the light princess(光明公主)-第3章
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her cheeks？ Funny mamma！〃
And when her papa stormed at her； she laughed； and danced round and
round him； clapping her hands； and crying
〃Do it again； papa。 Do it again！ It's SUCH fun！ Dear； funny
papa！〃
And if he tried to catch her； she glided from him in an instant； not in
the least afraid of him； but thinking it part of the game not to be caught。
With one push of her foot； she would be floating in the air above his head；
or she would go dancing backwards and forwards and sideways； like a
great butterfly。 It happened several times； when her father and mother
were holding a consultation about her in private； that they were interrupted
by vainly repressed outbursts of laughter over their heads； and looking up
with indignation； saw her floating at full length in the air above them；
whence she regarded them with the most comical appreciation of the
position。
One day an awkward accident happened。 The princess had come out
upon the lawn with one of her attendants； who held her by the hand。
Spying her father at the other side of the lawn； she snatched her hand from
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the maid's； and sped across to him。 Now when she wanted to run alone；
her custom was to catch up a stone in each hand； so that she might come
down again after a bound。 Whatever she wore as part of her attire had no
effect in this way： even gold； when it thus became as it were a part of
herself； lost all its weight for the time。 But whatever she only held in her
hands retained its downward tendency。 On this occasion she could see
nothing to catch up but a huge toad； that was walking across the lawn as if
he had a hundred years to do it in。 Not knowing what disgust meant； for
this was one of her peculiarities； she snatched up the toad and bounded
away。 She had almost reached her father； and he was holding out his
arms to receive her； and take from her lips the kiss which hovered on them
like a butterfly on a rosebud； when a puff of wind blew her aside into the
arms of a young page； who had just been receiving a message from his
Majesty。 Now it was no great peculiarity in the princess that； once she
was set agoing； it always cost her time and trouble to check herself。 On
this occasion there was no time。 She must kiss…and she kissed the page。
She did not mind it much； for she had no shyness in her composition； and
she knew； besides； that she could not help it。 So she only laughed； like a
musical box。 The poor page fared the worst。 For the princess； trying to
correct the unfortunate tendency of the kiss； put out her hands to keep her
off the page； so that； along with the kiss； he received； on the other cheek； a
slap with the huge black toad； which she poked right into his eye。 He
tried to laugh； too； but the attempt resulted in such an odd contortion of
countenance； as showed that there was no danger of his pluming himself
on the kiss。 As for the king； his dignity was greatly hurt； and he did not
speak to the page for a whole month。
I may here remark that it was very amusing to see her run； if her mode
of progression could properly be called running。 For first she would
make a bound； then； having alighted； she would run a few steps； and make
another bound。 Sometimes she would fancy she had reached the ground
before she actually had； and her feet would go backwards and forwards；
running upon nothing at all； like those of a chicken on its back。 Then she
would laugh like the very spirit of fun； only in her laugh there was
something missing。 What it was； I find myself unable to describe。 I
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think it was a certain tone； depending upon the possibility of sorrow
MORBIDEZZA； perhaps。 She never smiled。
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7。 Try Metaphysics。
After a long avoidance of the painful subject； the king and queen
resolved to hold a council of three upon it； and so they sent for the
princess。 In she came； sliding and flitting and gliding from one piece of
furniture to another； and put herself at last in an armchair； in a sitting
posture。 Whether she could be said to sit； seeing she received no support
from the seat of the chair； I do not pretend to determine。
〃My dear child；〃 said the king； 〃you must be aware by this time that
you are not exactly like other people。〃
〃Oh； you dear funny papa！ I have got a nose； and two eyes； and all
the rest。 So have you。 So has mamma。〃
〃Now be serious； my dear； for once；〃 said the queen。
〃No； thank you； mamma； I had rather not。〃
〃Would you not like to be able to walk like other people？〃 said the
king。 〃No indeed； I should think not。 You only crawl。 You are such
slow coaches！〃
〃How do you feel； my child？〃 he resumed； after a pause of
discomfiture。
〃Quite well； thank you。〃
〃I mean； what do you feel like？〃
〃Like nothing at all； that I know of。〃
〃You must feel like something。〃
〃I feel like a princess with such a funny papa； and such a dear pet of a
queen…mamma！〃
〃Now really！〃 began the queen； but the princess interrupted her。
〃Oh Yes；〃 she added； 〃I remember。 I have a curious feeling
sometimes； as if I were the only person that had any sense in the whole
world。〃
She had been trying to behave herself with dignity； but now she burst
into a violent fit of laughter； threw herself backwards over the chair； and
went rolling about the floor in an ecstasy of enjoyment。 The king picked
her up easier than one does a down quilt； and replaced her in her former
relation to the chair。 The exact preposition expressing this relation I do
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not happen to know。
〃Is there nothing you wish for？〃 resumed the king； who had learned by
this time that it was useless to be angry with her。
〃Oh； you dear papa！yes；〃 answered she。
〃What is it； my darling？〃
〃I have been longing for itoh； such a time！ever since last night。〃
〃Tell me what it is。〃
〃Will you promise to let me have it？〃
The king was on the point of saying Yes； but the wiser queen checked
him with a single motion of her head。 〃Tell me what it is first；〃 said he。
〃No no。 Promise first。〃
〃I dare not。 What is it？〃
〃Mind； I hold you to your promise。It isto be tied to the end of a
stringa very long string indeed； and be flown like a kite。 Oh； such fun！
I would rain rose…water； and hail sugar…plums； and snow whipped…cream；
andandand〃
A fit of laughing checked her； and she would have been off again over
the floor； had not the king started up and caught her just in time。 Seeing
nothing but talk could be got out of her； he rang the bell； and sent her
away with two of her ladies…in…waiting。
〃Now； queen；〃 he said； turning to her Majesty； 〃what IS to be done？〃
〃There is but one thing left；〃 answered she。 〃Let us consult the
college of Metaphysicians。〃
〃Bravo！〃 cried the king； 〃we will。〃
Now at the head of this college were two very wise Chinese
philosophers…by name Hum…Drum； and Kopy…Keck。 For them the king
sent； and straightway they came。 In a long speech he communicated to
them what they knew very well alreadyas who did not？namely； the
peculiar condition of his daughter in relation to the globe on which she
dwelt； and requested them to consult together as to what might be the
cause and probable cure of her INFIRMITY。 The king laid stress upon
the word； but failed to discover his own pun。 The queen laughed； but
Hum…Drum and Kopy…Keck heard with humility and retired in silence。
The consultation consisted chiefly in propounding and supporting； for
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the thousandth time； each his favourite theories。 For the condition of the
princess afforded delightful scope for the discussion of every question
arising from the division of thought…in fact； of all the Metaphysics of the
Chinese Empire。 But it is only justice to say that they did not altogether
neglect the discussion of the practical question； what was to be done。
Hum…Drum was a Materialist； and Kopy…Keck was a Spiritualist。
The former was slow and sententious； the latter was quick and flighty： the
latter had generally the first word； the former the last。
〃I reassert my former assertion；〃 began Kopy…Keck； with a plunge。
〃There is not a fault in the princess； body or soul； only they are wrong put
together。 Listen to me now； Hum…Drum； and I will tell you in brief what
I think。 Don't speak。 Don't answer me。 I won't hear you till I have
done。 At that decisive moment； when souls seek their appointed
habitations； two eager souls met； struck； rebounded； lost their way； and
arrived each at the wrong place。 The soul of the princess was one of
those； and she went far astray。 She does not belong by rights to this
world at all； but to some other planet； probably Mercury。 Her proclivity
to her true sphere destroys all the natural influence which this orb would
otherwise possess over h
