《快乐王子童话集(英文版)》第9章

thoughtful　indeed。　It　is　quite　a　treat　to　hear　you　talk　about　friendship。　I　
am　sure　the　clergyman　himself　could　not　say　such　beautiful　things　as　you　
do；　though　he　does　live　in　a　three…storied　house；　and　wear　a　gold　ring　on　
his　little　finger。"　
〃"But　could　we　not　ask　little　Hans　up　here？"　said　the　Miller"s　youngest　
son。　"If　poor　Hans　is　in　trouble　I　will　give　him　half　my　porridge；　and　
show　him　my　white　rabbits。"　
〃"What　a　silly　boy　you　are"！　cried　the　Miller；　"I　really　don"t　know　what　
is　the　use　of　sending　you　to　school。　You　seem　not　to　learn　anything。　
Why；　if　little　Hans　came　up　here；　and　saw　our　warm　fire；　and　our　good　
supper；　and　our　great　cask　of　red　wine；　he　might　get　envious；　and　envy　is　a　
most　terrible　thing；　and　would　spoil　anybody"s　nature。　I　certainly　will　not　
26　
The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
allow　Hans"　nature　to　be　spoiled。　I　am　his　best　friend；　and　I　will　always　
watch　over　him；　and　see　that　he　is　not　led　into　any　temptations。　Besides；　
if　Hans　came　here；　he　might　ask　me　to　let　him　have　some　flour　on　credit；　
and　that　I　could　not　do。　Flour　is　one　thing；　and　friendship　is　another；　and　
they　should　not　be　confused。　Why；　the　words　are　spelt　differently；　and　
mean　quite　different　things。　Everybody　can　see　that。"　
〃"How　well　you　talk"！　said　the　Miller"s　Wife；　pouring　herself　out　a　large　
glass　of　warm　ale；　"really　I　feel　quite　drowsy。　It　is　just　like　being　in　
church。"　
〃"Lots　of　people　act　well；"　answered　the　Miller；　"but　very　few　people　
talk　well；　which　shows　that　talking　is　much　the　more　difficult　thing　of　the　
two；　and　much　the　finer　thing　also"；　and　he　looked　sternly　across　the　table　
at　his　little　son；　who　felt　so　ashamed　of　himself　that　he　hung　his　head　
down；　and　grew　quite　scarlet；　and　began　to　cry　into　his　tea。　However；　he　
was　so　young　that　you　must　excuse　him。〃　
〃Is　that　the　end　of　the　story？〃　asked　the　Water…rat。　
〃Certainly　not；〃　answered　the　Lin；　〃that　is　the　beginning。〃　
〃Then　you　are　quite　behind　the　age；〃　said　the　Water…rat。　〃Every　good　
story…teller　nowadays　starts　with　the　end；　and　then　goes　on　to　the　
beginning；　and　concludes　with　the　middle。　That　is　the　new　method。　I　
heard　all　about　it　the　other　day　from　a　critic　who　was　walking　round　the　
pond　with　a　young　man。　He　spoke　of　the　matter　at　great　length；　and　I　am　
sure　he　must　have　been　right；　for　he　had　blue　spectacles　and　a　bald　head；　
and　whenever　the　young　man　made　any　remark；　he　always　answered　
"Pooh！"　But　pray　go　on　with　your　story。　I　like　the　Miller　immensely。　I　
have　all　kinds　of　beautiful　sentiments　myself；　so　there　is　a　great　sympathy　
between　us。〃　
〃Well；〃　said　the　Lin；　hopping　now　on　one　leg　and　now　on　the　other；　
〃as　soon　as　the　winter　was　over；　and　the　primroses　began　to　open　their　pale　
yellow　stars；　the　Miller　said　to　his　wife　that　he　would　go　down　and　see　
little　Hans。　
〃"Why；　what　a　good　heart　you　have"！　cried　his　Wife；　"you　are　always　
