01-the twelve dancing princesses-第2部分

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of　the　boats；　and　the　princes；　after　having　securely　fastened　their

barques；　gave　their　arms　to　the　princesses　and　conducted　them　to

the　castle。





VIII





Michael　followed；　and　entered　the　ball…room　in　their　train。

Everywhere　were　mirrors；　lights；　flowers；　and　damask　hangings。



The　Star　Gazer　was　quite　bewildered　at　the　magnificence　of　the

sight。



He　placed　himself　out　of　the　way　in　a　corner；　admiring　the　grace

and　beauty　of　the　princesses。　Their　loveliness　was　of　every　kind。

Some　were　fair　and　some　were　dark；　some　had　chestnut　hair；　or

curls　darker　still；　and　some　had　golden　locks。　Never　were　so　many

beautiful　princesses　seen　together　at　one　time；　but　the　one　whom

the　cow…boy　thought　the　most　beautiful　and　the　most　fascinating

was　the　little　Princess　with　the　velvet　eyes。



With　what　eagerness　she　danced！　leaning　on　her　partner's

shoulder　she　swept　by　like　a　whirlwind。　Her　cheeks　flushed；　her

eyes　sparkled；　and　it　was　plain　that　she　loved　dancing　better　than

anything　else。



The　poor　boy　envied　those　handsome　young　men　with　whom

she　danced　so　gracefully；　but　he　did　not　know　how　little　reason　he

had　to　be　jealous　of　them。



The　young　men　were　really　the　princes　who；　to　the　number　of

fifty　at　least；　had　tried　to　steal　the　princesses'　secret。　The　princesses

had　made　them　drink　something　of　a　philtre；　which　froze　the

heart　and　left　nothing　but　the　love　of　dancing。





IX





They　danced　on　till　the　shoes　of　the　princesses　were　worn　into

holes。　When　the　cock　crowed　the　third　time　the　fiddles　stopped；

and　a　delicious　supper　was　served　by　negro　boys；　consisting　of

sugared　orange　flowers；　crystallised　rose　leaves；　powdered　violets；

cracknels；　wafers；　and　other　dishes；　which　are；　as　everyone　knows；

the　favourite　food　of　princesses。



After　supper；　the　dancers　all　went　back　to　their　boats；　and　this

time　the　Star　Gazer　entered　that　of　the　eldest　Princess。　They　crossed

again　the　wood　with　the　diamond…spangled　leaves；　the　wood　with

gold…sprinkled　leaves；　and　the　wood　whose　leaves　glittered　with

drops　of　silver；　and　as　a　proof　of　what　he　had　seen；　the　boy　broke

a　small　branch　from　a　tree　in　the　last　wood。　Lina　turned　as　she

heard　the　noise　made　by　the　breaking　of　the　branch。



‘What　was　that　noise？'　she　said。



‘It　was　nothing；'　replied　her　eldest　sister；　‘it　was　only　the

screech　of　the　barn…owl　that　roosts　in　one　of　the　turrets　of　the

castle。'



While　she　was　speaking　Michael　managed　to　slip　in　front；　and

running　up　the　staircase；　he　reached　the　princesses'　room　first。　He

flung　open　the　window；　and　sliding　down　the　vine　which　climbed

up　the　wall；　found　himself　in　the　garden　just　as　the　sun　was

beginning　to　rise；　and　it　was　time　for　him　to　set　to　his　work。





X





That　day；　when　he　made　up　the　bouquets；　Michael　hid　the　branch

with　the　silver　drops　in　the　nosegay　intended　for　the　youngest

Princess。



When　Lina　discovered　it　she　was　much　surprised。　However；

she　said　nothing　to　her　sisters；　but　as　she　met　the　boy　by　accident

while　she　was　walking　under　the　shade　of　the　elms；　she　suddenly

stopped　as　if　to　speak　to　him；　then；　altering　her　mind；　went　on　her

way。



The　same　evening　the　twelve　sisters　went　again　to　the　ball；　and

the　Star　Gazer　again　followed　them　and　crossed　the　lake　in　Lina's

boat。　This　time　it　was　the　Prince　who　complained　that　the　boat

seemed　very　heavy。



‘It　is　the　heat；'　replied　the　Princess。　‘I；　too；　have　been　feeling

very　warm。'



