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Meantime,notwithstandingawkwardoccurrences,andgriefsthatshebroughtuponherparents,thelittleprincesslaughedandgrew—notfat,butplumpandtall.
Shereachedtheageofseventeen,withouthavingfallenintoanyworsescrapethanachimney;byrescuingherfromwhich,alittlebird-nestingurchingotfameandablackface.
Nor,thoughtlessasshewas,hadshecommittedanythingworsethanlaughterateverybodyandeverythingthatcameinherway.
Whenshewastold,forthesakeofexperiment,thatGeneralClanrunfortwascuttopieceswithallhistroops,shelaughed;whensheheardthattheenemywasonhiswaytobesiegeherfather’scapital,shelaughedhugely;butwhenshewastoldthatthecitywouldcertainlybeabandonedtothemercyoftheenemy’ssoldiery—why,thenshelaughedimmoderately.
Shenevercouldbebroughttoseetheserioussideofanything.Whenhermothercried,shesaid:
princesslookingleft
“Whatqueerfacesmammamakes!Andshesqueezeswateroutofhercheeks!Funnymamma!”
Andwhenherpapastormedather,shelaughed,anddancedroundandroundhim,clappingherhands,andcrying:
“Doitagain,papa.Doitagain!It’ssuchfun!Dear,funnypapa!”
Andifhetriedtocatchher,sheglidedfromhiminaninstant,notintheleastafraidofhim,butthinkingitpartofthegamenottobecaught.
Withonepushofherfoot,shewouldbefloatingintheairabovehishead;orshewouldgodancingbackwardsandforwardsandsideways,likeagreatbutterfly.
Ithappenedseveraltimes,whenherfatherandmotherwereholdingaconsultationaboutherinprivate,thattheywereinterruptedbyvainlyrepressedoutburstsoflaughterovertheirheads;andlookingupwithindignation,sawherfloatingatfulllengthintheairabovethem,whencesheregardedthemwiththemostcomicalappreciationoftheposition.
Onedayanawkwardaccidenthappened.Theprincesshadcomeoutuponthelawnwithoneofherattendants,whoheldherbythehand.
Spyingherfatherattheothersideofthelawn,shesnatchedherhandfromthemaid’s,andspedacrosstohim.
Nowwhenshewantedtorunalone,hercustomwastocatchupastoneineachhand,sothatshemightcomedownagainafterabound.
Whateversheworeaspartofherattirehadnoeffectinthisway.
Evengold,whenitthusbecameasitwereapartofherself,lostallitsweightforthetime.
Butwhateversheonlyheldinherhandsretaineditsdownwardtendency.
Onthisoccasionshecouldseenothingtocatchupbutahugetoad,thatwaswalkingacrossthelawnasifhehadahundredyearstodoitin.
Notknowingwhatdisgustmeant,forthiswasoneofherpeculiarities,shesnatchedupthetoadandboundedaway.
Shehadalmostreachedherfather,andhewasholdingouthisarmstoreceiveher,andtakefromherlipsthekisswhichhoveredonthemlikeabutterflyonarosebud,whenapuffofwindblewherasideintothearmsofayoungpage,whohadjustbeenreceivingamessagefromhisMajesty.
Nowitwasnogreatpeculiarityintheprincessthat,onceshewassetagoing,italwayscosthertimeandtroubletocheckherself.Onthisoccasiontherewasnotime.Shemustkiss—andshekissedthepage.
Shedidnotminditmuch;forshehadnoshynessinhercomposition;andsheknew,besides,thatshecouldnothelpit.
Sosheonlylaughed,likeamusicalbox.Thepoorpagefaredtheworst.
Fortheprincess,tryingtocorrecttheunfortunatetendencyofthekiss,putoutherhandstokeepoffthepage;sothat,alongwiththekiss,hereceived,ontheothercheek,aslapwiththehugeblacktoad,whichshepokedrightintohiseye.
Hetriedtolaugh,too,buttheattemptresultedinsuchanoddcontortionofcountenance,asshowedthattherewasnodangerofhispluminghimselfonthekiss.
Asfortheking,hisdignitywasgreatlyhurt,andhedidnotspeaktothepageforawholemonth.
Imayhereremarkthatitwasveryamusingtoseeherrun,ifhermodeofprogressioncouldproperlybecalledrunning.
Forfirstshewouldmakeabound;then,havingalighted,shewouldrunafewsteps,andmakeanotherbound.
Sometimesshewouldfancyshehadreachedthegroundbeforesheactuallyhad,andherfeetwouldgobackwardsandforwards,runninguponnothingatall,likethoseofachickenonitsback.
Thenshewouldlaughliketheveryspiritoffun;onlyinherlaughtherewassomethingmissing.
Whatitwas,Ifindmyselfunabletodescribe.
Ithinkitwasacertaintone,dependinguponthepossibilityofsorrow—morbidezza,perhaps.Sheneversmiled.
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