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Theprincess’spleasureinthelakehadgrowntoapassion,andshecouldscarcelybeartobeoutofitforanhour.
Imaginethenherconsternation,when,divingwiththeprinceonenight,asuddensuspicionseizedherthatthelakewasnotsodeepasitusedtobe.
Theprincecouldnotimaginewhathadhappened.
Sheshottothesurface,and,withoutaword,swamatfullspeedtowardsthehighersideofthelake.
Hefollowed,beggingtoknowifshewasill,orwhatwasthematter.
Sheneverturnedherhead,ortookthesmallestnoticeofhisquestion.
Arrivedattheshore,shecoastedtherockswithminuteinspection.
Butshewasnotabletocometoaconclusion,forthemoonwasverysmall,andsoshecouldnotseewell.
Sheturnedthereforeandswamhome,withoutsayingawordtoexplainherconducttotheprince,ofwhosepresencesheseemednolongerconscious.
Hewithdrewtohiscave,ingreatperplexityanddistress.
Nextdayshemademanyobservations,which,alas!strengthenedherfears.
Shesawthatthebanksweretoodry;andthatthegrassontheshore,andthetrailingplantsontherocks,werewitheringaway.
Shecausedmarkstobemadealongtheborders,andexaminedthem,dayafterday,inalldirectionsofthewind;tillatlastthehorribleideabecameacertainfact—thatthesurfaceofthelakewasslowlysinking.
Thepoorprincessnearlywentoutofthelittlemindshehad.
Itwasawfultohertoseethelake,whichshelovedmorethananylivingthing,liedyingbeforehereyes.Itsankaway,slowlyvanishing.
Thetopsofrocksthathadneverbeenseentillnow,begantoappearfardownintheclearwater.Beforelongtheyweredryinthesun.
Itwasfearfultothinkofthemudthatwouldsoonlietherebakingandfestering,fulloflovelycreaturesdying,anduglycreaturescomingtolife,liketheunmakingofaworld.
Andhowhotthesunwouldbewithoutanylake!
Shecouldnotbeartoswiminitanymore,andbegantopineaway.
Herlifeseemedboundupwithit;andeverasthelakesank,shepined.
Peoplesaidshewouldnotliveanhourafterthelakewasgone.
Butshenevercried.
Proclamationwasmadetoallthekingdom,thatwhosoevershoulddiscoverthecauseofthelake’sdecrease,wouldberewardedafteraprincelyfashion.
Hum-DrumandKopy-Keckappliedthemselvestotheirphysicsandmetaphysics;butinvain.Noteventheycouldsuggestacause.
Nowthefactwasthattheoldprincesswasattherootofthemischief.
Whensheheardthatherniecefoundmorepleasureinthewaterthananyoneelsehadoutofit,shewentintoarage,andcursedherselfforherwantofforesight,
“But,”saidshe,“Iwillsoonsetallright.Thekingandthepeopleshalldieofthirst;theirbrainsshallboilandfrizzleintheirskullsbeforeIwilllosemyrevenge.”
Andshelaughedaferociouslaugh,thatmadethehairsonthebackofherblackcatstanderectwithterror.
princesslookingleft
Thenshewenttoanoldchestintheroom,andopeningit,tookoutwhatlookedlikeapieceofdriedseaweed.Thisshethrewintoatubofwater.
Thenshethrewsomepowderintothewater,andstirreditwithherbarearm,mutteringoveritwordsofhideoussound,andyetmorehideousimport.
Thenshesetthetubaside,andtookfromthechestahugebunchofahundredrustykeys,thatclatteredinhershakinghands.
Thenshesatdownandproceededtooilthemall.
Beforeshehadfinished,outfromthetub,thewaterofwhichhadkeptonaslowmotioneversinceshehadceasedstirringit,cametheheadandhalfthebodyofahugegraysnake.Butthewitchdidnotlookround.
Itgrewoutofthetub,wavingitselfbackwardsandforwardswithaslowhorizontalmotion,tillitreachedtheprincess,whenitlaiditsheaduponhershoulder,andgavealowhissinherear.
Shestarted—butwithjoy;andseeingtheheadrestingonhershoulder,drewittowardsherandkissedit.