During　the　ball　she　looked　everywhere　for　the　gardener's　boy；

but　she　never　saw　him。



As　they　came　back；　Michael　gathered　a　branch　from　the　wood

with　the　gold…spangled　leaves；　and　now　it　was　the　eldest　Princess

who　heard　the　noise　that　it　made　in　breaking。



‘It　is　nothing；'　said　Lina；　‘only　the　cry　of　the　owl　which　roosts

in　the　turrets　of　the　castle。'





XI





As　soon　as　she　got　up　she　found　the　branch　in　her　bouquet。

When　the　sisters　went　down　she　stayed　a　little　behind　and　said　to

the　cow…boy：　‘Where　does　this　branch　come　from？'



‘Your　Royal　Highness　knows　well　enough；'　answered　Michael。



‘So　you　have　followed　us？'



‘Yes；　Princess。'



‘How　did　you　manage　it？　we　never　saw　you。'



‘I　hid　myself；'　replied　the　Star　Gazer　quietly。



The　Princess　was　silent　a　moment；　and　then　said：



‘You　know　our　secret！keep　it。　Here　is　the　reward　of　your

discretion。'　And　she　flung　the　boy　a　purse　of　gold。



‘I　do　not　sell　my　silence；'　answered　Michael；　and　he　went　away

without　picking　up　the　purse。



For　three　nights　Lina　neither　saw　nor　heard　anything

extraordinary；　on　the　fourth　she　heard　a　rustling　among　the　diamond…

spangled　leaves　of　the　wood。　That　day　there　was　a　branch　of　the

trees　in　her　bouquet。



She　took　the　Star　Gazer　aside；　and　said　to　him　in　a　harsh　voice：



‘You　know　what　price　my　father　has　promised　to　pay　for　our　secret？'



‘I　know；　Princess；'　answered　Michael。



‘Don't　you　mean　to　tell　him？'



‘That　is　not　my　intention。'



‘Are　you　afraid？'



‘No；　Princess。'



‘What　makes　you　so　discreet；　then？'



But　Michael　was　silent。





XII





Lina's　sisters　had　seen　her　talking　to　the　little　garden　boy；　and

jeered　at　her　for　it。



‘What　prevents　your　marrying　him？'　asked　the　eldest；　‘you

would　become　a　gardener　too；　it　is　a　charming　profession。　You

could　live　in　a　cottage　at　the　end　of　the　park；　and　help　your　husband

to　draw　up　water　from　the　well；　and　when　we　get　up　you　could

bring　us　our　bouquets。'



The　Princess　Lina　was　very　angry；　and　when　the　Star　Gazer

presented　her　bouquet；　she　received　it　in　a　disdainful　manner。



Michael　behaved　most　respectfully。　He　never　raised　his　eyes　to　her；

but　nearly　all　day　she　felt　him　at　her　side　without　ever　seeing　him。



One　day　she　made　up　her　mind　to　tell　everything　to　her　eldest　sister。



‘What！'　said　she；　‘this　rogue　knows　our　secret；　and　you　never

told　me！　I　must　lose　no　time　in　getting　rid　of　him。'



‘But　how？'



‘Why；　by　having　him　taken　to　the　tower　with　the　dungeons；　of　course。'



