old fritz and the new era-第6部分

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without　ceremony；　and　pressed　it　to　his　lips。　Then；　raising　up　his
head　and　shaking　back　his　light…brown　curls　from　his　rosy　cheeks；
his　bright…blue　eyes　sparkling；　he　looked　him　full　in　the　face。
〃Your　majesty；　you　say　that　you　sent　for　me；　but　I　must　tell　you
that　if　you　had　not　sent　for　me　I　would　have　come　here　alone；　and
begged　so　long　at　the　door；　that　you　would　have　let　me　come　in！〃

〃And　what　if　I　would　not　have　let　you　come　in　at　all？〃　said　the
king；　smiling。

The　little　flag…bearer　reflected　a　moment；　then　answered　with　a
confident　air：　〃Your　majesty；　I　would　have　forced　open　the　door；
thrown　myself　at　your　feet；　and　kissed　your　hand；　saying；　'My　king；
my　dear　great…uncle；　I　must　come　in　to　thank　you　a　thousand　times
for　the　flag…bearer's　commission　you　have　sent　me；　and　for　the
beautiful　uniform。〃　Then　I　would　see　if　your　majesty　had　the　courage
to　send　me　away。〃

〃Let　me　see；　my　princedo　you　think　my　courage　could　fail　me　upon
any　occasion？〃

〃Yes；　in　bad　things；〃　zealously　cried　the　prince；　〃and　it　would　be
bad　if　you　would　not　let　me　thank　you。　I　am　so　happy　with　the
commission　and　the　beautiful　uniform　which　you　so　graciously　sent　to
me！　Tell　me；　your　majesty；　do　I　not　look　beautifully？〃　The　boy
straightened　his　elegant；　slender　form；　and　saluted　the　king；
putting　the　two　fingers　of　his　right　hand　upon　his　cap。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Frederick；　〃you　look　very　nicely；　my　prince；　but　it
is　not　enough　that　you　look　wellyou　must　behave　well。　From　a　flag…
bearer　in　my　army　I　expect　very　different　things　than　from　any
common　child。　Who　wears　my　uniform　must　prove　himself　worthy　of　the
honor。〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　cried　the　prince；　〃I　assure　you；　upon　my　word　of
honor；　that　I　have　no　bad　marks　when　I　wear　the　uniform。　Your
majesty　can　ask　my　tutor。　He　came　with　me；　and　waits　in　the　anteroom
to　speak　with　you。　He　will　tell　you　that　I　have　a　good　report。〃

〃Very　well；　we　will　call　him　presently；〃　said　Frederick；　smiling。
〃Now　we　will　chat　a　little　together。　Tell　me　whether　you　are　very
industrious；　and　if　you　are　learning　anything　of　consequence？〃

〃Sire；　I　must　learn；　even　if　I　had　no　inclination　to；　Herr　Behnisch
leaves　me　no　peace。　I　have　scarcely　time　to　play。　I　am　always
learning　to　read；　to　write；　to　cipher；　and　to　work。〃

〃How　about　the　geography　and　universal　history？〃

〃Oh；　your　majesty；　I　wish　there　were　no　geography　and　history　in　the
world；　and　then　I　should　not　have　to　study　so　cruelly　hard；　and　I
could　play　more。　My　mother　sent　me　last　week　a　new　battledore　and
shuttlecock；　but　I　can　never　learn　to　play　with　it。　I　no　sooner
begin；　than　Herr　Behnisch　calls　me　to　study。　To…day　I　was　very
cunningoh；　I　was　so　sly！　I　put　it　in　the　great…pocket　of　my
tutor's　coat；　and　he　brought　it　here　without　knowing　it。〃

〃That　was　very　naughty；〃　said　the　king；　a　little　severely。　The
prince　colored；　and；　a　little　frightened；　said：　〃Sire；　I　could　not
bring　it　any　other　way。　I　beg　pardon；　the　uniform　is　so　tight；　and
thenthen；　I　thought　it　would　be　dishonoring　it　to　put　a
shuttlecock　in　the　cartridge…box。〃

〃That　was　a　good　thought；　prince；　and　for　that　I　will　forgive　you
the　trick　upon　your　tutor。　But　what　will　you　do　with　the　ball　here？
Why　did　you　bring　it？〃

〃Oh；　I　wished　to　show　it　to　your　majesty；　it　is　so　beautiful；　and
then　beg　you　to　let　me　play　a　little。〃

