16-the white cat-第2章

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now；〃　she　added；　〃let　supper　be　served；　and　let　the

musicians　be　silent；　as　the　Prince　does　not　understand　what

they　are　saying。〃



So　the　mysterious　hands　began　to　bring　in　the　supper；

and　first　they　put　on　the　table　two　dishes；　one　containing

stewed　pigeons　and　the　other　a　fricassee　of　fat　mice。　The

sight　of　the　latter　made　the　Prince　feel　as　if　he　could　not

enjoy　his　supper　at　all；　but　the　White　Cat；　seeing　this；

assured　him　that　the　dishes　intended　for　him　were　prepared

in　a　separate　kitchen；　and　he　might　be　quite　certain

that　they　contained　neither　rats　nor　mice；　and　the　Prince

felt　so　sure　that　she　would　not　deceive　him　that　he　had　no

more　hesitation　in　beginning。　Presently　he　noticed　that

on　the　little　paw　that　was　next　him　the　White　Cat　wore　a

bracelet　containing　a　portrait；　and　he　begged　to　be　allowed

to　look　at　it。　To　his　great　surprise　he　found　it　represented

an　extremely　handsome　young　man；　who　was　so　like　himself

that　it　might　have　been　his　own　portrait！　The　White

Cat　sighed　as　he　looked　at　it；　and　seemed　sadder　than

ever；　and　the　Prince　dared　not　ask　any　questions　for　fear

of　displeasing　her；　so　he　began　to　talk　about　other　things；

and　found　that　she　was　interested　in　all　the　subjects　he

cared　for　himself；　and　seemed　to　know　quite　well　what

was　going　on　in　the　world。　After　supper　they　went　into

another　room；　which　was　fitted　up　as　a　theatre；　and　the

cats　acted　and　danced　for　their　amusement；　and　then　the

White　Cat　said　good…night　to　him；　and　the　hands　conducted

him　into　a　room　he　had　not　seen　before；　hung　with

tapestry　worked　with　butterflies'　wings　of　every　color；

there　were　mirrors　that　reached　from　the　ceiling　to　the

floor；　and　a　little　white　bed　with　curtains　of　gauze　tied　up

with　ribbons。　The　Prince　went　to　bed　in　silence；　as　he　did

not　quite　know　how　to　begin　a　conversation　with　the

hands　that　waited　on　him；　and　in　the　morning　he　was

awakened　by　a　noise　and　confusion　outside　of　his　window；

and　the　hands　came　and　quickly　dressed　him　in　hunting

costume。　When　he　looked　out　all　the　cats　were　assembled

in　the　courtyard；　some　leading　greyhounds；　some　blowing

horns；　for　the　White　Cat　was　going　out　hunting。　The

hands　led　a　wooden　horse　up　to　the　Prince；　and　seemed

to　expect　him　to　mount　it；　at　which　he　was　very　indignant；

but　it　was　no　use　for　him　to　object；　for　he　speedily

found　himself　upon　its　back；　and　it　pranced　gaily　off　with

him。



The　White　Cat　herself　was　riding　a　monkey；　which

climbed　even　up　to　the　eagles'　nests　when　she　had　a　fancy

for　the　young　eaglets。　Never　was　there　a　pleasanter　hunting

party；　and　when　they　returned　to　the　castle　the　Prince

and　the　White　Cat　supped　together　as　before；　but　when

they　had　finished　she　offered　him　a　crystal　goblet；　which

must　have　contained　a　magic　draught；　for；　as　soon　as　he

had　swallowed　its　contents；　he　forgot　everything；　even　the

little　dog　that　he　was　seeking　for　the　King；　and　only

thought　how　happy　he　was　to　be　with　the　White　Cat！

And　so　the　days　passed；　in　every　kind　of　amusement；　until

the　year　was　nearly　gone。　The　Prince　had　forgotten　all

about　meeting　his　brothers：　he　did　not　even　know　what

country　he　belonged　to；　but　the　White　Cat　knew　when　he

ought　to　go　back；　and　one　day　she　said　to　him：



〃Do　you　know　that　you　have　only　three　days　left　to

look　for　the　little　dog　for　your　father；　and　your　brothers

have　found　lovely　ones？〃



Then　the　Prince　suddenly　recovered　his　memory；　and

cried：



〃What　can　have　made　me　forget　such　an　important

thing？　My　whole　fortune　depends　upon　it；　and　even　if　I

could　in　such　a　short　time　find　a　dog　pretty　enough　to

gain　me　a　kingdom；　where　should　I　find　a　horse　who　would

carry　me　all　that　way　in　three　days？〃　And　he　began　to

be　very　vexed。　But　the　White　Cat　said　to　him：　〃King's

son；　do　not　trouble　yourself；　I　am　your　friend；　and　will

make　everything　easy　for　you。　You　can　still　stay　here　for

a　day；　as　the　good　wooden　horse　can　take　you　to　your

country　in　twelve　hours。〃



〃I　thank　you；　beautiful　Cat；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃but

