow and

empty。  why; perhaps the prince and princess may go to live in a

country where there is a deep river; and perhaps they may have one

only son; a little fair…haired boy with violet eyes like the prince

himself; and perhaps some day he may go out to walk with his nurse;

and perhaps the nurse may go to sleep under a great elder…tree; and

perhaps the little boy may fall into the deep river and be drowned。

what a terrible misfortune!  poor people; to lose their only son!

it is really too dreadful!  i shall never get over it。〃

〃but they have not lost their only son;〃 said the roman candle; 〃no

misfortune has happened to them at all。〃

〃i never said that they had;〃 replied the rocket; 〃i said that they

might。  if they had lost their only son there would be no use in

saying anything more about the matter。  i hate people who cry over

spilt milk。  but when i think that they might lose their only son;

i certainly am very much affected。〃

〃you certainly are!〃 cried the bengal light。  〃in fact; you are the

most affected person i ever met。〃

〃you are the rudest person i ever met;〃 said the rocket; 〃and you

cannot understand my friendship for the prince。〃

〃why; you dont even know him;〃 growled the roman candle。

〃i never said i knew him;〃 answered the rocket。  〃i dare say that

if i knew him i should not be his friend at all。  it is a very

dangerous thing to know ones friends。〃

〃you had really better keep yourself dry;〃 said the fire…balloon。

〃that is the important thing。〃

〃very important for you; i have no doubt;〃 answered the rocket;

〃but i shall weep if i choose〃; and he actually burst into real

tears; which flowed down his stick like rain…drops; and nearly

drowned two little beetles; who were just thinking of setting up

house together; and were looking for a nice dry spot to live in。

〃he must have a truly romantic nature;〃 said the catherine wheel;

〃for he weeps when there is nothing at all to weep about〃; and she

heaved a deep sigh; and thought about the deal box。

but the roman candle and the bengal light were quite indignant; and

kept saying; 〃humbug! humbug!〃 at the top of their voices。  they

were extremely practical; and whenever they objected to anything

they called it humbug。

then the moon rose like a wonderful silver shield; and the stars

began to shine; and a sound of music came from the palace。

the prince and princess were leading the dance。  they danced so

beautifully that the tall white lilies peeped in at the window and

watched them; and the great red poppies nodded their heads and beat

time。

then ten oclock struck; and then eleven; and then twelve; and at

the last stroke of midnight every one came out on the terrace; and

the king sent for the royal pyrotechnist。

〃let the fireworks begin;〃 said the king; and the royal

pyrotechnist made a low bow; and marched down to the end of the

garden。  he had six attendants with him; each of whom carried a

lighted torch at the end of a long pole。

it was certainly a magnificent display。

whizz! whizz! went the catherine wheel; as she spun round and

round。  boom!  boom! went the roman candle。  then the squibs danced

all over the place; and the bengal lights made everything look

scarlet。  〃good…bye;〃 cried the fire…balloon; as he soared away;

dropping tiny blue sparks。  bang! bang! answered the crackers; who

were enjoying themselves immensely。  every one was a great success

except the remarkable rocket。  he was so damp with crying that he

could not go off at all。  the best thing in him wa
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