at the back of the north wind-第44章

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both　because　he　was　afraid　of　seeming　inquisitive；　and　because　the　cook

did　not　choose　to　be　heard　talking　about　her　mistress　to　a　peasant

lad　who　had　begged　for　his　breakfast。



As　he　rose　to　take　his　leave；　it　occurred　to　him　that　he　might

not　be　so　far　from　the　old　woman's　cottage　as　he　had　thought；

and　he　asked　the　cook　whether　she　knew　anything　of　such　a　place；

describing　it　as　well　as　he　could。　　She　said　she　knew　it　well　enough；

adding　with　a　smile



〃It's　there　you're　going；　is　it？〃



〃Yes；　if　it's　not　far　off。〃



〃It's　not　more　than　three　miles。　　But　mind　what　you　are　about；

you　know。〃



〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃



〃If　you're　after　any　mischief；　she'll　make　you　repent　it。〃



〃The　best　thing　that　could　happen　under　the　circumstances；〃

remarked　the　prince。



〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　the　cook。



〃Why；　it　stands　to　reason；〃　answered　the　prince　〃that　if　you　wish

to　do　anything　wrong；　the　best　thing　for　you　is　to　be　made　to　repent

of　it。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　the　cook。　　〃Well；　I　think　you　may　venture。　

She's　a　good　old　soul。〃



〃Which　way　does　it　lie　from　here？〃　asked　the　prince。



She　gave　him　full　instructions；　and　he　left　her　with　many　thanks。



Being　now　refreshed；　however；　the　prince　did　not　go　back　to　the　cottage

that　day：　　he　remained　in　the　forest；　amusing　himself　as　best　he　could；

but　waiting　anxiously　for　the　night；　in　the　hope　that　the　princess

would　again　appear。　　Nor　was　he　disappointed；　for；　directly　the

moon　rose；　he　spied　a　glimmering　shape　far　across　the　glade。　

As　it　drew　nearer；　he　saw　it　was　she　indeednot　dressed　in　white

as　before：　　in　a　pale　blue　like　the　sky；　she　looked　lovelier　still。　

He　thought　it　was　that　the　blue　suited　her　yet　better　than　the　white；

he　did　not　know　that　she　was　really　more　beautiful　because　the

moon　was　nearer　the　full。　　In　fact　the　next　night　was　full　moon；

and　the　princess　would　then　be　at　the　zenith　of　her　loveliness。



The　prince　feared　for　some　time　that　she　was　not　coming　near　his

hiding…place　that　night；　but　the　circles　in　her　dance　ever　widened

as　the　moon　rose；　until　at　last　they　embraced　the　whole　glade；

and　she　came　still　closer　to　the　trees　where　he　was　hiding　than　she

had　come　the　night　before。　　He　was　entranced　with　her　loveliness；

for　it　was　indeed　a　marvellous　thing。　　All　night　long　he　watched　her；

but　dared　not　go　near　her。　　He　would　have　been　ashamed　of　watching

her　too；　had　he　not　become　almost　incapable　of　thinking　of　anything

but　how　beautiful　she　was。　　He　watched　the　whole　night　long；　and　saw

that　as　the　moon　went　down　she　retreated　in　smaller　and　smaller　circles；

until　at　last　he　could　see　her　no　more。



Weary　as　he　was；　he　set　out　for　the　old　woman's　cottage；　where　he

arrived　just　in　time　for　her　breakfast；　which　she　shared　with　him。　

He　then　went　to　bed；　and　slept　for　many　hours。　　When　he　awoke

the　sun　was　down；　and　he　departed　in　great　anxiety　lest　he　should

lose　a　glimpse　of　the　lovely　vision。　　But；　whether　it　was　by　the

machinations　of　the　swamp…fairy；　or　merely　that　it　is　one　thing

to　go　and　another　to　return　by　the　same　road；　he　lost　his　way。　

I　shall　not　attempt　to　describe　his　misery　when　the　moon　rose；

and　he　saw　nothing　but　trees；　trees；　trees。



She　was　high　in　the　heavens　before　he　reached　the　glade。　

Then　indeed　his　troubles　vanished；　for　there　was　the　princess

coming　dancing　towards　him；　in　a　dress　that　shone　like　gold；

and　with　shoes　that　glimmered　through　the　grass　like　fireflies。　

She　was　of　course　still　more　beautiful　than　before。　　Like　an　embodied

sunbeam　she　passed　him；　and　danced　away　into　the　distance。



Before　she　returned　in　her　circle；　the　clouds　had　begun　to　gather

about　the　moon。　　The　wind　rose；　the　trees　moaned；　and　their　lighter

branches　leaned　all　one　way　before　it。　　The　prince　feared　that　the

princess　would　go　in；　and　he　should　see　her　no　more　that　night。　