what　good　will　it　do　me　to　get　back　if　I　have　not　a　dog　to

take　to　my　father？〃



〃See　here；〃　answered　the　White　Cat；　holding　up　an

acorn；　〃there　is　a　prettier　one　in　this　than　in　the　Dogstar！〃



〃Oh！　White　Cat　dear；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃how　unkind

you　are　to　laugh　at　me　now！〃



〃Only　listen；〃　she　said；　holding　the　acorn　to　his　ear。



And　inside　it　he　distinctly　heard　a　tiny　voice　say：

〃Bow…wow！〃



The　Prince　was　delighted；　for　a　dog　that　can　be　shut　up

in　an　acorn　must　be　very　small　indeed。　He　wanted　to

take　it　out　and　look　at　it；　but　the　White　Cat　said　it　would

be　better　not　to　open　the　acorn　till　he　was　before　the

King；　in　case　the　tiny　dog　should　be　cold　on　the　journey。

He　thanked　her　a　thousand　times；　and　said　good…by　quite

sadly　when　the　time　came　for　him　to　set　out。



〃The　days　have　passed　so　quickly　with　you；〃　he　said；

〃I　only　wish　I　could　take　you　with　me　now。〃



But　the　White　Cat　shook　her　head　and　sighed　deeply

in　answer。



After　all　the　Prince　was　the　first　to　arrive　at　the　castle

where　he　had　agreed　to　meet　his　brothers；　but　they　came

soon　after；　and　stared　in　amazement　when　they　saw　the

wooden　horse　in　the　courtyard　jumping　like　a　hunter。



The　Prince　met　them　joyfully；　and　they　began　to　tell

him　all　their　adventures；　but　he　managed　to　hide　from

them　what　he　had　been　doing；　and　even　led　them　to　think

that　a　turnspit　dog　which　he　had　with　him　was　the　one　he

was　bringing　for　the　King。　Fond　as　they　all　were　of　one

another；　the　two　eldest　could　not　help　being　glad　to　think

that　their　dogs　certainly　had　a　better　chance。　The　next

morning　they　started　in　the　same　chariot。　The　elder

brothers　carried　in　baskets　two　such　tiny；　fragile　dogs

that　they　hardly　dared　to　touch　them。　As　for　the　turnspit；

he　ran　after　the　chariot；　and　got　so　covered　with　mud

that　one　could　hardly　see　what　he　was　like　at　all。　When

they　reached　the　palace　everyone　crowded　round　to　welcome

them　as　they　went　into　the　King's　great　hall；　and

when　the　two　brothers　presented　their　little　dogs　nobody

could　decide　which　was　the　prettier。　They　were　already

arranging　between　themselves　to　share　the　kingdom

equally；　when　the　youngest　stepped　forward；　drawing

from　his　pocket　the　acorn　the　White　Cat　had　given　him。

He　opened　it　quickly；　and　there　upon　a　white　cushion

they　saw　a　dog　so　small　that　it　could　easily　have　been　put

through　a　ring。　The　Prince　laid　it　upon　the　ground；　and

it　got　up　at　once　and　began　to　dance。　The　King　did　not

know　what　to　say；　for　it　was　impossible　that　anything

could　be　prettier　than　this　little　creature。　Nevertheless；　as

he　was　in　no　hurry　to　part　with　his　crown；　he　told　his　sons

that；　as　they　had　been　so　successful　the　first　time；　he

would　ask　them　to　go　once　again；　and　seek　by　land　and　sea

for　a　piece　of　muslin　so　fine　that　it　could　be　drawn　through

the　eye　of　a　needle。　The　brothers　were　not　very　willing　to

set　out　again；　but　the　two　eldest　consented　because　it　gave

them　another　chance；　and　they　started　as　before。　The

youngest　again　mounted　the　wooden　horse；　and　rode　back

at　full　speed　to　his　beloved　White　Cat。　Every　door　of　the

castle　stood　wide　open；　and　every　window　and　turret　was

illuminated；　so　it　looked　more　wonderful　than　before。

The　hands　hastened　to　meet　him；　and　led　the　wooden

horse　off　to　the　stable；　while　he　hurried　in　to　find　the

White　Cat。　She　was　asleep　in　a　little　basket　on　a　white

satin　cushion；　but　she　very　soon　started　up　when　she

heard　the　Prince；　and　was　overjoyed　at　seeing　him　once

more。



〃How　could　I　hope　that　you　would　come　back　to　me

King's　son？〃　she　said。　And　then　he　stroked　and　petted

her；　and　told　her　of　his　successful　journey；　and　how　he　had

come　back　to　ask　her　help；　as　he　believed　that　it　was

impossible　to　find　what　the　King　demanded。　The　White

Cat　looked　serious；　and　said　she　must　think　what　was　to

be　done；　but　that；　luckily；　there　were　so