English
Everybodywasverykindtothepoorlittleprince.
Ithinkpeoplegenerallyarekindtomotherlesschildren,whetherprincesorpeasants.
Hehadamagnificentnurseryandaregularsuiteofattendants,andwastreatedwiththegreatestrespectandstate.
Nobodywasallowedtotalktohiminsillybabylanguage,ordandlehim,or,abovealltokisshim,thoughperhapssomepeoplediditsurreptitiously,forhewassuchasweetbabythatitwasdifficulttohelpit.
ItcouldnotbesaidthatthePrincemissedhismother—childrenofhisagecannotdothat;butsomehowaftershediedeverythingseemedtogowrongwithhim.
Fromabeautifulbabyhebecamesicklyandpale,seemingtohavealmostceasedgrowing,especiallyinhislegs,whichhadbeensofatandstrong.
Butafterthedayofhischristeningtheywitheredandshrank;henolongerkickedthemouteitherinpassionorplay,andwhen,ashegottobenearlyayearold,hisnursetriedtomakehimstanduponthem,heonlytumbleddown.
Thishappenedsomanytimesthatatlastpeoplebegantotalkaboutit.Aprince,andnotabletostandonhisownlegs!Whatadreadfulthing!Whatamisfortuneforthecountry!
Ratheramisfortunetohimalso,poorlittleboy!butnobodyseemedtothinkofthat.
Andwhen,afterawhile,hishealthrevived,andtheoldbrightlookcamebacktohissweetlittleface,andhisbodygrewlargerandstronger,thoughstillhislegsremainedthesame,peoplecontinuedtospeakofhiminwhispers,andwithgraveshakesofthehead.
Everybodyknew,thoughnobodysaidit,thatsomething,itwasimpossibletoguesswhat,wasnotquiterightwiththepoorlittlePrince.
Ofcourse,nobodyhintedthistotheKinghisfather:itdoesnotdototellgreatpeopleanythingunpleasant.
Andbesides,hisMajestytookverylittlenoticeofhisson,orofhisotheraffairs,beyondthenecessarydutiesofhiskingdom.
PeoplehadsaidhewouldnotmisstheQueenatall,shehavingbeensolonganinvalid,buthedid.
Afterherdeathheneverwasquitethesame.
Heestablishedhimselfinheremptyrooms,theonlyroomsinthepalacewhenceonecouldseetheBeautifulMountains,andwasoftenobservedlookingatthemasifhethoughtshehadflownawaythither,andthathislongingcouldbringherbackagain.
Andbyacuriouscoincidence,whichnobodydaredinquireinto,hedesiredthatthePrincemightbecalled,notbyanyofthefour-and-twentygrandnamesgivenhimbyhisgodfathersandgodmothers,butbytheidenticalnamementionedbythelittleoldwomaningray—Dolor,afterhismotherDolorez.
Onceaweek,accordingtoestablishedstatecustom,thePrince,dressedinhisverybest,wasbroughttotheKinghisfatherforhalfanhour,buthisMajestywasgenerallytooillandtoomelancholytopaymuchheedtothechild.
Onlyonce,whenheandtheCrown-Prince,whowasexceedinglyattentivetohisroyalbrother,weresittingtogether,withPrinceDolorplayinginacorneroftheroom,dragginghimselfaboutwithhisarmsratherthanhislegs,andsometimestryingfeeblytocrawlfromonechairtoanother,itseemedtostrikethefatherthatallwasnotrightwithhisson.
“HowoldishisRoyalHighness?”saidhesuddenlytothenurse.
“Twoyears,threemonths,andfivedays,pleaseyourMajesty.”
“Itdoesnotpleaseme,”saidtheKing,withasigh.
“Heoughttobefarmoreforwardthanheisnowoughthenot,brother?
You,whohavesomanychildren,mustknow.
Istherenotsomethingwrongabouthim?”
“Oh,no,”saidtheCrown-Prince,exchangingmeaninglookswiththenurse,whodidnotunderstandatall,butstoodfrightenedandtremblingwiththetearsinhereyes.
