16-the white cat-第1节

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THE　WHITE　CAT





ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　a　king　who　had　three　sons；

who　were　all　so　clever　and　brave　that　he　began　to　be

afraid　that　they　would　want　to　reign　over　the　kingdom

before　he　was　dead。　Now　the　King；　though　he　felt　that

he　was　growing　old；　did　not　at　all　wish　to　give　up　the

government　of　his　kingdom　while　he　could　still　manage　it

very　well；　so　he　thought　the　best　way　to　live　in　peace

would　be　to　divert　the　minds　of　his　sons　by　promises

which　he　could　always　get　out　of　when　the　time　came　for

keeping　them。



So　he　sent　for　them　all；　and；　after　speaking　to　them

kindly；　he　added：



〃You　will　quite　agree　with　me；　my　dear　children；　that

my　great　age　makes　it　impossible　for　me　to　look　after　my

affairs　of　state　as　carefully　as　I　once　did。　I　begin　to　fear

that　this　may　affect　the　welfare　of　my　subjects；　therefore

I　wish　that　one　of　you　should　succeed　to　my　crown；　but

in　return　for　such　a　gift　as　this　it　is　only　right　that　you

should　do　something　for　me。　Now；　as　I　think　of　retiring

into　the　country；　it　seems　to　me　that　a　pretty；　lively；

faithful　little　dog　would　be　very　good　company　for　me；　so；

without　any　regard　for　your　ages；　I　promise　that　the　one

who　brings　me　the　most　beautiful　little　dog　shall　succeed

me　at　once。〃



The　three　Princes　were　greatly　surprised　by　their

father's　sudden　fancy　for　a　little　dog；　but　as　it　gave　the

two　younger　ones　a　chance　they　would　not　otherwise　have

had　of　being　king；　and　as　the　eldest　was　too　polite　to

make　any　objection；　they　accepted　the　commission　with

pleasure。　They　bade　farewell　to　the　King；　who　gave　them

presents　of　silver　and　precious　stones；　and　appointed　to

meet　them　at　the　same　hour；　in　the　same　place；　after　a

year　had　passed；　to　see　the　little　dogs　they　had　brought

for　him。



Then　they　went　together　to　a　castle　which　was　about

a　league　from　the　city；　accompanied　by　all　their　particular

friends；　to　whom　they　gave　a　grand　banquet；　and　the

three　brothers　promised　to　be　friends　always；　to　share

whatever　good　fortune　befell　them；　and　not　to　be　parted

by　any　envy　or　jealousy；　and　so　they　set　out；　agreeing

to　meet　at　the　same　castle　at　the　appointed　time；　to

present　themselves　before　the　King　together。　Each　one　took

a　different　road；　and　the　two　eldest　met　with　many

adventures；　but　it　is　about　the　youngest　that　you　are

going　to　hear。　He　was　young；　and　gay；　and　handsome；

and　knew　everything　that　a　prince　ought　to　know；　and

as　for　his　courage；　there　was　simply　no　end　to　it。



Hardly　a　day　passed　without　his　buying　several　dogs

big　and　little；　greyhounds；　mastiffs；　spaniels；　and　lapdogs。

As　soon　as　he　had　bought　a　pretty　one　he　was　sure　to　see

a　still　prettier；　and　then　he　had　to　get　rid　of　all　the　others

and　buy　that　one；　as；　being　alone；　he　found　it　impossible

to　take　thirty　or　forty　thousand　dogs　about　with　him。　He

journeyed　from　day　to　day；　not　knowing　where　he　was

going；　until　at　last；　just　at　nightfall；　he　reached　a　great；

gloomy　forest。　He　did　not　know　his　way；　and；　to　make

matters　worse；　it　began　to　thunder；　and　the　rain　poured

down。　He　took　the　first　path　he　could　find；　and　after

walking　for　a　long　time　he　fancied　he　saw　a　faint　light；　and

began　to　hope　that　he　was　coming　to　some　cottage　where

he　might　find　shelter　for　the　night。　At　length；　guided　by

the　light；　he　reached　the　door　of　the　most　splendid　castle

he　could　have　imagined。　This　door　was　of　gold　covered

with　carbuncles；　and　it　was　the　pure　red　light　which　shone

from　them　that　had　shown　him　the　way　through　the

forest。　The　walls　were　of　the　finest　porcelain　in　all　the

most　delicate　colors；　and　the　Prince　saw　that　all　the

stories　he　had　ever　read　were　pictured　upon　them；　but　as

he　was　terribly　wet；　and　the　rain　still　fell　in　torrents；　he

could　not　stay　to　look　about　any　more；　but　came　back　to

the　golden　door。　There　he　saw　a　deer's　foot　hanging　by　a

chain　of　diamonds；　and　he　began　to　wonder　who　could

live　in　this　magnificent　castle。



〃They　must　feel　very　secure　against　robbers；〃　he　said

to　himself。　〃What　is　to　hinder　anyone　from　cutting　off

that　chain　and　digging　out　those　carbuncles；　and　making

himself　rich　for　life？〃



He　pulled　the　deer's　foot；　and　immediately　a　silver

bell　sounded　and　the　door　flew　open；　but　the　Prince　could

see　nothing　but　numbers　of　hands　in　the　air；　each　holding

a　torch。　He　was　so　much　surprised　that　he　stood　quite

