第 2 节
作者:当当当当      更新:2022-06-19 10:15      字数:8315
  held in her hand; and instantly I became a hen; and there
  was an end of my talking! I was very sad; and my husband;
  who was out when it happened; never knew what
  had become of me。 After seeking me everywhere he
  believed that I must have been drowned; or eaten up by
  wild beasts in the forest。 That same lady came here once
  more; and commanded that you should be called Felicia;
  and left the ring and the pot of pinks to be given to you;
  and while she was in the house twenty…five of the King's
  guards came to search for you; doubtless meaning to kill
  you; but she muttered a few words; and immediately they
  all turned into cabbages。 It was one of them whom you
  threw out of your window yesterday。
  〃I don't know how it was that he could speakI have
  never heard either of them say a word before; nor have
  I been able to do it myself until now。〃
  The Princess was greatly astonished at the hen's story;
  and said kindly: 〃I am truly sorry for you; my poor nurse;
  and wish it was in my power to restore you to your real
  form。 But we must not despair; it seems to me; after
  what you have told me; that something must be going
  to happen soon。 Just now; however; I must go and look
  for my pinks; which I love better than anything in the
  world。〃
  Bruno had gone out into the forest; never thinking that
  Felicia would search in his room for the pinks; and she
  was delighted by his unexpected absence; and thought to
  get them back without further trouble。 But as soon as
  she entered the room she saw a terrible army of rats; who
  were guarding the straw bed; and when she attempted to
  approach it they sprang at her; biting and scratching
  furiously。 Quite terrified; she drew back; crying out:
  〃Oh! my dear pinks; how can you stay here in such bad
  company?〃
  Then she suddenly bethought herself of the pitcher of
  water; and; hoping that it might have some magic power;
  she ran to fetch it; and sprinkled a few drops over the
  fierce…looking swarm of rats。 In a moment not a tail or a
  whisker was to be seen。 Each one had made for his hole as
  fast as his legs could carry him; so that the Princess could
  safely take her pot of pinks。 She found them nearly dying
  for want of water; and hastily poured all that was left in
  the pitcher upon them。 As she bent over them; enjoying
  their delicious scent; a soft voice; that seemed to rustle
  among the leaves; said:
  〃Lovely Felicia; the day has come at last when I may
  have the happiness of telling you how even the flowers
  love you and rejoice in your beauty。
  The Princess; quite overcome by the strangeness of
  hearing a cabbage; a hen; and a pink speak; and by the
  terrible sight of an army of rats; suddenly became very
  pale; and fainted away。
  At this moment in came Bruno。 Working hard in the
  heat had not improved his temper; and when he saw that
  Felicia had succeeded in finding her pinks he was so angry
  that he dragged her out into the garden and shut the door
  upon her。 The fresh air soon made her open her pretty
  eyes; and there before her stood the Queen of the Woods;
  looking as charming as ever。
  〃You have a bad brother;〃she said; 〃I saw
  he turned you out。 Shall I punish him for it?〃
  〃Ah! no; madam;〃 she said; 〃I am not angry with
  him。
  〃But supposing he was not your brother; after all;
  what would you say then?〃 asked the Queen。
  〃Oh! but I think he must be;〃 said Felicia。
  〃What!〃 said the Queen; 〃have you not heard that you
  are a Princess?〃
  〃I was told so a little while ago; madam; but how could
  I believe it without a single proof?〃
  〃Ah! dear child;〃 said the Queen; 〃the way you speak
  assures me that; in spite of your humble upbringing; you
  are indeed a real princess; and I can save you from being
  treated in such a way again。〃
  She was interrupted at this moment by the arrival of
  a very handsome young man。 He wore a coat of green
  velvet fastened with emerald clasps; and had a crown of
  pinks on his head。 He knelt upon one knee and kissed the
  Queen's hand。
  〃Ah!〃 she cried; 〃my pink; my dear son; what a happiness
  to see you restored to your natural shape by Felicia's
  aid!〃 And she embraced him joyfully。 Then; turning to
  Felicia; she said:
  〃Charming Princess; I know all the hen told you; but
  you cannot have heard that the zephyrs; to whom was
  entrusted the task of carrying my son to the tower where
  the Queen; your mother; so anxiously waited for him;
  left him instead in a garden of flowers; while they flew
  off to tell your mother。 Whereupon a fairy with whom I
  had quarrelled changed him into a pink; and I could do
  nothing to prevent it。
  〃You can imagine how angry I was; and how I tried to
  find some means of undoing the mischief she had done;
  but there was no help for it。 I could only bring Prince
  Pink to the place where you were being brought up; hoping
  that when you grew up he might love you; and by
  your care be restored to his natural form。 And you see
  everything has come right; as I hoped it would。 Your
  giving me the silver ring was the sign that the power of
  the charm was nearly over; and my enemy's last chance
  was to frighten you with her army of rats。 That she did
  not succeed in doing; so now; my dear Felicia; if you will
  be married to my son with this silver ring your future
  happiness is certain。 Do you think him handsome and
  amiable enough to be willing to marry him?〃
  〃Madam;〃 replied Felicia; blushing; 〃you overwhelm
  me with your kindness。 I know that you are my mother's
  sister; and that by your art you turned the soldiers who
  were sent to kill me into cabbages; and my nurse into a
  hen; and that you do me only too much honor in proposing
  that I shall marry your son。 How can I explain to you
  the cause of my hesitation? I feel; for the first time in my
  life; how happy it would make me to be beloved。 Can
  you indeed give me the Prince's heart?〃
  〃It is yours already; lovely Princess!〃 he cried; taking
  her hand in his; 〃but for the horrible enchantment which
  kept me silent I should have told you long ago how dearly
  I love you。
  This made the Princess very happy; and the Queen;
  who could not bear to see her dressed like a poor
  shepherdess; touched her with her wand; saying:
  〃I wish you to be attired as befits your rank and
  beauty。〃 And immediately the Princess's cotton dress
  became a magnificent robe of silver brocade embroidered
  with carbuncles; and her soft dark hair was encircled by
  a crown of diamonds; from which floated a clear white
  veil。 With her bright eyes; and the charming color in her
  cheeks; she was altogether such a dazzling sight that the
  Prince could hardly bear it。
  〃How pretty you are; Felicia!〃 he cried。 〃Don't keep
  me in suspense; I entreat you; say that you will marry
  me。〃
  〃Ah!〃 said the Queen; smiling; 〃I think she will not
  refuse now。〃
  Just then Bruno; who was going back to his work; came
  out of the cottage; and thought he must be dreaming
  when he saw Felicia; but she called him very kindly; and
  begged the Queen to take pity on him。
  〃What!〃 she said; 〃when he was so unkind to you?〃
  〃Ah! madam;〃 said the Princess; 〃I am so happy that
  I should like everybody else to be happy too。〃
  The Queen kissed her; and said: 〃Well; to please you;
  let me see what I can do for this cross Bruno。〃 And with
  a wave of her wand she turned the poor little cottage into
  a splendid palace; full of treasures; only the two stools and
  the straw bed remained just as they were; to remind him
  of his former poverty。 Then the Queen touched Bruno
  himself; and made him gentle and polite and grateful; and
  he thanked her and the Princess a thousand times。 Lastly;
  the Queen restored the hen and the cabbages to their
  natural forms; and left them all very contented。 The
  Prince and Princess were married as soon as possible with
  great splendor; and lived happily ever after。'1'
  '1' Fortunee。 Par Madame la Comtesse d'Aulnoy。