按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
GRACIOSA AND PERCINET
ONCE upon a time there lived a King and Queen who had one
charming daughter。 She was so graceful and pretty and
clever that she was called Graciosa； and the Queen was so fond of
her that she could think of nothing else。
Everyday she gave the Princess a lovely new frock of gold brocade；
or satin； or velvet； and when she was hungry she had bowls full of
sugar…plums； and at least twenty pots of jam。 Everybody said she
was the happiest Princess in the world。 Now there lived at this
same court a very rich old duchess whose name was Grumbly。
She was more frightful than tongue can tell； her hair was red as
fire； and she had but one eye； and that not a pretty one！ Her face
was as broad as a full moon； and her mouth was so large that
everybody who met her would have been afraid they were going to be
eaten up； only she had no teeth。 As she was as cross as she was
ugly； she could not bear to hear everyone saying how pretty and
how charming Graciosa was； so she presently went away from the
court to her own castle； which was not far off。 But if anybody who
went to see her happened to mention the charming Princess； she
would cry angrily：
‘It's not true that she is lovely。 I have more beauty in my little
finger than she has in her whole body。'
Soon after this； to the great grief of the Princess； the Queen was
taken ill and died； and the King became so melancholy that for a
whole year he shut himself up in his palace。 At last his physicians；
fearing that he would fall ill； ordered that he should go out and
amuse himself； so a hunting party was arranged； but as it was very
hot weather the King soon got tired； and said he would dismount
and rest at a castle which they were passing。
This happened to be the Duchess Grumbly's castle； and when
she heard that the King was coming she went out to meet him； and
said that the cellar was the coolest place in the whole castle if he
would condescend to come down into it。 So down they went
together； and the King seeing about two hundred great casks ranged
side by side； asked if it was only for herself that she had this
immense store of wine。
‘Yes； sire；' answered she； ‘it is for myself alone； but I shall be
most happy to let you taste some of it。 Which do you like； canary；
St。 Julien； champagne； hermitage sack； raisin； or cider？'
‘Well；' said the King； ‘since you are so kind as to ask me； I
prefer champagne to anything else。'
Then Duchess Grumbly took up a little hammer and tapped
upon the cask twice； and out came at least a thousand crowns。
‘What's the meaning of this？' said she smiling。
Then she tapped the next cask； and out came a bushel of gold pieces。
‘I don't understand this at all；' said the Duchess； smiling more
than before。
Then she went on to the third cask； tap； tap； and out came such
a stream of diamonds and pearls that the ground was covered with them。
‘Ah！' she cried； ‘this is altogether beyond my comprehension；
sire。 Someone must have stolen my good wine and put all this
rubbish in its place。'
‘Rubbish； do you call it； Madam Grumbly？' cried the King。
‘Rubbish！ why there is enough there to buy ten kingdoms。'
‘Well；' said she； ‘you must know that all those casks are full
of gold and jewels； and if you like to marry me it shall all be
yours。'
Now the King loved money more than anything else in the world；
so he cried joyfully：
‘Marry you？ why with all my heart！ to…morrow if you like。'
‘But I make one condition；' said the Duchess； ‘I must have
entire control of your daughter to do as I please with her。'
‘Oh certainly； you shall have your own way； let us shake hands
upon the bargain；' said the King。
So they shook hands and went up out of the cellar of treasure together；
and the Duchess locked the door and gave the key to the King。
When he got back to his own palace Graciosa ran out to meet
him； and asked if he had had good sport。
‘I have caught a dove；' answered he。
‘Oh！ do give it to me；' said the Princess； ‘and I will keep it and
take care of it。'
‘I can hardly do that；' said he； ‘for； to speak more plainly； I
mean that I met the Duchess Grumbly； and have promised to
marry her。'
‘And you call her a dove？' cried the Princess。 ‘_I_ should have
called her a screech owl。'
‘Hold your tongue；' said the King； very crossly。 ‘I intend you
to behave prettily to her。 So now go and make yourself fit to be
seen； as I am going to take you to visit her。'
So the Princess went very sorrowfully to her own room； and her
nurse； seeing her tears； asked what was vexing her。
‘Alas！ who would not be vexed？' answered she； ‘for the King
intends to marry again； and has chosen for his new bride my
enemy； the hideous Duchess Grumbly。'
‘Oh； well！' answered the nurse； ‘you must remember that you
are a Princess； and are expected to set a good example in making
the best of whatever happens。 You must promise me not to let the
Duchess see how much you dislike her。'
At first the Princess would not promise； but the nurse showed
her so many good reasons for it that in the end she agreed to be
amiable to her step…mother。
Then the nurse dressed her in a robe of pale green and gold
brocade； and combed out her long fair hair till it floated round her
like a golden mantle； and put on her head a crown of roses and
jasmine with emerald leaves。
When she was ready nobody could have been prettier； but she
still could not help looking sad。
Meanwhile the Duchess Grumbly was also occupied in attiring
herself。 She had one of her shoe heels made an inch or so higher
than the other； that she might not limp so much； and put in a
cunningly made glass eye in the place of the one she had lost。 She
dyed her red hair black； and painted her face。 Then she put on a
gorgeous robe of lilac satin lined with blue； and a yellow petticoat
trimmed with violet ribbons； and because she had heard that queens
always rode into their new dominions； she ordered a horse to be
made ready for her to ride。
While Graciosa was waiting until the King should be ready to
set out； she went down all alone through the garden into a little
wood； where she sat down upon a mossy bank and began to think。
And her thoughts were so doleful that very soon she began to cry；
and she cried； and cried； and forgot all about going back to the
palace； until she suddenly saw a handsome page standing before
her。 He was dressed in green； and the cap which he held in his
hand was adorned with white plumes。 When Graciosa looked at
him he went down on one knee； and said to her：
‘Princess； the King awaits you。'
The Princess was surprised； and； if the truth must be told； very
much delighted at the appearance of this charming page； whom she
could not remember to have seen before。 Thinking he might belong
to the household of the Duchess； she said：
‘How long have you been one of the K