English
DidPrinceDolarbecomeagreatking?Washe,thoughlittlemorethanaboy,“thefatherofhispeople,”asallkingsoughttobe?Didhisreignlastlong—longandhappy?
andwhatweretheprincipaleventsofit,aschronicledinthehistoryofNomansland?
Why,ifIweretoanswerallthesequestionsIshouldhavetowriteanotherbook.
AndI’mtired,children,tired—asgrown-uppeoplesometimesare,thoughnotalwayswithplay.
(Besides,Ihaveasmallpersonbelongingtome,who,thoughshelikesextremelytolistentotheword-of-mouthstoryofthisbook,grumblesmuchatthewritingofit,andhasrunaboutthehouseclappingherhandswithjoywhenmammatoldherthatitwasnearlyfinished.Butthatisneitherherenorthere.)
IhaverelatedaswellasIcouldthehistoryofPrinceDolor,butwiththehistoryofNomanslandIamasyetunacquainted.
Ifanybodyknowsit,perhapsheorshewillkindlywriteitalldowninanotherbook.Butmineisdone.
However,ofthisIamsure,thatPrinceDolormadeanexcellentking.
Nobodyeverdoesanythinglesswell,noteventhecommonestdutyofcommondailylife,forhavingsuchagodmotherasthelittleoldwomanclothedingray,whosenameis—well,Ileaveyoutoguess.
Nor,Ithink,isanybodylessgood,lesscapableofbothworkandenjoymentinafter-life,forhavingbeenalittleunhappyinhisyouth,astheprincehadbeen.
Icannottakeuponmyselftosaythathewasalwayshappynow—whois?
—orthathehadnocares;justshowmethepersonwhoisquitefreefromthem!
Butwheneverpeopleworriedandbotheredhim—astheydidsometimes,withstateetiquette,statesquabbles,andthelike,settingupthemselvesandpullingdowntheirneighbors—hewouldtakerefugeinthatupperroomwhichlookedoutontheBeautifulMountains,and,layinghisheadonhisgodmother’sshoulder,becomecalmedandatrest.
Also,shehelpedhimoutofanydifficultywhichnowandthenoccurred—forthereneverwassuchawiseoldwoman.
WhenthepeopleofNomanslandraisedthealarm—assometimestheydid—forwhatpeoplecanexistwithoutalittlefault-finding?
—andbegantocryout,“Un-happyisthenationwhosekingisachild,”shewouldsaytohimgently,“Youareachild.Acceptthefact.Behumble—beteachable.
Leanuponthewisdomofotherstillyouhavegainedyourown.”
Hedidso.Helearnedhowtotakeadvicebeforeattemptingtogiveit,toobeybeforehecouldrighteouslycommand.
Heassembledroundhimallthegoodandwiseofhiskingdom—laidallitsaffairsbeforethem,andwasguidedbytheiropinionsuntilhehadmaturelyformedhisown.
Thishedidsoonerthananybodywouldhaveimaginedwhodidnotknowofhisgodmotherandhistraveling-cloak—twosecretblessings,which,thoughmanyguessedat,nobodyquiteunderstood.
Nordidtheyunderstandwhyhelovedsothelittleupperroom,exceptthatithadbeenhismother’sroom,fromthewindowofwhich,aspeoplerememberednow,shehadusedtositforhourswatchingtheBeautifulMountains.
Outofthatwindowheusedtofly—notveryoften;ashegrewolder,thelaborsofstatepreventedthefrequentuseofhistraveling-cloak;stillhediduseitsometimes.
Onlynowitwaslessforhisownpleasureandamusementthantoseesomethingorinvestigatesomethingforthegoodofthecountry.
Butheprizedhisgodmother’sgiftasdearlyasever.
Itwasacomforttohiminallhisvexations,anenhancementofallhisjoys.
Itmadehimalmostforgethislameness—whichwasnevercured.
However,thecruelthingswhichhadbeenonceforebodedofhimdidnothappen.
Hismisfortunewasnotsuchaheavyone,afterall.
Itprovedtobeofmuchlessinconvenience,eventohimself,thanhadbeenfeared.
Acouncilofeminentsurgeonsandmechaniciansinventedforhimawonderfulpairofcrutches,withthehelpofwhich,thoughheneverwalkedeasilyorgracefully,hedidmanagetowalksoastobequiteindependent.
Andsuchwasthelovehispeopleborehimthattheyneverheardthesoundofhiscrutchesonthemarblepalacefloorswithoutaleapoftheheart,fortheyknewthatgoodwascomingtothemwheneverheapproached.