“NothingtomakeyourMajestyatalluneasy.
NodoubthisRoyalHighnesswilloutgrowitintime.”
“Outgrow—what?”
“Aslightdelicacy—ahem!—inthespine;somethinginherited,perhaps,fromhisdearmother.”
“Ah,shewasalwaysdelicate;butshewasthesweetestwomanthateverlived.Comehere,mylittleson.”
AndasthePrinceturnedrounduponhisfatherasmall,sweet,graveface,—solikehismother’s,—hisMajestytheKingsmiledandheldouthisarms.
Butwhentheboycametohim,notrunninglikeaboy,butwrigglingawkwardlyalongthefloor,theroyalcountenancecloudedover.
“Ioughttohavebeentoldofthis.Itisterrible—terrible!Andforaprincetoo.Sendforallthedoctorsinmykingdomimmediately.”
Theycame,andeachgaveadifferentopinionandorderedadifferentmodeoftreatment.
Theonlythingtheyagreedinwaswhathadbeenprettywellknownbefore,thatthePrincemusthavebeenhurtwhenhewasaninfant—letfall,perhaps,soastoinjurehisspineandlowerlimbs.Didnobodyremember?
No,nobody.Indignantly,allthenursesdeniedthatanysuchaccidenthadhappened,waspossibletohavehappened,untilthefaithfulcountrynurserecollectedthatitreallyhadhappenedonthedayofthechristening.
Forwhichunluckilygoodmemoryalltheothersscoldedhersoseverelythatshehadnopeaceofherlife,andsoonafter,bytheinfluenceoftheyoungladynursewhohadcarriedthebabythatfatalday,andwhowasasortofconnectionoftheCrown-Prince—beinghiswife’ssecondcousinonceremoved—thepoorwomanwaspensionedoffandsenttotheBeautifulMountainsfromwhenceshecame,withorderstoremaintherefortherestofherdays.
ButofallthistheKingknewnothing,for,indeed,afterthefirstshockoffindingoutthathissoncouldnotwalk,andseemedneverlikelytoheinterferedverylittleconcerninghim.
Thewholethingwastoopainful,andhisMajestyneverlikedpainfulthings.
SometimesheinquiredafterPrinceDolor,andtheytoldhimhisRoyalHighnesswasgoingonaswellascouldbeexpected,whichreallywasthecase.
For,afterworryingthepoorchildandperplexingthemselveswithoneremedyafteranother,theCrown-Prince,notwishingtooffendanyofthedifferingdoctors,hadproposedleavinghimtoNature;andNature,thesafestdoctorofall,hadcometohishelpanddoneherbest.
Hecouldnotwalk,itistrue;hislimbsweremereuselessappendagestohisbody;butthebodyitselfwasstrongandsound.
Andhisfacewasthesameasever—justhismother’sface,oneofthesweetestintheworld.
EventheKing,indifferentashewas,sometimeslookedatthelittlefellowwithsadtenderness,noticinghowcleverlyhelearnedtocrawlandswinghimselfaboutbyhisarms,sothatinhisownawkwardwayhewasasactiveinmotionasmostchildrenofhisage.
“Poorlittleman!hedoeshisbest,andheisnotunhappy—nothalfsounhappyasI,brother,”addressingtheCrown-Prince,whowasmoreconstantthaneverinhisattendanceuponthesickmonarch.
“Ifanythingshouldbefallme,IhaveappointedyouRegent.
Incaseofmydeath,youwilltakecareofmypoorlittleboy?”
“Certainly,certainly;butdonotletusimagineanysuchmisfortune.IassureyourMajesty—everybodywillassureyou—thatitisnotintheleastlikely.”
Heknew,however,andeverybodyknew,thatitwaslikely,andsoonafteritactuallydidhappen.
TheKingdiedassuddenlyandquietlyastheQueenhaddone—indeed,inherveryroomandbed;andPrinceDolorwasleftwithouteitherfatherormother—assadathingascouldhappen,eventoaprince.
