13-the little good mouse-第3部分

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So　the　guards　tied　her　hands　and　feet　with　thick　ropes；　for　fear

she　might　run　away；　and　brought　her　to　the　King；　who　was　waiting

with　his　son。



When　he　saw　her　he　was　very　much　astonished　at　her　beauty；

which　would　have　made　anyone　less　hard…hearted　sorry　for　her。

But　the　wicked　King　only　laughed　and　mocked　at　her；　and

cried：　‘Well；　little　fright；　little　toad！　why　don't　you　love　my

son；　who　is　far　too　handsome　and　too　good　for　you？　Make　haste

and　begin　to　love　him　this　instant；　or　you　shall　be　tarred　and

feathered。'



Then　the　poor　little　Princess；　shaking　with　terror；　went　down

on　her　knees；　crying：



‘Oh；　don't　tar　and　feather　me；　please！　It　would　be　so

uncomfortable。　Let　me　have　two　or　three　days　to　make　up　my　mind；

and　then　you　shall　do　as　you　like　with　me。'



The　wicked　Prince　would　have　liked　very　much　to　see　her

tarred　and　feathered；　but　the　King　ordered　that　she　should　be　shut

up　in　a　dark　dungeon。　It　was　just　at　this　moment　that　the　Queen

and　the　Fairy　arrived　in　the　flying　chariot；　and　the　Queen　was

dreadfully　distressed　at　the　turn　affairs　had　taken；　and　said

miserably　that　she　was　destined　to　be　unfortunate　all　her　days。

But　the　Fairy　bade　her　take　courage。



‘I'll　pay　them　out　yet；'　said　she；　nodding　her　head　with　an　air

of　great　determination。



That　very　same　night；　as　soon　as　the　wicked　King　had　gone　to

bed；　the　Fairy　changed　herself　into　the　little　mouse；　and　creeping

up　on　to　his　pillow　nibbled　his　ear；　so　that　he　squealed　out　quite

loudly　and　turned　over　on　his　other　side；　but　that　was　no　good；　for

the　little　mouse　only　set　to　work　and　gnawed　away　at　the　second

ear　until　it　hurt　more　than　the　first　one。



Then　the　King　cried　‘Murder！'　and　‘Thieves！'　and　all　his

guards　ran　to　see　what　was　the　matter；　but　they　could　find　nothing

and　nobody；　for　the　little　mouse　had　run　off　to　the　Prince's　room

and　was　serving　him　in　exactly　the　same　way。　All　night　long　she

ran　from　one　to　the　other；　until　at　last；　driven　quite　frantic　by

terror　and　want　of　sleep；　the　King　rushed　out　of　the　palace　crying：



‘Help！　help！　I　am　pursued　by　rats。'



The　Prince　when　he　heard　this　got　up　also；　and　ran　after　the

King；　and　they　had　not　gone　far　when　they　both　fell　into　the　river

and　were　never　heard　of　again。



Then　the　good　Fairy　ran　to　tell　the　Queen；　and　they　went

together　to　the　black　dungeon　where　Delicia　was　imprisoned。　The

Fairy　touched　each　door　with　her　wand；　and　it　sprang　open

instantly；　but　they　had　to　go　through　forty　before　they　came　to　the

Princess；　who　was　sitting　on　the　floor　looking　very　dejected。　But

when　the　Queen　rushed　in；　and　kissed　her　twenty　times　in　a

minute；　and　laughed；　and　cried；　and　told　Delicia　all　her　history；

the　Princess　was　wild　with　delight。　Then　the　Fairy　showed　her　all

the　wonderful　dresses　and　jewels　she　had　brought　for　her；　and　said：



‘Don't　let　us　waste　time；　we　must　go　and　harangue　the　people。'



So　she　walked　first；　looking　very　serious　and　dignified；　and

wearing　a　dress　the　train　of　which　was　at　least　ten　ells　long。

Behind　her　came　the　Queen　wearing　a　blue　velvet　robe　embroidered

with　gold；　and　a　diamond　crown　that　was　brighter　than　the　sun

itself。　Last　of　all　walked　Delicia；　who　was　so　beautiful　that　it　was

nothing　short　of　marvellous。



They　proceeded　through　the　streets；　returning　the　salutations　of

all　they　met；　great　or　small；　and　all　the　people　turned　and　followed

them；　wondering　who　these　noble　ladies　could　be。



When　the　audience　hall　was　quite　full；　the　Fairy　said　to　the

subjects　of　the　Wicked　King　that　if　they　would　accept　Delicia；　who

was　the　daughter　of　the　Jolly　King；　as　their　Queen；　she　would

undertake　to　find　a　suitable　husband　for　her；　and　would　promise

that　during　their　reign　there　should　be　nothing　but　rejoicing　and

merry…making；　and　all　dismal　things　should　be　entirely　banished。

Upon　this　the　people　cried　with　one　accord；　‘We　will；　we　will！　we

have　been　gloomy　and　miserable　too　long　already。'　And　they　all

took　hands　and　danced　round　the　Queen；　and　Delicia；　and　the　good

Fairy；　singing：　‘Yes；　yes；　we　will；　we　will！'



Then　there　were　feasts　and　fireworks　in　every　street　in　the

town；　and　early　the　next　morning　the　Fairy；　who　had　been　all　over

the　world　in　the　night；　brought　back　with　her；　in　her　flying　chariot；

the　most　handsome　and　good…tempered　Prince　she　could　find

anywhere。　He　was　so　charming　that　Delicia　loved　him　from　the

moment　their　eyes　met；　and　as　for　him；　of　course　he　could　not　help

thinking　himself　the　luckiest　Prince　in　the　world。　The　Queen　felt

that　she　had　really　come　to　the　end　of　her　misfortunes　at　last；　and

they　all　lived　happily　ever　after。＇10＇



＇10＇　La　bonne　vetite　Souris'　par　Madame　d'Aulnoy。