Thus,thoughheneverwalkedinprocessions,neverreviewedhistroopsmountedonamagnificentcharger,nordidanyofthethingswhichmakeashowmonarchsomuchappreciated,hewasableforallthedutiesandagreatmanyofthepleasuresofhisrank.
Whenheheldhislevees,notstanding,butseatedonathroneingeniouslycontrivedtohidehisinfirmity,thepeoplethrongedtogreethim;whenhedroveoutthroughthecitystreets,shoutsfollowedhimwhereverhewent—everycountenancebrightenedashepassed,andhisown,perhaps,wasthebrightestofall.
First,because,acceptinghisafflictionasinevitable,hetookitpatiently;second,because,beingabraveman,heboreitbravely,tryingtoforgethimself,andliveoutofhimself,andinandforotherpeople.
ThereforeotherpeoplegrewtolovehimsowellthatIthinkhundredsofhissubjectsmighthavebeenfoundwhowerealmostreadytodiefortheirpoorlameking.
Henevergavethemaqueen.Whentheyimploredhimtochooseone,herepliedthathiscountrywashisbride,andhedesirednoother.
Butperhapstherealreasonwasthatheshrankfromanychange;andthatnowifeinalltheworldwouldhavebeenfoundsoperfect,solovable,sotendertohiminallhisweaknessesashisbeautifuloldgodmother.
Histwenty-fourothergodfathersandgodmothers,orasmanyofthemaswerestillalive,crowdedroundhimassoonasheascendedthethrone.
Hewasveryciviltothemall,butadoptednoneofthenamestheyhadgivenhim,keepingtotheonebywhichhehadbeenalwaysknown,thoughithadnowalmostlostitsmeaning;forKingDolorwasoneofthehappiestandcheerfulestmenalive.
Hedidagoodmanythings,however,unlikemostmenandmostkings,whichalittleastonishedhissubjects.
First,hepardonedthecondemnedwomanwhohadbeenhisnurse,andordainedthatfromhenceforththereshouldbenosuchthingasthepunishmentofdeathinNomansland.
AllcapitalcriminalsweretobesenttoperpetualimprisonmentinHopelessTowerandtheplainroundaboutit,wheretheycoulddonoharmtoanybody,andmightintimedoalittlegood,asthewomanhaddone.
Anothersurpriseheshortlyafterwardgavethenation.
Herecalledhisuncle’sfamily,whohadfledawayinterrortoanothercountry,andrestoredthemtoalltheirhonorsintheirown.
Byandbyhechosetheeldestsonofhiseldestcousin(whohadbeendeadayear),andhadhimeducatedintheroyalpalace,astheheirtothethrone.
Thislittleprincewasaquiet,unobtrusiveboy,sothateverybodywonderedattheKing’schoosinghimwhenthereweresomanymore;butashegrewintoafineyoungfellow,goodandbrave,theyagreedthattheKingjudgedmorewiselythanthey.
“Notalameprince,either,”hisMajestyobservedoneday,watchinghimaffectionately;forhewasthebestrunner,thehighestleaper,thekeenestandmostactivesportsmaninthecountry.
“Onecannotmakeone’sself,butonecansometimeshelpalittleinthemakingofsomebodyelse.Itiswell.”
Thiswassaid,nottoanyofhisgreatlordsandladies,buttoagoodoldwoman—hisfirsthomelynursewhomhehadsoughtforfarandwide,andatlastfoundinhercottageamongtheBeautifulMountains.
Hesentforhertovisithimonceayear,andtreatedherwithgreathonoruntilshedied.
Hewasequallykind,thoughsomewhatlesstender,tohisothernurse,who,afterreceivingherpardon,returnedtohernativetownandgrewintoagreatlady,andIhopeagoodone.
Butasshewassograndapersonagenow,anylittlefaultsshehaddidnotshow.
ThusKingDolor’sreignpassedyearafteryear,longandprosperous.
Whetherhewerehappy—“ashappyasaking”—isaquestionnohumanbeingcandecide.
ButIthinkhewas,becausehehadthepowerofmakingeverybodyabouthimhappy,anddidittoo;alsobecausehewashisgodmother’sgodson,andcouldshuthimselfupwithherwheneverheliked,inthatquietlittleroominviewoftheBeautifulMountains,whichnobodyelseeversaworcaredtosee.
Theyweretoofaroff,andthecitylaysolow.Buttheretheywere,allthetime.
Nochangeevercametothem;andIthink,atanydaythroughouthislongreign,theKingwouldsoonerhavelosthiscrownthanhavelostsightoftheBeautifulMountains.
Incourseoftime,whenthelittlePrince,hiscousin,wasgrownintoatallyoungman,capableofallthedutiesofaman,hisMajestydidoneofthemostextraordinaryactseverknowninasovereignbelovedbyhispeopleandprosperousinhisreign.