〃We　will　see；　Fritz；〃　said　the　king；　much　pleased。　〃If　you　deserve
it；　that　shall　be　your　reward。　Tell　me　the　truth；　is　your　tutor
satisfied　with　you？〃

〃Sire；　Herr　Behnisch　is　never　really　pleased；　but　he　has　not　scolded
me　much　lately；　so　I　must　have　been　pretty　good。　One　day　he　wrote
'Bien'　under　my　French　exercise。　Oh；　I　was　so　happy　that　I　spent　six
groschen　of　the　thaler　my　father　gave　me　a　little　while　since；　and
bought　two　pots　of　gilly…flowers；　one　for　myself　and　one　for　my
little　brother　Henry；　that　he　should　have　a　souvenir　of　my　'Bien！'〃

〃That　was　right；〃　said　the　king；　nodding　approvingly。　〃When　you　are
good；　you　must　always　let　your　friends　and　relations　take　part　in
it；　keep　the　bad　only　for　yourself。〃

〃I　will　remember　that；　and　I　thank　you　for　the　kind　instruction。〃

〃The　studies　seem　to　go　very　well；　but　how　is　it　with　the　behavior？
They　tell　me　that　the　prince　is　not　always　polite　to　his　visitors；
that　he　is　sometimes　very　rude；　even　to　the　officers　who　pay　their
respects　to　him　on　his　father's　account；　and　on　my　account；　not　on
his　own；　for　what　do　they　care　for　such　a　little　snip　as　he？　They　go
to　honor　Prince　Frederick　William　of　Prussia；　though　he　is　only　a
little　flag…bearer。　They　tell　me　that　you　do　not　appreciate　the
honor；　but　that　at　Easter　you　behaved　very　badly。〃

〃Sire；　it　is　true；　I　cannot　deny　itI　did　behave　badly；〃　sighed　the
little　prince。

〃What　was　the　matter？〃　asked　the　king。　〃It　was　not　from　fear；　I
hope？　I　should　be　very　angry　at　that。　Tell　me　yourself；　and　tell　me
the　truth。〃

〃Your　majesty　can　depend　upon　the　whole　truth。　My　tutor　says　that
lying　is　despicable；　and　that　a　prince　who　will　one　day　be　a　king
should　be　too　proud　to　tell　a　lie！　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it。　The
officers　came　to　see　me　at　Easter；　just　as　I　had　put　the　Easter　eggs
in　the　garden；　for　my　little　brother　and　some　other　boys　whom　I　had
invited　to　hunt　for　them。　I　had　spent　my　last　six　groschen　for　the
eggs；　and　I　anticipated　so　much　pleasure　with　the　hide…and…seek　for
them。　We　had　just　begun；　when　the　officers　came。〃

〃That　was　really　unfortunate；〃　said　the　king；　sympathizingly。

〃Yes；　sire；　very　disagreeable；　and　I　could　not　possibly　feel　kindly。
While　the　officers　were　talking；　I　was　always　wishing　they　would　go。
But　they　stayed　and　stayedand　when　Major　von　Werder　began　to　make
a　long　speech　to　me；　and　I　thought　there　was　no　end　to　it；　I　became
impatient　and　furiousand〃

〃Why　do　you　hesitate？〃　asked　the　king；　looking　tenderly　at　the
frank；　glowing　face　of　the　boy。　〃What　happened？〃

〃Something　dreadful；　sire！　I　could　not　keep　in　any　longer。　The　major
kept　on　talking；　and　looked　at　me　so　sharply；　I　could　not　help
making　an　abominable　face。　It　is　unfortunately　trueI　ran　my　tongue
out　at　himonly　just　a　little　bitand　I　drew　it　back　in　an
instant；　but　it　was　done；　and　a　dreadful　scene　followed。　The　major
did　not　say　any　thing；　my　tutor　was　red　as　fire；　and　I　was
thunderstruck！〃

〃That　was　excessively　rude；　my　little　flag…bearer；〃　cried　the　king。

The　young　prince　was　so　ashamed；　and　was　looking　down　so　penitently；
that　he　did　not　see　the　smile　on　Frederick's　face；　and　the
affectionate　look　with　which　he　regarded　the　youthful　sinner。

〃Do　you　know　that　you　deserve　to　be　imprisoned　fourteen　days；　and
live　on　bread　and　water；　for　insubordination？〃