Hewasmorethanthatnow,though.Hewasaking.
InNomansland,asinothercountries,thepeoplewerestruckwithgriefonedayandrevivedthenext.“Thekingisdead—longlivetheking!”
wasthecrythatrangthroughthenation,andalmostbeforehislateMajestyhadbeenlaidbesidetheQueenintheirsplendidmausoleum,crowdscamethrongingfromallpartstotheroyalpalace,eagertoseethenewmonarch.
Theydidseehim,—thePrinceRegenttookcaretheyshould,—sittingonthefloorofthecouncilchamber,suckinghisthumb!
Andwhenoneofthegentlemen-in-waitingliftedhimupandcarriedhim—fancycarryingaking!
—tothechairofstate,andputthecrownonhishead,heshookitoffagain,itwassoheavyanduncomfortable.
Slidingdowntothefootofthethronehebeganplayingwiththegoldenlionsthatsupportedit,strokingtheirpawsandputtinghistinyfingersintotheireyes,andlaughing—laughingasifhehadatlastfoundsomethingtoamusehim.
“There’safinekingforyou!”saidthefirstlord-in-waiting,afriendofthePrinceRegent’s(theCrown-Princethatusedtobe,who,inthedeepestmourning,stoodsilentlybesidethethroneofhisyoungnephew.
Hewasahandsomeman,verygrandandclever-looking).“Whataking!
whocanneverstandtoreceivehissubjects,neverwalkinprocessions,whotothelastdayofhislifewillhavetobecarriedaboutlikeababy.Veryunfortunate!”
“Exceedinglyunfortunate,”repeatedthesecondlord.“Itisalwaysbadforanationwhenitskingisachild;butsuchachild—apermanentcripple,ifnotworse.”
“Letushopenotworse,”saidthefirstlordinaveryhopelesstone,andlookingtowardtheRegent,whostooderectandpretendedtohearnothing.
“Ihaveheardthatthesesortofchildrenwithverylargeheads,andgreatbroadfore-headsandstaringeyes,are—well,well,letushopeforthebestandbepreparedfortheworst.Inthemeantime——”
“Iswear,”saidtheCrown-Prince,comingforwardandkissingthehiltofhissword—”IsweartoperformmydutiesasRegent,totakeallcareofhisRoyalHighness—hisMajesty,Imean,”withagrandbowtothelittlechild,wholaughedinnocentlybackagain.
“AndIwilldomyhumblebesttogovernthecountry.
Still,ifthecountryhastheslightestobjection——”
ButtheCrown-Princebeinggeneralissimo,havingthewholearmyathisbeckandcall,sothathecouldhavebegunacivilwarinnotime,thecountryhad,ofcourse,nottheslightestobjection.
SotheKingandQueenslepttogetherinpeace,andPrinceDolorreignedovertheland—thatis,hisuncledid;andeverybodysaidwhatafortunatethingitwasforthepoorlittlePrincetohavesuchacleveruncletotakecareofhim.
Allthingswentonasusual;indeed,aftertheRegenthadbroughthiswifeandhersevensons,andestablishedtheminthepalace,ratherbetterthanusual.
Fortheygavesuchsplendidentertainmentsandmadethecapitalsolivelythattraderevived,andthecountrywassaidtobemoreflourishingthanithadbeenforacentury.
WhenevertheRegentandhissonsappeared,theywerereceivedwithshouts:“LonglivetheCrown-Prince!”“Longlivetheroyalfamily!”
And,intruth,theywereveryfinechildren,thewholesevenofthem,andmadeagreatshowwhentheyrodeouttogetheronsevenbeautifulhorses,oneheightaboveanother,downtotheyoungest,onhistinyblackpony,nobiggerthanalargedog.
Asfortheotherchild,hisRoyalHighnessPrinceDolor,—forsomehowpeoplesoonceasedtocallhimhisMajesty,whichseemedsucharidiculoustitleforapoorlittlefellow,ahelplesscripple,—withonlyheadandtrunk,andnolegstospeakof,—hewasseenveryseldombyanybody.
