13-the invisible prince-第3章

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The　invisible　Prince　recognised　these　dead　men　as　Kings　of　two

large　islands　near　his　own　home；　but　the　names　of　the　Princesses

were　unknown　to　him。　　He　grieved　for　their　unhappy　fate；　and　at

once　proceeded　to　bury　them；　but　no　sooner　had　he　laid　them　in

their　graves；　than　their　hands　started　up　through　the　earth　and

remained　sticking　up　like　those　of　their　fellows。



The　Prince　went　on　his　way；　thinking　about　this　strange

adventure；　when　suddenly　at　the　turn　of　the　walk　he　perceived　a

tall　man　whose　face　was　the　picture　of　misery；　holding　in　his

hands　a　silken　cord　of　the　exact　colour　of　those　round　the　necks

of　the　dead　men。　　A　few　steps　further　this　man　came　up　with

another　as　miserable　to　the　full　as　he　himself；　they　silently

embraced；　and　then　without　a　word　passed　the　cords　round　their

throats；　and　fell　dead　side　by　side。　　In　vain　the　Prince　rushed

to　their　assistance　and　strove　to　undo　the　cord。　　He　could　not

loosen　it；　so　he　buried　them　like　the　others　and　continued　his

path。



He　felt；　however；　that　great　prudence　was　necessary；　or　he

himself　might　become　the　victim　of　some　enchantment；　and　he　was

thankful　to　slip　past　the　dragons；　and　enter　a　beautiful　park；

with　clear　streams　and　sweet　flowers；　and　a　crowd　of　men　and

maidens。　　But　he　could　not　forget　the　terrible　things　he　had

seen；　and　hoped　eagerly　for　a　clue　to　the　mystery。　　Noticing　two

young　people　talking　together；　he　drew　near　thinking　that　he

might　get　some　explanation　of　what　puzzled　him。　　And　so　he　did。



'You　swear；'　said　the　Prince；　'that　you　will　love　me　till　you

die；　but　I　fear　your　faithless　heart；　and　I　feel　that　I　shall

soon　have　to　seek　the　Fairy　Despair；　ruler　of　half　this　island。　

She　carries　off　the　lovers　who　have　been　cast　away　by　their

mistresses；　and　wish　to　have　done　with　life。　　She　places　them　in

a　labyrinth　where　they　are　condemned　to　walk　for　ever；　with　a

bracelet　on　their　arms　and　a　cord　round　their　necks；　unless　they

meet　another　as　miserable　as　themselves。　　Then　the　cord　is　pulled

and　they　lie　where　they　fall；　till　they　are　buried　by　the　first

passer　by。　　Terrible　as　this　death　would　be；'　added　the　Prince；

'it　would　be　sweeter　than　life　if　I　had　lost　your　love。'



The　sight　of　all　these　happy　lovers　only　made　the　Prince　grieve

the　more；　and　he　wandered　along　the　seashore　spending　his　days；

but　one　day　he　was　sitting　on　a　rock　bewailing　his　fate；　and　the

impossibility　of　leaving　the　island；　when　all　in　a　moment　the　sea

appeared　to　raise　itself　nearly　to　the　skies；　and　the　caves

echoed　with　hideous　screams。　　As　he　looked　a　woman　rose　from　the

depths　of　the　sea；　flying　madly　before　a　furious　giant。　　The

cries　she　uttered　softened　the　heart　of　the　Prince；　he　took　the

stone　from　his　mouth；　and　drawing　his　sword　he　rushed　after　the

giant；　so　as　to　give　the　lady　time　to　escape。　　But　hardly　had　he

come　within　reach　of　the　enemy；　than　the　giant　touched　him　with　a

ring　that　he　held　in　his　hand；　and　the　Prince　remained　immovable

where　he　stood。　　The　giant　then　hastily　rejoined　his　prey；　and；

seizing　her　in　his　arms；　he　plunged　her　into　the　sea。　　Then　he

sent　some　tritons　to　bind　chains　about　the　Prince　of　the　Golden

Isle；　and　he　too　felt　himself　borne　to　the　depths　of　the　ocean；

and　without　the　hope　of　ever　again　seeing　the　Princess。



Now　the　giant　whom　the　invisible　had　so　rashly　attacked　was　the

Lord　of　the　Sea；　and　the　third　son　of　the　Queen　of　the　Elements；

and　he　had　touched　the　youth　with　a　magic　ring　which　enabled　a

mortal　to　live　under　water。　　So　the　Prince　of　the　Golden　Isle

found；　when　bound　in　chains　by　the　tritons；　he　was　carried

through　the　homes　of　strange　monsters　and　past　immense　seaweed

forests；　till　he　reached　a　vast　sandy　space；　surrounded　by　huge

rocks。　　On　the　tallest　of　the　rocks　sat　the　giant　as　on　a　throne。



'Rash　mortal；'　said　he；　when　the　Prince　was　dragged　before　him；

'you　have　deserved　death；　but　you　shall　live　only　to　suffer　more

cruelly。　　Go；　and　add　to　the　number　of　those　whom　it　is　my

pleasure　to　torture。'