still；　until　he　felt　himself　pushed　forward　by　other　hands；

so　that；　though　he　was　somewhat　uneasy；　he　could　not

help　going　on。　With　his　hand　on　his　sword；　to　be　prepared

for　whatever　might　happen；　he　entered　a　hall　paved

with　lapis…lazuli；　while　two　lovely　voices　sang：



〃The　hands　you　see　floating　above

　　Will　swiftly　your　bidding　obey；

If　your　heart　dreads　not　conquering　Love；

　　In　this　place　you　may　fearlessly　stay。〃





The　Prince　could　not　believe　that　any　danger　threatened

him　when　he　was　welcomed　in　this　way；　so；　guided

by　the　mysterious　hands；　he　went　toward　a　door　of　coral；

which　opened　of　its　own　accord；　and　he　found　himself　in

a　vast　hall　of　mother…of…pearl；　out　of　which　opened　a

number　of　other　rooms；　glittering　with　thousands　of

lights；　and　full　of　such　beautiful　pictures　and　precious

things　that　the　Prince　felt　quite　bewildered。　After　passing

through　sixty　rooms　the　hands　that　conducted　him

stopped；　and　the　Prince　saw　a　most　comfortable…looking

arm…chair　drawn　up　close　to　the　chimney…corner；　at　the

same　moment　the　fire　lighted　itself；　and　the　pretty；　soft；

clever　hands　took　off　the　Prince's　wet；　muddy　clothes；　and

presented　him　with　fresh　ones　made　of　the　richest　stuffs；

all　embroidered　with　gold　and　emeralds。　He　could　not

help　admiring　everything　he　saw；　and　the　deft　way　in

which　the　hands　waited　on　him；　though　they　sometimes

appeared　so　suddenly　that　they　made　him　jump。



When　he　was　quite　readyand　I　can　assure　you　that

he　looked　very　different　from　the　wet　and　weary　Prince

who　had　stood　outside　in　the　rain；　and　pulled　the　deer's

footthe　hands　led　him　to　a　splendid　room；　upon　the

walls　of　which　were　painted　the　histories　of　Puss　in　Boots

and　a　number　of　other　famous　cats。　The　table　was　laid

for　supper　with　two　golden　plates；　and　golden　spoons　and

forks；　and　the　sideboard　was　covered　with　dishes　and

glasses　of　crystal　set　with　precious　stones。　The　Prince　was

wondering　who　the　second　place　could　be　for；　when　suddenly

in　came　about　a　dozen　cats　carrying　guitars　and

rolls　of　music；　who　took　their　places　at　one　end　of　the

room；　and　under　the　direction　of　a　cat　who　beat　time　with

a　roll　of　paper　began　to　mew　in　every　imaginable　key；　and

to　draw　their　claws　across　the　strings　of　the　guitars；　making

the　strangest　kind　of　music　that　could　be　heard。　The

Prince　hastily　stopped　up　his　ears；　but　even　then　the

sight　of　these　comical　musicians　sent　him　into　fits　of

laughter。



〃What　funny　thing　shall　I　see　next？〃　he　said　to　himself；

and　instantly　the　door　opened；　and　in　came　a　tiny　figure

covered　by　a　long　black　veil。　It　was　conducted　by　two

cats　wearing　black　mantles　and　carrying　swords；　and　a

large　party　of　cats　followed；　who　brought　in　cages　full　of

rats　and　mice。



The　Prince　was　so　much　astonished　that　he　thought　he

must　be　dreaming；　but　the　little　figure　came　up　to　him

and　threw　back　its　veil；　and　he　saw　that　it　was　the　loveliest

little　white　cat　it　is　possible　to　imagine。　She　looked

very　young　and　very　sad；　and　in　a　sweet　little　voice　that

went　straight　to　his　heart　she　said　to　the　Prince：



〃King's　son；　you　are　welcome；　the　Queen　of　the　Cats　is

glad　to　see　you。〃



〃Lady　Cat；〃　replied　the　Prince；　〃I　thank　you　for

receiving　me　so　kindly；　but　surely　you　are　no　ordinary

pussy…cat？　Indeed；　the　way　you　speak　and　the　magnificence

of　your　castle　prove　it　plainly。〃



〃King's　son；〃　said　the　White　Cat；　〃I　beg　you　to　spare

me　these　compliments；　for　I　am　not　used　to　them。　But

now；〃　she　added；　〃let　supper　be　served；　and　let　the

musicians　be　silent；　as　the　Prince　does　not　understand　what

they　are　saying。〃



So　the　mysterious　hands　began　to　bring　in　the　supper；

and　first　they　put　on　the　table　two　dishes；　one　containing

stewed　pigeons　and　the　other　a　fricassee　of　fat　mice。　The

sight　of　the　latter　made　the　Prince　feel　as　if　he　could　not

enjoy　his　supper　at　all；　but　the　White　Cat；　seeing　this；

assured　him　that　the　dishes　intended　for　him　were　prepared

in　a　separate　kitchen；　and　he　might　be　quite　certain

that　they　contained　neither　rats　nor　mice；　and　the　Prince

felt　so　sure　that　she　would　not　deceive　him　that　he　had　no

more　hesitation　in　beginning。　Presently　he　noticed　that

on　the　little　paw　that　was　next　him　the　White　Cat　wore　a

bracelet　containing　a　portrait；　and　he　begged　to　be　allowed

to　look　at　it。　To　his　great　surprise　he　found　it　represented

an　extremely　handsome　young　man；　who　was　so　like　himself

that　it　might　have　been　his　own　portrait！　The　White

Cat　sighed　as　he　looke