Sometimespeopledaringenoughtopeeroverthehighwallofthepalacegardennoticedthere,carriedinafootman’sarms,ordrawninachair,orlefttoplayonthegrass,oftenwithnobodytomindhim,aprettylittleboy,withabright,intelligentfaceandlarge,melancholyeyes—no,notexactlymelancholy,fortheywerehismother’s,andshewasbynomeanssad-minded,butthoughtfulanddreamy.
Theyratherperplexedpeople,thosechildisheyes;theyweresoexceedinglyinnocentandyetsopenetrating.
Ifanybodydidawrongthing—toldalie,forinstancetheywouldturnroundwithsuchagrave,silentsurprisethechildnevertalkedmuch—thateverynaughtypersoninthepalacewasratherafraidofPrinceDolor.
Hecouldnothelpit,andperhapshedidnotevenknowit,beingnobetterachildthanmanyotherchildren,buttherewassomethingabouthimwhichmadebadpeoplesorry,andgrumblingpeopleashamedofthemselves,andill-naturedpeoplegentleandkind.
Isupposebecausetheyweretouchedtoseeapoorlittlefellowwhodidnotintheleastknowwhathadbefallenhimorwhatlaybeforehim,livinghisbabylifeashappyasthedayislong.
Thus,whetherornothewasgoodhimself,thesightofhimandhisafflictionmadeotherpeoplegood,and,aboveall,madeeverybodylovehim—somuchso,thathisuncletheRegentbegantofeelalittleuncomfortable.
Now,Ihavenothingtosayagainstunclesingeneral.
Theyareusuallyveryexcellentpeople,andveryconvenienttolittleboysandgirls.
Eventhe“crueluncle”ofthe“BabesintheWood”Ibelievetobequiteanexceptionalcharacter.
Andthis“crueluncle”ofwhomIamtellingwas,Ihope,anexception,too.
Hedidnotmeantobecruel.Ifanybodyhadcalledhimso,hewouldhaveresenteditextremely:hewouldhavesaidthatwhathedidwasdoneentirelyforthegoodofthecountry.
Buthewasamanwhohadalwaysbeenaccustomedtoconsiderhimselffirstandforemost,believingthatwhateverhewantedwassuretoberight,andthereforeheoughttohaveit.
Sohetriedtogetit,andgotittoo,aspeoplelikehimveryoftendo.
Whethertheyenjoyitwhentheyhaveitisanotherquestion.
Thereforehewentonedaytothecouncilchamber,determinedonmakingaspeech,andinformingtheministersandthecountryatlargethattheyoungKingwasinfailinghealth,andthatitwouldbeadvisabletosendhimforatimetotheBeautifulMountains.
Whetherhereallymeanttodothis,orwhetheritoccurredtohimafterwardthattherewouldbeaneasierwayofattaininghisgreatdesire,thecrownofNomansland,isapointwhichIcannotdecide.
Butsoonafter,whenhehadobtainedanorderincounciltosendtheKingaway,whichwasdoneingreatstate,withaguardofhonorcomposedoftwowholeregimentsofsoldiers,—thenationlearned,withoutmuchsurprise,thatthepoorlittlePrince—nobodyevercalledhimkingnow—hadgoneamuchlongerjourneythantotheBeautifulMountains.
Hehadfallenillontheroadanddiedwithinafewhours;atleastsodeclaredthephysicianinattendanceandthenursewhohadbeensenttotakecareofhim.
Theybroughthiscoffinbackingreatstate,andburieditinthemausoleumwithhisparents.
SoPrinceDolorwasseennomore.Thecountrywentintodeepmourningforhim,andthenforgothim,andhisunclereignedinhisstead.
Thatillustriouspersonageacceptedhiscrownwithgreatdecorum,andworeitwithgreatdignitytothelast.
Butwhetherheenjoyeditornotthereisnoevidencetoshow.
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