《快乐王子童话集》第24章

whole　time　yourself。 that　is　not　conversation。〃
〃somebody　must　listen；〃　answered　the　frog；　〃and　i　like　to　do　all
the　talking　myself。 it　saves　time；　and　prevents　arguments。〃
〃but　i　like　arguments；〃　said　the　rocket。
〃i　hope　not；〃　said　the　frog　placently。 〃arguments　are　extremely
vulgar；　for　everybody　in　good　society　holds　exactly　the　same
opinions。 good…bye　a　second　time；　i　see　my　daughters　in　the
distance　and　the　little　frog　swam　away。
〃you　are　a　very　irritating　person；〃　said　the　rocket；　〃and　very　ill…
bred。 i　hate　people　who　talk　about　themselves；　as　you　do；　when　one
wants　to　talk　about　oneself；　as　i　do。 it　is　what　i　call
selfishness；　and　selfishness　is　a　most　detestable　thing；　especially
to　any　one　of　my　temperament；　for　i　am　well　known　for　my
sympathetic　nature。 in　fact；　you　should　take　example　by　me；　you
could　not　possibly　have　a　better　model。 now　that　you　have　the
chance　you　had　better　avail　yourself　of　it；　for　i　am　going　back　to
court　almost　immediately。 i　am　a　great　favourite　at　court；　in
fact；　the　prince　and　princess　were　married　yesterday　in　my　honour。
of　course　you　know　nothing　of　these　matters；　for　you　are　a
provincial。〃
〃there　is　no　good　talking　to　him；〃　said　a　dragon…fly；　who　was
sitting　on　the　top　of　a　large　brown　bulrush；　〃no　good　at　all；　for
he　has　gone　away。〃
〃well；　that　is　his　loss；　not　mine；〃　answered　the　rocket。 〃i　am　not
going　to　stop　talking　to　him　merely　because　he　pays　no　attention。
i　like　hearing　myself　talk。 it　is　one　of　my　greatest　pleasures。 i
often　have　long　conversations　all　by　myself；　and　i　am　so　clever
that　sometimes　i　dont　understand　a　single　word　of　what　i　am
saying。〃
〃then　you　should　certainly　lecture　on　philosophy；〃　said　the　dragon…
fly；　and　he　spread　a　pair　of　lovely　gauze　wings　and　soared　away
into　the　sky。
〃how　very　silly　of　him　not　to　stay　here！〃　said　the　rocket。 〃i　am
sure　that　he　has　not　often　got　such　a　chance　of　improving　his　mind。
however；　i　dont　care　a　bit。 genius　like　mine　is　sure　to　be
appreciated　some　day〃；　and　he　sank　down　a　little　deeper　into　the
mud。
after　some　time　a　large　white　duck　swam　up　to　him。 she　had　yellow
legs；　and　webbed　feet；　and　was　considered　a　great　beauty　on　account
of　her　waddle。
〃quack；　quack；　quack；〃　she　said。 〃what　a　curious　shape　you　are！
may　i　ask　were　you　born　like　that；　or　is　it　the　result　of　an
accident？〃
〃it　is　quite　evident　that　you　have　always　lived　in　the　country；〃
answered　the　rocket；　〃otherwise　you　would　know　who　i　am。 however；
i　excuse　your　ignorance。 it　would　be　unfair　to　expect　other　people
to　be　as　remarkable　as　oneself。 you　will　no　doubt　be　surprised　to
hear　that　i　can　fly　up　into　the　sky；　and　e　down　in　a　shower　of
golden　rain。〃
〃i　dont　think　much　of　that；〃　said　the　duck；　〃as　i　cannot　see　what
use　it　is　to　any　one。 now；　if　you　could　plough　the　fields　like　the
ox；　or　draw　a　cart　like　the　horse；　or　look　after　the　sheep　like　the
collie…dog；　that　would　be　something。〃
〃my　good　creature；〃　cried　the　rocket　in　a　very　haughty　tone　of