At　these　words　the　unhappy　Prince　found　himself　tied　to　a　rock；

but　he　was　not　alone　in　his　misfortunes；　for　all　round　him　were

chained　Princes　and　Princesses；　whom　the　giant　had　led　captive。　

Indeed；　it　was　his　chief　delight　to　create　a　storm；　in　order　to

add　to　the　list　of　his　prisoners。



As　his　hands　were　fastened；　it　was　impossible　for　the　Prince　of

the　Golden　Isle　to　make　use　of　his　magic　stone；　and　he　passed　his

nights　and　days　dreaming　of　Rosalie。　　But　at　last　the　time　came

when　the　giant　took　it　into　his　head　to　amuse　himself　by

arranging　fights　between　some　of　his　captives。　　Lots　were　drawn；

and　one　fell　upon　our　Prince；　whose　chains　were　immediately

loosened。　　The　moment　he　was　set　free；　he　snatched　up　his　stone；

and　became　invisible。



The　astonishment　of　the　giant　at　the　sudden　disappearance　of　the

Prince　may　well　be　imagined。　　He　ordered　all　the　passages　to　be

watched；　but　it　was　too　late；　for　the　Prince　had　already　glided

between　two　rocks。　　He　wandered　for　a　long　while　through　the

forests；　where　he　met　nothing　but　fearful　monsters；　he　climbed

rock　after　rock；　steered　his　way　from　tree　to　tree；　till　at

length　he　arrived　at　the　edge　of　the　sea；　at　the　foot　of　a

mountain　that　he　remembered　to　have　seen　in　the　cabinet　of　the

present；　where　Rosalie　was　held　captive。



Filled　with　joy；　he　made　his　way　to　the　top　of　the　mountain　which

pierced　the　clouds；　and　there　he　found　a　palace。　　He　entered；　and

in　the　middle　of　a　long　gallery　he　discovered　a　crystal　room；　in

the　midst　of　which　sat　Rosalie；　guarded　night　and　day　by　genii。　

There　was　no　door　anywhere；　nor　any　window。　　At　this　sight　the

Prince　became　more　puzzled　than　ever；　for　he　did　not　know　how　he

was　to　warn　Rosalie　of　his　return。　　Yet　it　broke　his　heart　to　see

her　weeping　from　dawn　till　dark。



One　day；　as　Rosalie　was　walking　up　and　down　her　room；　she　was

surprised　to　see　that　the　crystal　which　served　for　a　wall　had

grown　cloudy；　as　if　some　one　had　breathed　on　it；　and；　what　was

more；　wherever　she　moved　the　brightness　of　the　crystal　always

became　clouded。　　This　was　enough　to　cause　the　Princess　to　suspect

that　her　lover　had　returned。　　In　order　to　set　the　Prince　of　the

Air's　mind　at　rest　she　began　by　being　very　gracious　to　him；　so

that　when　she　begged　that　her　captivity　might　be　a　little

lightened　she　should　not　be　refused。　　At　first　the　only　favour

she　asked　was　to　be　allowed　to　walk　for　one　hour　every　day　up　and

down　the　long　gallery。　　This　was　granted；　and　the　Invisible

Prince　speedily　took　the　opportunity　of　handing　her　the　stone；

which　she　at　once　slipped　into　her　mouth。　　No　words　can　paint　the

fury　of　her　captor　at　her　disappearance。　　He　ordered　the　spirits

of　the　air　to　fly　through　all　space；　and　to　bring　back　Rosalie

wherever　she　might　be。　　They　instantly　flew　off　to　obey　his

commands；　and　spread　themselves　over　the　whole　earth。



Meantime　Rosalie　and　the　Invisible　Prince　had　reached；　hand　in

hand；　a　door　of　the　gallery　which　led　through　a　terrace　into　the

gardens。　　In　silence　they　glided　along；　and　thought　themselves

already　safe；　when　a　furious　monster　dashed　itself　by　accident

against　Rosalie　and　the　Invisible　Prince；　and　in　her　fright　she

let　go　his　hand。　　No　one　can　speak　as　long　as　he　is　invisible；

and　besides；　they　knew　that　the　spirits　were　all　around　them；　and

at　the　slightest　sound　they　would　be　recognised；　so　all　they

could　do　was　to　feel　about　in　the　hope　that　their　hands　might

once　more　meet。



But；　alas！　　the　joy　of　liberty　lasted　but　a　short　time。　　The

Princess；　having　wandered　in　vain　up　and　down　the　forest；　stopped

at　last　on　the　edge　of　a　fountain。　　As　she　walked　she　wrote　on

the　trees：　'If　ever　the　Prince；　my　lover；　comes　this　way；　let　him

know　that　it　is　here　I　dwell；　and　that　I　sit　daily　on　the　edge　of

this　fountain；　mingling　my　tears　with　its　waters。'



These　words　were　read　by　one　of　the　genii；　who　repeated　them　to