快乐王子童话集-第15章

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great　many　times；　it　bees　true　in　the　end。

suddenly；　a　sharp；　dry　cough　was　heard；　and　they　all　looked　round。

it　came　from　a　tall；　supercilious…looking　rocket；　who　was　tied　to

the　end　of　a　long　stick。　　he　always　coughed　before　he　made　any

observation；　so　as　to　attract　attention。

〃ahem！　ahem！〃　he　said；　and　everybody　listened　except　the　poor

catherine　wheel；　who　was　still　shaking　her　head；　and　murmuring；

〃romance　is　dead。〃

〃order！　order！〃　cried　out　a　cracker。　　he　was　something　of　a

politician；　and　had　always　taken　a　prominent　part　in　the　local

elections；　so　he　knew　the　proper　parliamentary　expressions　to　use。

〃quite　dead；〃　whispered　the　catherine　wheel；　and　she　went　off　to

sleep。

as　soon　as　there　was　perfect　silence；　the　rocket　coughed　a　third

time　and　began。　　he　spoke　with　a　very　slow；　distinct　voice；　as　if

he　was　dictating　his　memoirs；　and　always　looked　over　the　shoulder

of　the　person　to　whom　he　was　talking。　　in　fact；　he　had　a　most

distinguished　manner。

〃how　fortunate　it　is　for　the　kings　son；〃　he　remarked；　〃that　he　is

to　be　married　on　the　very　day　on　which　i　am　to　be　let　off。　　really；

if　it　had　been　arranged　beforehand；　it　could　not　have　turned　out

better　for　him；　but；　princes　are　always　lucky。〃

〃dear　me！〃　said　the　little　squib；　〃i　thought　it　was　quite　the　other

way；　and　that　we　were　to　be　let　off　in　the　princes　honour。〃

〃it　may　be　so　with　you；〃　he　answered；　〃indeed；　i　have　no　doubt　that

it　is；　but　with　me　it　is　different。　　i　am　a　very　remarkable　rocket；

and　e　of　remarkable　parents。　　my　mother　was　the　most　celebrated

catherine　wheel　of　her　day；　and　was　renowned　for　her　graceful

dancing。　　when　she　made　her　great　public　appearance　she　spun　round

nineteen　times　before　she　went　out；　and　each　time　that　she　did　so

she　threw　into　the　air　seven　pink　stars。　　she　was　three　feet　and　a

half　in　diameter；　and　made　of　the　very　best　gunpowder。　　my　father

was　a　rocket　like　myself；　and　of　french　extraction。　　he　flew　so

high　that　the　people　were　afraid　that　he　would　never　e　down

again。　　he　did；　though；　for　he　was　of　a　kindly　disposition；　and　he

made　a　most　brilliant　descent　in　a　shower　of　golden　rain。　　the

newspapers　wrote　about　his　performance　in　very　flattering　terms。

indeed；　the　court　gazette　called　him　a　triumph　of　pylotechnic　art。〃

〃pyrotechnic；　pyrotechnic；　you　mean；〃　said　a　bengal　light；　〃i　know

it　is　pyrotechnic；　for　i　saw　it　written　on　my　own　canister。〃

〃well；　i　said　pylotechnic；〃　answered　the　rocket；　in　a　severe　tone

of　voice；　and　the　bengal　light　felt　so　crushed　that　he　began　at

once　to　bully　the　little　squibs；　in　order　to　show　that　he　was　still

a　person　of　some　importance。

〃i　was　saying；〃　continued　the　rocket；　〃i　was　saying　…　what　was　i

saying？〃

〃you　were　talking　about　yourself；〃　replied　the　roman　candle。

〃of　course；　i　knew　i　was　discussing　some　interesting　subject　when　i

was　so　rudely　interrupted。　　i　hate　rudeness　and　bad　manners　of

every　kind；　for　i　am　extremely　sensitive。　　no　one　in　the　whole