For　this　was　the　way　that　in　old　times　beautiful　princesses　got

rid　of　people　who　knew　too　much。



But　the　astonishing　part　of　it　was　that　the　youngest　sister　did

not　seem　at　all　to　relish　this　method　of　stopping　the　mouth　of　the

gardener's　boy；　who；　after　all；　had　said　nothing　to　their　father。





XIII





It　was　agreed　that　the　question　should　be　submitted　to　the　other

ten　sisters。　All　were　on　the　side　of　the　eldest。　Then　the　youngest

sister　declared　that　if　they　laid　a　finger　on　the　little　garden　boy；　she

would　herself　go　and　tell　their　father　the　secret　of　the　holes　in　their　shoes。



At　last　it　was　decided　that　Michael　should　be　put　to　the　test；

that　they　would　take　him　to　the　ball；　and　at　the　end　of　supper　would

give　him　the　philtre　which　was　to　enchant　him　like　the　rest。



They　sent　for　the　Star　Gazer；　and　asked　him　how　he　had　contrived

to　learn　their　secret；　but　still　he　remained　silent。



Then；　in　commanding　tones；　the　eldest　sister　gave　him　the　order

they　had　agreed　upon。



He　only　answered：



‘I　will　obey。'



He　had　really　been　present；　invisible；　at　the　council　of　princesses；

and　had　heard　all；　but　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　drink　of　the

philtre；　and　sacrifice　himself　to　the　happiness　of　her　he　loved。



Not　wishing；　however；　to　cut　a　poor　figure　at　the　ball　by　the　side

of　the　other　dancers；　he　went　at　once　to　the　laurels；　and　said：



‘My　lovely　rose　laurel；　with　the　golden　rake　I　have　raked　thee；

with　the　golden　bucket　I　have　watered　thee；　with　a　silken　towel　I

have　dried　thee。　Dress　me　like　a　prince。'



A　beautiful　pink　flower　appeared。　Michael　gathered　it；　and

found　himself　in　a　moment　clothed　in　velvet；　which　was　as　black　as

the　eyes　of　the　little　Princess；　with　a　cap　to　match；　a　diamond

aigrette；　and　a　blossom　of　the　rose　laurel　in　his　button…hole。



Thus　dressed；　he　presented　himself　that　evening　before　the　Duke

of　Beloeil；　and　obtained　leave　to　try　and　discover　his　daughters'

secret。　He　looked　so　distinguished　that　hardly　anyone　would　have

known　who　he　was。





XIV





The　twelve　princesses　went　upstairs　to　bed。　Michael　followed

them；　and　waited　behind　the　open　door　till　they　gave　the　signal　for

departure。



This　time　he　did　not　cross　in　Lina's　boat。　He　gave　his　arm　to

the　eldest　sister；　danced　with　each　in　turn；　and　was　so　graceful　that

everyone　was　delighted　with　him。　At　last　the　time　came　for　him

to　dance　with　the　little　Princess。　She　found　him　the　best　partner

in　the　world；　but　he　did　not　dare　to　speak　a　single　word　to　her。



When　he　was　taking　her　back　to　her　place　she　said　to　him　in　a

mocking　voice：



‘Here　you　are　at　the　summit　of　your　wishes：　you　are　being

treated　like　a　prince。'



‘Don't　be　afraid；'　replied　the　Star　Gazer　gently。　‘You　shall

never　be　a　gardener's　wife。'



The　little　Princess　stared　at　him　with　a　frightened　face；　and　he

left　her　without　waiting　for　an　answer。



When　the　satin　slippers　were　worn　through　the　fiddles　stopped；

and　the　negro　boys　set　the　table。　Michael　was　placed　next　to　the

eldest　sister；　and　opposite　to　the　youngest。



They　gave　him　the　most　exquisite　dishes　to　eat；　and　the　most

delicate　wines　to　drink；　and　in　order　to　turn　his　head　more

completely；　compliments　and　flattery　were　heaped　on　him　from　every

side。



But　he　took　care　not　to　be　intoxicated；　either　by　the　wine　or　the

compliments。





XV





At　last　the　eldest　sister　made　a　sign；　and　one　of　the　black　pages

brought　in　a　large　golden　cup。



‘The　enchanted　castle　has　no　more　secrets　for　you；'　she　said　to

the　Star　Gazer。　‘Let　us　drink　to　your　triumph。'



He　cast　a　lingering　glance　at　the　little　Princess；　and　without

hesitation　lifted　the　cup。



‘Don't　drink！'　suddenly　cried　out　the　little　Princess；　‘I　would

rather　marry　a　gardener。'



And　she