Heannouncedthathewishedtoinvesthisheirwiththeroyalpurple—atanyrate,foratime—whilehehimselfwentawayonadistantjourney,whitherhehadlongdesiredtogo.
Everybodymarveled,butnobodyopposedhim.
WhocouldopposethegoodKing,whowasnotayoungkingnow?
Andbesides,thenationhadagreatadmirationfortheyoungregent—andpossiblyalurkingpleasureinchange.
Sotherewasafixeddaywhenallthepeoplewhomitwouldholdassembledinthegreatsquareofthecapital,toseetheyoungprinceinstalledsolemnlyinhisnewduties,andundertakinghisnewvows.
Hewasaveryfineyoungfellow;tallandstraightasapoplartree,withafrank,handsomeface—agreatdealhandsomerthantheking,somepeoplesaid,butothersthoughtdifferently.
However,ashisMajestysatonhisthrone,withhisgrayhairfallingfromunderneathhiscrown,andafewwrinklesshowinginspiteofhissmile,therewassomethingabouthiscountenancewhichmadehispeople,evenwhiletheyshouted,regardhimwithatendernessmixedwithawe.
Helifteduphisthin,slenderhand,andtherecameasilenceoverthevastcrowdimmediately.
Thenhespoke,inhisownaccustomedway,usingnograndwords,butsayingwhathehadtosayinthesimplestfashion,thoughwithaclearnessthatstrucktheirearslikethefirstsongofabirdintheduskofthemorning.
“Mypeople,Iamtired:Iwanttorest.Ihavehadalongreign,anddonemuchwork—atleast,asmuchasIwasabletodo.
ManymighthavedoneitbetterthanI—butnonewithabetterwill.
NowIleaveittoothers;Iamtired,verytired.Letmegohome.”
Therearoseamurmur—ofcontentordiscontentnonecouldwelltell;thenitdieddownagain,andtheassemblylistenedsilentlyoncemore.
“Iamnotanxiousaboutyou,mypeople—mychildren,”continuedtheKing.“Youareprosperousandatpeace.Ileaveyouingoodhands.ThePrinceRegentwillbeafitterkingforyouthanI.”
“No,no,no!”rosetheuniversalshout—andthosewhohadsometimesfoundfaultwithhimshoutedlouderthananybody.Butheseemedasifheheardthemnot.
“Yes,yes,”saidhe,assoonasthetumulthadalittlesubsided:andhisvoicesoundedfirmandclear;andsomeveryoldpeople,whoboastedofhavingseenhimasachild,declaredthathisfacetookasuddenchange,andgrewasyoungandsweetasthatofthelittlePrinceDolor.“Yes,Imustgo.Itistimeformetogo.
Remembermesometimes,mypeople,forIhavelovedyouwell.
AndIamgoingalongway,andIdonotthinkIshallcomebackanymore.”
Hedrewalittlebundleoutofhisbreastpocket—abundlethatnobodyhadeverseenbefore.
Itwassmallandshabby-looking,andtiedupwithmanyknots,whichuntiedthemselvesinaninstant.
Withajoyfulcountenance,hemutteredoveritafewhalf-intelligiblewords.
Then,sosuddenlythateventhosenearesttohisMajestycouldnottellhowitcameabout,theKingwasaway—away—floatingrightupintheair—uponsomething,theyknewnotwhat,exceptthatitappearedtobeassafeandpleasantasthewingsofabird.
Andafterhimsprangabird—adearlittlelark,risingfromwhencenoonecouldsay,sincelarksdonotusuallybuildtheirnestsinthepavementofcitysquares.
Butthereitwas,areallark,singingfarovertheirheads,louderandclearerandmorejoyfulasitvanishedfurtherintothebluesky.
Shadingtheireyes,andstrainingtheirears,theastonishedpeoplestooduntilthewholevisiondisappearedlikeaspeckintheclouds—therosycloudsthatoverhungtheBeautifulMountains.
KingDolorwasneveragainbeheldorheardofinhisowncountry.
Butthegoodhehaddonetherelastedforyearsandyears;hewaslongmissedanddeeplymourned—atleast,sofarasanybodycouldmournonewhowasgoneonsuchahappyjourney.
Whitherhewent,orwhowentwithhim,itisimpossibletosay.
ButImyselfbelievethathisgodmothertookhimonhistraveling-cloaktotheBeautifulMountains.
Whathedidthere,orwhereheisnow,whocantell?Icannot.
ButonethingIamquitesureof,that,whereverheis,heisperfectlyhappy.
Andso,whenIthinkofhim,amI.
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