world　is　so　sensitive　as　i　am；　i　am　quite　sure　of　that。〃

〃what　is　a　sensitive　person？〃　said　the　cracker　to　the　roman　candle。

〃a　person　who；　because　he　has　corns　himself；　always　treads　on　other

peoples　toes；〃　answered　the　roman　candle　in　a　low　whisper；　and　the

cracker　nearly　exploded　with　laughter。

〃pray；　what　are　you　laughing　at？〃　inquired　the　rocket；　〃i　am　not

laughing。〃

〃i　am　laughing　because　i　am　happy；〃　replied　the　cracker。

〃that　is　a　very　selfish　reason；〃　said　the　rocket　angrily。　　〃what

right　have　you　to　be　happy？　　you　should　be　thinking　about　others。

in　fact；　you　should　be　thinking　about　me。　　i　am　always　thinking

about　myself；　and　i　expect　everybody　else　to　do　the　same。　　that　is

what　is　called　sympathy。　　it　is　a　beautiful　virtue；　and　i　possess

it　in　a　high　degree。　　suppose；　for　instance；　anything　happened　to

me　to…night；　what　a　misfortune　that　would　be　for　every　one！　　the

prince　and　princess　would　never　be　happy　again；　their　whole　married

life　would　be　spoiled；　and　as　for　the　king；　i　know　he　would　not　get

over　it。　　really；　when　i　begin　to　reflect　on　the　importance　of　my

position；　i　am　almost　moved　to　tears。〃

〃if　you　want　to　give　pleasure　to　others；〃　cried　the　roman　candle；

〃you　had　better　keep　yourself　dry。〃

〃certainly；〃　exclaimed　the　bengal　light；　who　was　now　in　better

spirits；　〃that　is　only　mon　sense。〃

〃mon　sense；　indeed！〃　said　the　rocket　indignantly；　〃you　forget

that　i　am　very　unmon；　and　very　remarkable。　　why；　anybody　can

have　mon　sense；　provided　that　they　have　no　imagination。　　but　i

have　imagination；　for　i　never　think　of　things　as　they　really　are；　i

always　think　of　them　as　being　quite　different。　　as　for　keeping

myself　dry；　there　is　evidently　no　one　here　who　can　at　all

appreciate　an　emotional　nature。　　fortunately　for　myself；　i　dont

care。　　the　only　thing　that　sustains　one　through　life　is　the

consciousness　of　the　immense　inferiority　of　everybody　else；　and

this　is　a　feeling　that　i　have　always　cultivated。　　but　none　of　you

have　any　hearts。　　here　you　are　laughing　and　making　merry　just　as　if

the　prince　and　princess　had　not　just　been　married。〃

〃well；　really；〃　exclaimed　a　small　fire…balloon；　〃why　not？　　it　is　a

most　joyful　occasion；　and　when　i　soar　up　into　the　air　i　intend　to

tell　the　stars　all　about　it。　　you　will　see　them　twinkle　when　i　talk

to　them　about　the　pretty　bride。〃

〃ah！　what　a　trivial　view　of　life！〃　said　the　rocket；　〃but　it　is　only

what　i　expected。　　there　is　nothing　in　you；　you　are　hollow　and

empty。　　why；　perhaps　the　prince　and　princess　may　go　to　live　in　a

country　where　there　is　a　deep　river；　and　perhaps　they　may　have　one

only　son；　a　little　fair…haired　boy　with　violet　eyes　like　the　prince

himself；　and　perhaps　some　day　he　may　go　out　to　walk　with　his　nurse；

and　perhaps　the　nurse　may　go　to　sleep　under　a　great　elder…tree；　and

perhaps　the　little　boy　may　fall　into　the　deep　river　and　be　drowned。

what　a　terrible　misfortune！　　poor　people；　to　lose　their　only　son！

it　is　really　too　dreadful！　　i　shall　never　get　over　it。〃

