《快乐王子童话集(英文版)》第12章

〃I　am　afraid　you　don"t　quite　see　the　moral　of　the　story；〃　remarked　the　
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The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
Lin。　
〃The　what？〃　screamed　the　Water…rat。　
〃The　moral。〃　
〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　the　story　has　a　moral？〃　
〃Certainly；〃　said　the　Lin。　
〃Well；　really；〃　said　the　Water…rat；　in　a　very　angry　manner；　〃I　think　you　
should　have　told　me　that　before　you　began。　If　you　had　done　so；　I　
certainly　would　not　have　listened　to　you；　in　fact；　I　should　have　said　"Pooh；"　
like　the　critic。　However；　I　can　say　it　now〃；　so　he　shouted　out　〃Pooh〃　at　
the　top　of　his　voice；　gave　a　whisk　with　his　tail；　and　went　back　into　his　
hole。　
〃And　how　do　you　like　the　Water…rat？〃　asked　the　Duck；　who　came　
paddling　up　some　minutes　afterwards。　〃He　has　a　great　many　good　points；　
but　for　my　own　part　I　have　a　mother"s　feelings；　and　I　can　never　look　at　a　
confirmed　bachelor　without　the　tears　ing　into　my　eyes。〃　
〃I　am　rather　afraid　that　I　have　annoyed　him；〃　answered　the　Lin。　
〃The　fact　is；　that　I　told　him　a　story　with　a　moral。〃　〃Ah！　that　is　always　a　
very　dangerous　thing　to　do；〃　said　the　Duck。　
And　I　quite　agree　with　her。　
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The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
THE　REMARKABLE　ROCKET　
The　King"s　son　was　going　to　be　married；　so　there　were　general　
rejoicings。　He　had　waited　a　whole　year　for　his　bride；　and　at　last　she　had　
arrived。　She　was　a　Russian　Princess；　and　had　driven　all　the　way　from　
Finland　in　a　sledge　drawn　by　six　reindeer。　The　sledge　was　shaped　like　a　
great　golden　swan；　and　between　the　swan"s　wings　lay　the　little　Princess　
herself。　Her　long　ermine…cloak　reached　right　down　to　her　feet；　on　her　
head　was　a　tiny　cap　of　silver　tissue；　and　she　was　as　pale　as　the　Snow　
Palace　in　which　she　had　always　lived。　So　pale　was　she　that　as　she　drove　
through　the　streets　all　the　people　wondered。　〃She　is　like　a　white　rose！〃　
they　cried；　and　they　threw　down　flowers　on　her　from　the　balconies。　
At　the　gate　of　the　Castle　the　Prince　was　waiting　to　receive　her。　He　had　
dreamy　violet　eyes；　and　his　hair　was　like　fine　gold。　When　he　saw　her　he　
sank　upon　one　knee；　and　kissed　her　hand。　
〃Your　picture　was　beautiful；〃　he　murmured；　〃but　you　are　more　
beautiful　than　your　picture〃；　and　the　little　Princess　blushed。　
〃She　was　like　a　white　rose　before；〃　said　a　young　Page　to　his　neighbour；　
〃but　she　is　like　a　red　rose　now〃；　and　the　whole　Court　was　delighted。　
For　the　next　three　days　everybody　went　about　saying；　〃White　rose；　
Red　rose；　Red　rose；　White　rose〃；　and　the　King　gave　orders　that　the　Page"s　
salary　was　to　be　doubled。　As　he　received　no　salary　at　all　this　was　not　of　
much　use　to　him；　but　it　was　considered　a　great　honour；　and　was　duly　
published　in　the　Court　Gazette。　
When　the　three　days　were　over　the　marriage　was　celebrated。　It　was　a　
magnificent　ceremony；　and　the　bride　and　bridegroom　walked　hand　in　hand　
under　a　canopy　of　purple　velvet　embroidered　with　little　pearls。　Then　
there　was　a　State　Banquet；　which　lasted　for　five　hours。　The　Prince　and　
Princess　sat　at　the　top　of　the　Great　Hall　and　drank　out　of　a　cup　of　clear　
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The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
crystal。　Only　true　lovers　could　drink　out　of　this　cup；　for　if　false　lips　
touched　it；　it　grew　grey　and　dull　and　cloudy。　
〃It"s　quite　clear　that　they　love　each　other；〃　said　the　little　Page；　〃as　clear　
as　crystal！〃　and　the　King　doubled　his　salary　a　second　time。　〃What　an　
honour！〃　cried　all　the　courtiers。　
After　the　banquet　there　was　to　be　a　Ball。　The　bride　and　bridegroom　
were　to　dance　the　Rose…dance　together；　and　the　King　had　promised　to　play　
the　flute。　He　played　very　badly；　but　no　one　had　ever　dared　to　tell　him　so；　
because　he　was　the　King。　Indeed；　he　knew　only　two　airs；　and　was　never　
quite　certain　which　one　he　was　playing；　but　it　made　no　matter；　for；　
whatever　he　did；　everybody　cried　out；　〃Charming！　charming！〃　
The　last　item　on　the　programme　was　a　grand　display　of　fireworks；　to　
be　let　off　exactly　at　midnight。　The　little　Princess　had　never　seen　a　
firework　in　her　life；　so　the　King　had　given　orders　that　the　Royal　
Pyrotechnist　should　be　in　attendance　on　the　day　of　her　marriage。　
〃What　are　fireworks　like？〃　she　had　asked　the　Prince；　one　morning；　as　
she　was　walking　on　the　terrace。　
〃They　are　like　the　Aurora　Borealis；〃　said　the　King；　who　always　
answered　questions　that　were　addressed　to　other　people；　〃only　much　more　
natural。　I　prefer　them　to　stars　myself；　as　you　always　know　when　they　are　
going　to　appear；　and　they　are　as　delightful　as　my　own　flute…playing。　You　
must　certainly　see　them。〃　
So　at　the　end　of　the　King"s　garden　a　great　stand　had　been　set　up；　and　as　
soon　as　the　Royal　Pyrotechnist　had　put　everything　in　its　proper　place；　the　
fireworks　began　to　talk　to　each　other。　
〃The　world　is　certainly　very　beautiful；〃　cried　a　little　Squib。　〃Just　look　
at　those　yellow　tulips。　Why！　if　they　were　real　crackers　they　could　not　be　
lovelier。　I　am　very　glad　I　have　travelled。　Travel　improves　the　mind　
wonderfully；　and　does　away　with　all　one"s　prejudices。〃　
〃The　King"s　garden　is　not　the　world；　you　foolish　squib；〃　said　a　big　
Roman　Candle；　〃the　world　is　an　enormous　place；　and　it　would　take　you　
three　days　to　see　it　thoroughly。〃　
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The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
〃Any　place　you　love　is　the　world　to　you；〃　exclaimed　a　pensive　
Catherine　Wheel；　who　had　been　attached　to　an　old　deal　box　in　early　life；　
and　prided　herself　on　her　broken　heart；　〃but　love　is　not　fashionable　any　
more；　the　poets　have　killed　it。　They　wrote　so　much　about　it　that　nobody　
believed　them；　and　I　am　not　surprised。　True　love　suffers；　and　is　silent。　I　
remember　myself　once　…　But　it　is　no　matter　now。　Romance　is　a　thing　of　
the　past。〃　
〃Nonsense！〃　said　the　Roman　Candle；　〃Romance　never　dies。　It　is　like　
the　moon；　and　lives　for　ever。　The　bride　and　bridegroom；