Thenshedrewitalloutofthetub,andwounditroundherbody.
Itwasoneofthosedreadfulcreatureswhichfewhaveeverbeheld—theWhiteSnakesofDarkness.
Thenshetookthekeysandwentdowntohercellar;andassheunlockedthedoorshesaidtoherself:
“Thisisworthlivingfor!”
Lockingthedoorbehindher,shedescendedafewstepsintothecellar,andcrossingit,unlockedanotherdoorintoadark,narrowpassage.
Shelockedthisalsobehindher,anddescendedafewmoresteps.
Ifanyonehadfollowedthewitch-princess,hewouldhaveheardherunlockexactlyonehundreddoors,anddescendafewstepsafterunlockingeach.
Whenshehadunlockedthelast,sheenteredavastcave,theroofofwhichwassupportedbyhugenaturalpillarsofrock.
Nowthisroofwastheundersideofthebottomofthelake.
Shethenuntwinedthesnakefromherbody,andhelditbythetailhighaboveher.
Thehideouscreaturestretchedupitsheadtowardstheroofofthecavern,whichitwasjustabletoreach.
Itthenbegantomoveitsheadbackwardsandforwards,withaslowoscillatingmotion,asiflookingforsomething.
Atthesamemomentthewitchbegantowalkroundandroundthecavern,comingnearertothecentreeverycircuit;whiletheheadofthesnakedescribedthesamepathovertheroofthatshedidoverthefloor,forshekeptholdingitup.Andstillitkeptslowlyosculating.
Roundandroundthecaverntheywent,everlesseningthecircuit,tillatlastthesnakemadeasuddendart,andclungtotheroofwithitsmouth.
“That’sright,mybeauty!”criedtheprincess;“drainitdry.”
Sheletitgo,leftithanging,andsatdownonagreatstone,withherblackcat,whichhadfollowedherallroundthecave,byherside.
Thenshebegantoknitandmutterawfulwords.
Thesnakehunglikeahugeleech,suckingatthestone;thecatstoodwithhisbackarched,andhistaillikeapieceofcable,lookingupatthesnake;andtheoldwomansatandknittedandmuttered.
Sevendaysandsevennightstheyremainedthus;whensuddenlytheserpentdroppedfromtheroofasifexhausted,andshrivelleduptillitwasagainlikeapieceofdriedseaweed.
Thewitchstartedtoherfeet,pickeditup,putitinherpocket,andlookedupattheroof.
Onedropofwaterwastremblingonthespotwherethesnakehadbeensucking.
Assoonasshesawthat,sheturnedandfled,followedbyhercat.
Shuttingthedoorinaterriblehurry,shelockedit,andhavingmutteredsomefrightfulwords,spedtothenext,whichalsoshelockedandmutteredover;andsowithallthehundreddoors,tillshearrivedinherowncellar.
Thenshesatdownonthefloorreadytofaint,butlisteningwithmaliciousdelighttotherushingofthewater,whichshecouldheardistinctlythroughallthehundreddoors.
Butthiswasnotenough.Nowthatshehadtastedrevenge,shelostherpatience.
Withoutfurthermeasures,thelakewouldbetoolongindisappearing.
Sothenextnight,withthelastshredofthedyingoldmoonrising,shetooksomeofthewaterinwhichshehadrevivedthesnake,putitinabottle,andsetout,accompaniedbyhercat.
Beforemorningshehadmadetheentirecircuitofthelake,mutteringfearfulwordsasshecrossedeverystream,andcastingintoitsomeofthewateroutofherbottle.
Whenshehadfinishedthecircuitshemutteredyetagain,andflungahandfulofwatertowardsthemoon.
Thereuponeveryspringinthecountryceasedtothrobandbubble,dyingawaylikethepulseofadyingman.
Thenextdaytherewasnosoundoffallingwatertobeheardalongthebordersofthelake.
Theverycoursesweredry;andthemountainsshowednosilverystreaksdowntheirdarksides.
AndnotalonehadthefountainsofmotherEarthceasedtoflow;forallthebabiesthroughoutthecountrywerecryingdreadfully—onlywithouttears.
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