27　
The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
thinking　of　others。 And　mind　you　take　the　big　basket　with　you　for　the　
flowers。"　
〃So　the　Miller　tied　the　sails　of　the　windmill　together　with　a　strong　iron　
chain；　and　went　down　the　hill　with　the　basket　on　his　arm。　
〃"Good　morning；　little　Hans；"　said　the　Miller。　
〃"Good　morning；"　said　Hans；　leaning　on　his　spade；　and　smiling　from　
ear　to　ear。　
〃"And　how　have　you　been　all　the　winter？"　said　the　Miller。　
〃"Well；　really；"　cried　Hans；　"it　is　very　good　of　you　to　ask；　very　good　
indeed。　I　am　afraid　I　had　rather　a　hard　time　of　it；　but　now　the　spring　has　
e；　and　I　am　quite　happy；　and　all　my　flowers　are　doing　well。"　
〃"We　often　talked　of　you　during　the　winter；　Hans；"　said　the　Miller；　"and　
wondered　how　you　were　getting　on。"　
〃"That　was　kind　of　you；"　said　Hans；　"I　was　half　afraid　you　had　forgotten　
me。"　
〃"Hans；　I　am　surprised　at　you；"　said　the　Miller；　"friendship　never　forgets。　
That　is　the　wonderful　thing　about　it；　but　I　am　afraid　you　don"t　understand　
the　poetry　of　life。　How　lovely　your　primroses　are　looking；　by…the…bye〃！　
〃"They　are　certainly　very　lovely；"　said　Hans；　"and　it　is　a　most　lucky　
thing　for　me　that　I　have　so　many。　I　am　going　to　bring　them　into　the　
market　and　sell　them　to　the　Burgomaster"s　daughter；　and　buy　back　my　
wheelbarrow　with　the　money。"　
〃"Buy　back　your　wheelbarrow？　You　don"t　mean　to　say　you　have　sold　
it？　What　a　very　stupid　thing　to　do"！　
〃"Well；　the　fact　is；"　said　Hans；　"that　I　was　obliged　to。　You　see　the　
winter　was　a　very　bad　time　for　me；　and　I　really　had　no　money　at　all　to　buy　
bread　with。　So　I　first　sold　the　silver　buttons　off　my　Sunday　coat；　and　
then　I　sold　my　silver　chain；　and　then　I　sold　my　big　pipe；　and　at　last　I　sold　
my　wheelbarrow。　But　I　am　going　to　buy　them　all　back　again　now。"　
〃"Hans；"　said　the　Miller；　"I　will　give　you　my　wheelbarrow。　It　is　not　in　
very　good　repair；　indeed；　one　side　is　gone；　and　there　is　something　wrong　
with　the　wheel…spokes；　but　in　spite　of　that　I　will　give　it　to　you。　I　know　it　
28　
The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
is　very　generous　of　me；　and　a　great　many　people　would　think　me　
extremely　foolish　for　parting　with　it；　but　I　am　not　like　the　rest　of　the　world。　
I　think　that　generosity　is　the　essence　of　friendship；　and；　besides；　I　have　got　
a　new　wheelbarrow　for　myself。 Yes；　you　may　set　your　mind　at　ease；　I　
will　give　you　my　wheelbarrow。"　
〃"Well；　really；　that　is　generous　of　you；"　said　little　Hans；　and　his　funny　
round　face　glowed　all　over　with　pleasure。　"I　can　easily　put　it　in　repair；　as　
I　have　a　plank　of　wood　in　the　house。"　
〃"A　plank　of　wood"！　said　the　Miller；　"why；　that　is　just　what　I　want　for　
the　roof　of　my　barn。　There　is　a　very　large　hole　in　it；　and　the　corn　will　all　
get　damp　if　I　don"t　stop　it　up。　How　lucky　you　mentioned　it！　It　is　quite　
remarkable　how　one　good　action　always　breeds　another。　I　have　given　
you　my　wheelbarrow；　and　now　you　are　going　to