voice；　〃i　see　that　you　belong　to　the　lower　orders。 a　person　of　my
position　is　never　useful。 we　have　certain　acplishments；　and
that　is　more　than　sufficient。 i　have　no　sympathy　myself　with
industry　of　any　kind；　least　of　all　with　such　industries　as　you　seem
to　remend。 indeed；　i　have　always　been　of　opinion　that　hard　work
is　simply　the　refuge　of　people　who　have　nothing　whatever　to　do。〃
〃well；　well；〃　said　the　duck；　who　was　of　a　very　peaceable
disposition；　and　never　quarrelled　with　any　one；　〃everybody　has
different　tastes。 i　hope；　at　any　rate；　that　you　are　going　to　take
up　your　residence　here。〃
〃oh！　dear　no；〃　cried　the　rocket。 〃i　am　merely　a　visitor；　a
distinguished　visitor。 the　fact　is　that　i　find　this　place　rather
tedious。 there　is　neither　society　here；　nor　solitude。 in　fact；　it
is　essentially　suburban。 i　shall　probably　go　back　to　court；　for　i
know　that　i　am　destined　to　make　a　sensation　in　the　world。〃
〃i　had　thoughts　of　entering　public　life　once　myself；〃　remarked　the
duck；　〃there　are　so　many　things　that　need　reforming。 indeed；　i
took　the　chair　at　a　meeting　some　time　ago；　and　we　passed
resolutions　condemning　everything　that　we　did　not　like。 however；
they　did　not　seem　to　have　much　effect。 now　i　go　in　for
domesticity；　and　look　after　my　family。〃
〃i　am　made　for　public　life；〃　said　the　rocket；　〃and　so　are　all　my
relations；　even　the　humblest　of　them。 whenever　we　appear　we　excite
great　attention。 i　have　not　actually　appeared　myself；　but　when　i
do　so　it　will　be　a　magnificent　sight。 as　for　domesticity；　it　ages
one　rapidly；　and　distracts　ones　mind　from　higher　things。〃
〃ah！　the　higher　things　of　life；　how　fine　they　are！〃　said　the　duck；
〃and　that　reminds　me　how　hungry　i　feel〃： and　she　swam　away　down
the　stream；　saying；　〃quack；　quack；　quack。〃
〃e　back！　e　back！〃　screamed　the　rocket；　〃i　have　a　great　deal
to　say　to　you〃；　but　the　duck　paid　no　attention　to　him。 〃i　am　glad
that　she　has　gone；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃she　has　a　decidedly
middle…class　mind〃；　and　he　sank　a　little　deeper　still　into　the　mud；
and　began　to　think　about　the　loneliness　of　genius；　when　suddenly
two　little　boys　in　white　smocks　came　running　down　the　bank；　with　a
kettle　and　some　faggots。
〃this　must　be　the　deputation；〃　said　the　rocket；　and　he　tried　to
look　very　dignified。
〃hallo！〃　cried　one　of　the　boys；　〃look　at　this　old　stick！ i　wonder
how　it　came　here〃；　and　he　picked　the　rocket　out　of　the　ditch。
〃old　stick！〃　said　the　rocket；　〃impossible！ gold　stick；　that　is
what　he　said。 gold　stick　is　very　plimentary。 in　fact；　he
mistakes　me　for　one　of　the　court　dignitaries！〃
〃let　us　put　it　into　the　fire！〃　said　the　other　boy；　〃it　will　help　to
boil　the　kettle。〃
so　they　piled　the　faggots　together；　and　put　the　rocket　on　top；　and
lit　the　fire。
〃this　is　magnificent；〃　cried　the　rocket；　〃they　are　going　to　let　me
off　in　broad　day…light；　so　that　every　one　can　see　me。〃
〃we　will　go　to　sleep　now；〃　they　said；　〃and　when　we　wake　up　the
kettle　will　be　boiled〃；　and