友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
九色书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

快乐王子童话集(英文版)-第9章

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!



the moon; and lives for ever。 The bride and bridegroom; for instance; 
love each other very dearly。 I heard all about them this morning from a 
brown…paper cartridge; who happened to be staying in the same drawer as 
myself; and knew the latest Court news。〃 But the Catherine Wheel shook 
her head。 〃Romance is dead; Romance is dead; Romance is dead;〃 she 
murmured。 She was one of those people who think that; if you say the 
same thing over and over a 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 King's son;〃 he remarked; 〃that he is to be 

                                         38 

                            The Happy Prince and Other Tales 




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 Prince's 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 nieen 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。 

                                          39 

                            The Happy Prince and Other Tales 




    〃A person who; because he has corns himself; always treads on other 
people's 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 don't 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 

                                          40 

                            The Happy Prince and Other Tales 




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 don't 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 one's 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 

                                          41 

                           The Happy Prince and Other Tales 




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 o'clock struck; and then eleven; and then twelve; and at the 
last stroke of mi
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!