13-the invisible prince-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





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

his　master。　　The　Prince　of　the　Air；　in　his　turn　making　himself

invisible；　was　led　to　the　fountain；　and　waited　for　Rosalie。　　When

she　drew　near　he　held　out　his　hand；　which　she　grasped　eagerly；

taking　it　for　that　of　her　lover；　and；　seizing　his　opportunity；

the　Prince　passed　a　cord　round　her　arms；　and　throwing　off　his

invisibility　cried　to　his　spirits　to　drag　her　into　the　lowest

pit。



It　was　at　this　moment　that　the　Invisible　Prince　appeared；　and　at

the　sight　of　the　Prince　of　the　Genii　mounting　into　the　air；

holding　a　silken　cord；　he　guessed　instantly　that　he　was　carrying

off　Rosalie。



He　felt　so　overwhelmed　by　despair　that　he　thought　for　an　instant

of　putting　an　end　to　his　life。　　'Can　I　survive　my　misfortunes？'

he　cried。　　'I　fancied　I　had　come　to　an　end　of　my　troubles；　and

now　they　are　worse　than　ever。　　What　will　become　of　me？　　Never　can

I　discover　the　place　where　this　monster　will　hide　Rosalie。'



The　unhappy　youth　had　determined　to　let　himself　die；　and　indeed

his　sorrow　alone　was　enough　to　kill　him；　when　the　thought　that　by

means　of　the　cabinets　of　the　years　he　might　find　out　where　the

Princess　was　imprisoned；　gave　him　a　little　ray　of　comfort。　　So　he

continued　to　walk　on　through　the　forest；　and　after　some　hours　he

arrived　at　the　gate　of　a　temple；　guarded　by　two　huge　lions。　

Being　invisible；　he　was　able　to　enter　unharmed。　　In　the　middle　of

the　temple　was　an　altar；　on　which　lay　a　book；　and　behind　the

altar　hung　a　great　curtain。　　The　Prince　approached　the　altar　and

opened　the　book；　which　contained　the　names　of　all　the　lovers　in

the　world：　and　in　it　he　read　that　Rosalie　had　been　carried　off　by

the　Prince　of　the　Air　to　an　abyss　which　had　no　entrance　except

the　one　that　lay　by　way　of　the　Fountain　of　Gold。



Now；　as　the　Prince　had　not　the　smallest　idea　where　this　fountain

was　to　be　found；　it　might　be　thought　that　he　was　not　much　nearer

Rosalie　than　before。　　This　was　not；　however；　the　view　taken　by

the　Prince。



'Though　every　step　that　I　take　may　perhaps　lead　me　further　from

her；'　he　said　to　himself；　'I　am　still　thankful　to　know　that　she

is　alive　somewhere。'



On　leaving　the　temple　the　Invisible　Prince　saw　six　paths　lying

before　him；　each　of　which　led　through　the　wood。　　He　was

hesitating　which　to　choose；　when　he　suddenly　beheld　two　people

coming　towards　him；　down　the　track　which　lay　most　to　his　right。　

They　turned　out　to　be　the　Prince　Gnome　and　his　friend；　and　the

sudden　desire　to　get　some　news　of　his　sister；　Princess　Argentine；

caused　the　Invisible　Prince　to　follow　them　and　to　listen　to　their

conversation。



'Do　you　think；'　the　Prince　Gnome　was　saying；　'do　you　think　that　I

would　not　break　my　chains　if　I　could？　　I　know　that　the　Princess

Argentine　will　never　love　me；　yet　each　day　I　feel　her　dearer

still。　　And　as　if　this　were　not　enough；　I　have　the　horror　of

feeling　that　she　probably　loves　another。　　So　I　have　resolved　to

put　myself　out　of　my　pain　by　means　of　the　Golden　Fountain。　　A

single　drop　of　its　water　falling　on　the　sand　around　will　trace

the　name　of　my　rival　in　her　heart。　　I　dread　the　test；　and　yet

this　very　dread　convinces　me　of　my　misfortune。'



It　may　be　imagined　that　after　listening　to　these　words　the

Invisible　Prince　followed　Prince　Gnome　like　his　shadow；　and　after

walking　some　time　they　arrived　at　the　Golden　Fountain。　　The

unhappy　lover　stooped　down　with　a　sigh；　and　dipping　his　finger　in

the　water　let　fall　a　drop　on　the　sand。　　It　instantly　wrote　the

name　of　Prince　Flame；　his　brother。　　The　shock　of　this　discovery

was　so　real；　that　Prince　Gnome　sank　fainting　into　the　arms　of　his

friend。



Meanwhile　the　Invisible　Prince　was　turning　over　in　his　mind　how

he　could　best　deliver　Rosalie。　　As；　since　he　had　been　touched　by

the　Giant's　ring；　he　had　the　power　to　live　in　the　water　as　well

as　on　land；　he　at　once　dived　into　the　fountain。　　He　perceived　in

one　corner　a　door　leading　into　the　mountain；　and　at　the　foot　of

the　mountain　was　a　high　rock　on　which　was　fixed　an　iron　ring　with

a　cord　attached。　　The　Prince　promptly　guessed　that　the　cord　was

used　to　chain　the　Princess；　and　drew　his　sword　and　cut　it。　　In　a

moment　he　felt　the　Princess's　hand　in　his；　for　she　had　always

kept　her　magic　pebble　in　her　mouth；　in　spite　of　the　prayers　and

entreaties　of　the　Prince　of　the　Air　to　make　herself　visible。



So　hand　in　hand　the　invisible　Prince　and　Rosalie　crossed　the

mountain；　but　as　the　Princess　had　no　power　of　living　under　water；

she　could　not　pass　the　Golden　Fountain。　　Speechless　and　invisible

they　clung　together　on　the　brink；　trembling　at　the　frightful

tempest　the　Prince　of　the　Air　had　raised　in　his　fury。　　The　storm

had　already　lasted　many　days　when　tremendous　heat　began　to　make

itself　felt。　　The　lightning　flashed；　the　thunder　rattled；　fire

bolts　fell　from　heaven；　burning　up　the　forests　and　even　the

fields　of　corn。　　In　one　instant　the　very　streams　were　dried　up；

and　the　Prince；　seizing　his　opportunity；　carried　the　Princess

over　the　Golden　Fountain。



It　took　them　a　long　time　still　to　reach　the　Golden　Isle；　but　at

last　they　got　there；　and　we　may　be　quite　sure　they　never　wanted

to　leave　it　any　more。