But　she　came　dancing　on　more　jubilant　than　ever；　her　golden　dress

and　her　sunny　hair　streaming　out　upon　the　blast；　waving　her　arms

towards　the　moon；　and　in　the　exuberance　of　her　delight　ordering

the　clouds　away　from　off　her　face。　　The　prince　could　hardly　believe

she　was　not　a　creature　of　the　elements；　after　all。



By　the　time　she　had　completed　another　circle；　the　clouds　had

gathered　deep；　and　there　were　growlings　of　distant　thunder。　

Just　as　she　passed　the　tree　where　he　stood；　a　flash　of　lightning

blinded　him　for　a　moment；　and　when　he　saw　again；　to　his　horror；

the　princess　lay　on　the　ground。　　He　darted　to　her；　thinking　she

had　been　struck；　but　when　she　heard　him　coming；　she　was　on　her　feet

in　a　moment。



〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　asked。



〃I　beg　your　pardon。　　I　thoughtthe　lightning〃　said　the　prince；

hesitating。



〃There's　nothing　the　matter；〃　said　the　princess；　waving　him　off

rather　haughtily。



The　poor　prince　turned　and　walked　towards　the　wood。



〃Come　back；〃　said　Daylight：　　〃I　like　you。　　You　do　what　you　are　told。　

Are　you　good？〃



〃Not　so　good　as　I　should　like　to　be；〃　said　the　prince。



〃Then　go　and　grow　better；〃　said　the　princess。



Again　the　disappointed　prince　turned　and　went。



〃Come　back；〃　said　the　princess。



He　obeyed；　and　stood　before　her　waiting。



〃Can　you　tell　me　what　the　sun　is　like？〃　she　asked。



〃No；〃　he　answered。　　〃But　where's　the　good　of　asking　what　you　know？〃



〃But　I　don't　know；〃　she　rejoined。



〃Why；　everybody　knows。〃



〃That's　the　very　thing：　　I'm　not　everybody。　　I've　never　seen　the　sun。〃



〃Then　you　can't　know　what　it's　like　till　you　do　see　it。〃



〃I　think　you　must　be　a　prince；〃　said　the　princess。



〃Do　I　look　like　one？〃　said　the　prince。



〃I　can't　quite　say　that。〃



〃Then　why　do　you　think　so？〃



〃Because　you　both　do　what　you　are　told　and　speak　the　truth。

Is　the　sun　so　very　bright？〃



〃As　bright　as　the　lightning。〃



〃But　it　doesn't　go　out　like　that；　does　it？〃



〃Oh；　no。　　It　shines　like　the　moon；　rises　and　sets　like　the　moon；

is　much　the　same　shape　as　the　moon；　only　so　bright　that　you　can't

look　at　it　for　a　moment。〃



〃But　I　would　look　at　it；〃　said　the　princess。



〃But　you　couldn't；〃　said　the　prince。



〃But　I　could；〃　said　the　princess。



〃Why　don't　you；　then？〃



〃Because　I　can't。〃



〃Why　can't　you？〃



〃Because　I　can't　wake。　　And　I　never　shall　wake　until〃



Here　she　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　turned　away；　and　walked　in

the　slowest；　stateliest　manner　towards　the　house。　　The　prince　ventured

to　follow　her　at　a　little　distance；　but　she　turned　and　made　a　repellent

gesture；　which；　like　a　true　gentleman…prince；　he　obeyed　at　once。　

He　waited　a　long　time；　but　as　she　did　not　come　near　him　again；　and　as

the　night　had　now　cleared；　he　set　off　at　last　for　the　old　woman's　cottage。



It　was　long　past　midnight　when　he　reached　it；　but；　to　his　surprise；

the　old　woman　was　paring　potatoes　at　the　door。　　Fairies　are　fond

of　doing　odd　things。　　Indeed；　however　they　may　dissemble；　the　night

is　always　their　day。　　And　so　it　is　with　all　who　have　fairy　blood

in　them。



〃Why；　what　are　you　doing　there；　this　time　of　the　night；　mother？〃

said　the　prince；　for　that　was　the　kind　way　in　which　any　young　man

in　his　country　would　address　a　woman　who　was　much　older　than　himself。



〃Getting　your　supper　ready；　my　son；〃　she　answered。



〃Oh；　I　don't　want　any　supper；〃　said　the　prince。



〃Ah！　you've　seen　Daylight；〃　said　she。



〃I've　seen　a　princess　who　never　saw　it；〃　said　the　prince。



〃Do　you　like　her？〃　asked　the　fairy。



〃Oh！　don't　I？〃　said　the　prince。　　〃More　than　you　would　believe；　mother。〃



〃A　fairy　can　believe　anything　that　ever　was　or　ever　could　be；〃

said　the　old　woman。



〃Then　are　you　a　fairy？〃　asked　the　prince。



〃Yes；〃　said　she。



〃Then　what　do　you　do　for　things　not　to　believe？〃　asked　the　prince。



〃There's　plenty　of　themeverything　that　never　was　nor　ever　could　be。〃



〃Plenty；　I　grant　you；〃　said　the　prince。　　〃But　do　you　believe　there

could　be　a　princess　who