〃but　they　have　not　lost　their　only　son；〃　said　the　roman　candle；　〃no

misfortune　has　happened　to　them　at　all。〃

〃i　never　said　that　they　had；〃　replied　the　rocket；　〃i　said　that　they

might。　　if　they　had　lost　their　only　son　there　would　be　no　use　in

saying　anything　more　about　the　matter。　　i　hate　people　who　cry　over

spilt　milk。　　but　when　i　think　that　they　might　lose　their　only　son；

i　certainly　am　very　much　affected。〃

〃you　certainly　are！〃　cried　the　bengal　light。　　〃in　fact；　you　are　the

most　affected　person　i　ever　met。〃

〃you　are　the　rudest　person　i　ever　met；〃　said　the　rocket；　〃and　you

cannot　understand　my　friendship　for　the　prince。〃

〃why；　you　dont　even　know　him；〃　growled　the　roman　candle。

〃i　never　said　i　knew　him；〃　answered　the　rocket。　　〃i　dare　say　that

if　i　knew　him　i　should　not　be　his　friend　at　all。　　it　is　a　very

dangerous　thing　to　know　ones　friends。〃

〃you　had　really　better　keep　yourself　dry；〃　said　the　fire…balloon。

〃that　is　the　important　thing。〃

〃very　important　for　you；　i　have　no　doubt；〃　answered　the　rocket；

〃but　i　shall　weep　if　i　choose〃；　and　he　actually　burst　into　real

tears；　which　flowed　down　his　stick　like　rain…drops；　and　nearly

drowned　two　little　beetles；　who　were　just　thinking　of　setting　up

house　together；　and　were　looking　for　a　nice　dry　spot　to　live　in。

〃he　must　have　a　truly　romantic　nature；〃　said　the　catherine　wheel；

〃for　he　weeps　when　there　is　nothing　at　all　to　weep　about〃；　and　she

heaved　a　deep　sigh；　and　thought　about　the　deal　box。

but　the　roman　candle　and　the　bengal　light　were　quite　indignant；　and

kept　saying；　〃humbug！　humbug！〃　at　the　top　of　their　voices。　　they

were　extremely　practical；　and　whenever　they　objected　to　anything

they　called　it　humbug。

then　the　moon　rose　like　a　wonderful　silver　shield；　and　the　stars

began　to　shine；　and　a　sound　of　music　came　from　the　palace。

the　prince　and　princess　were　leading　the　dance。　　they　danced　so

beautifully　that　the　tall　white　lilies　peeped　in　at　the　window　and

watched　them；　and　the　great　red　poppies　nodded　their　heads　and　beat

time。

then　ten　oclock　struck；　and　then　eleven；　and　then　twelve；　and　at

the　last　stroke　of　midnight　every　one　came　out　on　the　terrace；　and

the　king　sent　for　the　royal　pyrotechnist。

〃let　the　fireworks　begin；〃　said　the　king；　and　the　royal

pyrotechnist　made　a　low　bow；　and　marched　down　to　the　end　of　the

garden。　　he　had　six　attendants　with　him；　each　of　whom　carried　a

lighted　torch　at　the　end　of　a　long　pole。

it　was　certainly　a　magnificent　display。

whizz！　whizz！　went　the　catherine　wheel；　as　she　spun　round　and

round。　　boom！　　boom！　went　the　roman　candle。　　then　the　squibs　danced

all　over　the　place；　and　the　bengal　lights　made　everything　look

scarlet。　　〃good…bye；〃　cried　the　fire…balloon；　as　he　soared　away；

dropping　tiny　blue　sparks。　　bang！　bang！　answered　the　crackers；　who

were　enjoying　themselves　immensely。　　every　one　was　a　great　success

except　the　remarkable　rocket。　　he　was　so　damp　with　crying　that　he

could　not　go　off　at　all。　　the　best　thing　in　him　wa