〃I　know　it　now；　sire。　I　beg　pardon　most　humbly；〃　said　the　prince；
with　quivering　voice　and　with　tears　in　his　eyes。　〃I　have　been
punished　enough；　without　that。　Herr　Behnisch　would　not　let　me　go　to
the　garden　again；　and　I　have　never　seen　the　eggs　which　I　spent　my
last　groschen　for；　nor　the　boys　whom　I　had　invited。　I　was　made　to
stay　in　my　room　all　Easter　week；　learn　twenty　Latin　words　every　day；
and　write　three　pages　of　German　words　in　good　handwriting。　It　was　a
hard　punishment；　but　I　knew　that　I　deserved　it；　and　did　not
complain。　I　only　thought　that　I　would　do　better　in　future。〃

〃If　you　thought　so；　and　you　have　already　been　punished；　we　will　say
no　more　about　it；〃　said　the　king。　〃But　tell　me；　how　did　you　get　on
at　Whitsuntide；　when　the　officers　paid　you　their　respects　again？〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　answered　the　prince；　〃it　was　a　great　deal　better；　I
behaved　tolerably　well；　except　a　very　little　rudeness；　which　was　not
so　bad　after　all。　＇Footnote：　The　little　prince's　own　words。See
〃Diary　of　Prince　Frederick　William；〃　p。　18。＇　Herr　Behnisch　did　not
punish　me；　he　only　said；　another　time；　that　I　should　do　better；　and
not　be　so　taciturn；　but　greet　the　gentlemen　in　a　more　friendly
manner。　I　must　tell　you；　sire；　that　when　Herr　Behnisch　does　not
scold；　it　is　a　sure　sign　that　I　have　behaved　pretty　well；　and　this
time　he　did　not。〃

〃Fritz；　I　believe　you；〃　said　the　king；　〃and　you　shall　have　the
reward　that　you　asked　forstay　here　and　play　a　little　while。　Go；
now；　and　call　your　tutor；　I　have　a　few　words　to　say　to　him。〃

The　little　prince　sprang　toward　the　door；　but　suddenly　stopped；
embarrassed。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　the　king。　〃Why　do　you　not　call　your
tutor？〃

〃Sire；　I　am　very　much　troubled。　Herr　Behnisch　will　be　very　angry
when　you　tell　him　about　the　shuttlecock。　I　beg　you　not　to　betray
me！〃

〃Yes；　but　if　you　will　play　before　me；　you　must　get　the　plaything
which　you　say　is　in　his　pocket。〃

〃Sire；　then　I　had　rather　not　play；〃　cried　the　prince。

〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　the　king；　〃your　punishment　shall　be；　to　take
the　plaything　as　cleverly　out　of　the　pocket　as　you　put　it　in。　If　you
do　it　well；　then　I　will　say　nothing　about　it；　but；　if　your　tutor
discovers　you；　then　you　must　submit　to　the　storm。　It　lies　in　your
own　hands。　Whilst　I　am　conversing　with　the　tutor；　try　your　luck。　Now
call　him　in。〃

The　prince　obeyed　thoughtfully；　and　the　tutor　entered。　He　stood　near
the　door；　and　made　the　three　prescribed　bows；　then　he　waited　with　a
submissive　air　for　further　commands。

The　king　was　sitting　opposite　the　door；　his　hands　folded　upon　his
staff　and　his　chin　resting　upon　his　hands；　looking　the　tutor　full　in
the　face。　Herr　Behnisch　bore　it　calmly；　not　a　feature　moved　in　his
angular；　wooden　face。　Near　the　tutor　stood　the　little　prince；　his
graceful；　rosy；　childlike　face　expressing　eager　expectation。

〃Approach！〃　said　the　king。

Herr　Behnisch　stepped　forward　a　little；　and　remained　standing。　The
prince　glided　noiselessly　after　him；　keeping　his　eyes　fixed　on　the
tails　of　the　flesh…colored　satin　coat　with　which　the　tutor　had
adorned　himself　for　this　extraordinary　occasion。　The　prince　smiled
as　he　saw　the　pocket　open　and　the　feathers　of　the　shuttlecock
peeping　out。　He　stretched　out　his　little　hand　and　crooked　his
fingers　to　seize　it。

〃Come　nearer！　Herr　Behnisch；〃　said　Frederick；　who　had　observed　the
movement　of　the　little　prince；　and　who　was　amused　at　the　thought　of
keeping　him　in　suspense　a　little　longer。

Herr　Behnisch　moved　forward；　and　the　prince；　frightened