夜莺与玫瑰-第13部分

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“Swallow，　Swallow，　little　Swallow，”　said　the　Prince，　“far　away　across　the　city　I　see　a　young　man　in　a　garret。　He　is　leaning　over　a　desk　covered　with　papers，　and　in　a　tumbler　by　his　side　there　is　a　bunch　of　withered　violets。　His　hair　is　brown　and　crisp，　and　his　lips　are　red　as　a　pomegranate，　and　he　has　large　and　dreamy　eyes。　He　is　trying　to　finish　a　play　for　the　Director　of　the　Theatre，　but　he　is　too　cold　to　write　any　more。　There　is　no　fire　in　the　grate，　and　hunger　has　made　him　faint。”
“I　will　wait　with　you　one　night　longer，”　said　the　Swallow，　who　really　had　a　good　heart。　“Shall　I　take　him　another　ruby？”
“Alas！　I　have　no　ruby　now，”　said　the　Prince；　“my　eyes　are　all　that　I　have　left。　They　are　made　of　rare　sapphires，　which　were　brought　out　of　India　a　thousand　years　ago。　Pluck　out　one　of　them　and　take　it　to　him。　He　will　sell　it　to　the　jeweller，　and　buy　food　and　firewood，　and　finish　his　play。”
“Dear　Prince，”　said　the　Swallow，　“I　cannot　do　that”；　and　he　began　to　weep。
“Swallow，　Swallow，　little　Swallow，”　said　the　Prince，　“do　as　I　mand　you。”
So　the　Swallow　plucked　out　the　Prince’s　eye，　and　flew　away　to　the　student’s　garret。　It　was　easy　enough　to　get　in，　as　there　was　a　hole　in　the　roof。　Through　this　he　darted，　and　came　into　the　room。　The　young　man　had　his　head　buried　in　his　hands，　so　he　did　not　hear　the　flutter　of　the　bird’s　wings，　and　when　he　looked　up　he　found　the　beautiful　sapphire　lying　on　the　withered　violets。
“I　am　beginning　to　be　appreciated，”　he　cried；　“this　is　from　some　great　admirer。　Now　I　can　finish　my　play，”　and　he　looked　quite　happy。
The　next　day　the　Swallow　flew　down　to　the　harbour。　He　sat　on　the　mast　of　a　large　vessel　and　watched　the　sailors　hauling　big　chests　out　of　the　hold　with　ropes。　“Heave　a…hoy！”　they　shouted　as　each　chest　came　up。　“I　am　going　to　Egypt！”　cried　the　Swallow，　but　nobody　minded，　and　when　the　moon　rose　he　flew　back　to　the　Happy　Prince。
“I　am　e　to　bid　you　good…bye，”　he　cried。
“Swallow，　Swallow，　little　Swallow，”　said　the　Prince，　“will　you　not　stay　with　me　one　night　longer？”
“It　is　winter，”　answered　the　Swallow，　“and　the　chill　snow　will　soon　be　here。　In　Egypt　the　sun　is　warm　on　the　green　palm…trees，　and　the　crocodiles　lie　in　the　mud　and　look　lazily　about　them。　My　panions　are　building　a　nest　in　the　Temple　of　Baalbec，　and　the　pink　and　white　doves　are　watching　them，　and　cooing　to　each　other。　Dear　Prince，　I　must　leave　you，　but　I　will　never　forget　you，　and　next　spring　I　will　bring　you　back　two　beautiful　jewels　in　place　of　those　you　have　given　away。　The　ruby　shall　be　redder　than　a　red　rose，　and　the　sapphire　shall　be　as　blue　as　the　great　sea。”
“In　the　square　below，”　said　the　Happy　Prince，　“there　stands　a　little　match…girl。　She　has　let　her　matches　fall　in　the　gutter，　and　they　are　all　spoiled。　Her　father　will　beat　her　if　she　does　not　bring　home　some　money，　and　she　is　crying。　She　has　no　shoes　or　stockings，　and　her　little　head　is　bare。　Pluck　out　my　other　eye，　and　give　it　to　her，　and　her　father　will　not　beat　her。”
“I　will　stay　with　you　one　night　longer，”　said　the　Swallow，　“but　I　cannot　pluck　out　your　eye。　You　would　be　quite　blind　then。”
“Swallow，　Swallow，　little　Swallow，”　said　the　Prince，　“do　as　I　mand　you。”
So　he　plucked　out　the　Prince’s　other　eye，　and　darted　down　with　it。　He　swooped　past　the　match…girl，　and　slipped　the　jewel　into　the　palm　of　her　hand。　“What　a　lovely　bit　of　glass，”　cried　the　little　girl；　and　she　ran　home，　laughing。
Then　the　Swallow　came　back　to　the　Prince。　“You　are　blind　now，”　he　said，　“so　I　will　stay　with　you　always。”
“No，　little　Swallow，”　said　the　poor　Prince，　“you　must　go　away　to　Egypt。”
“I　will　stay　with　you　always，”　said　the　Swallow，　and　he　slept　at　the　Prince’s　feet。
All　the　next　day　he　sat　on　the　Prince’s　shoulder，　and　told　him　stories　of　what　he　had　seen　in　strange　lands。　He　told　him　of　the　red　ibises，　who　stand　in　long　rows　on　the　banks　of　the　Nile，　and　catch　gold…fish　in　their　beaks；　of　the　Sphinx，　who　is　as　old　as　the　world　itself，　and　lives　in　the　desert，　and　knows　everything；　of　the　merchants，　who　walk　slowly　by　the　side　of　their　camels，　and　carry　amber　beads　in　their　hands；　of　the　King　of　the　Mountains　of　the　Moon，　who　is　as　black　as　ebony，　and　worships　a　large　crystal；　of　the　great　green　snake　that　sleeps　in　a　palm…tree，　and　has　twenty　priests　to　feed　it　with　honey…cakes；　and　of　the　pygmies　who　sail　over　a　big　lake　on　large　flat　leaves，　and　are　always　at　war　with　the　butterflies。
“Dear　little　Swallow，”　said　the　Prince，　“you　tell　me　of　marvellous　things，　but　more　marvellous　than　anything　is　the　suffering　of　men　and　of　women。　There　is　no　Mystery　so　great　as　Misery。　Fly　over　my　city，　little　Swallow，　and　tell　me　what　you　see　there。”
So　the　Swallow　flew　over　the　great　city，　and　saw　the　rich　making　merry　in　their　beautiful　houses，　while　the　beggars　were　sitting　at　the　gates。　He　flew　into　dark　lanes，　and　saw　the　white　faces　of　starving　children　looking　out　listlessly　at　the　black　streets。　Under　the　archway　of　a　bridge　two　little　boys　were　lying　in　one　another’s　arms　to　try　and　keep　themselves　warm。　“How　hungry　we　are！”　they　said。　“You　must　not　lie　here，”　shouted　the　Watchman，　and　they　wandered　out　into　the　rain。
Then　he　flew　back　and　told　the　Prince　what　he　had　seen。
“I　am　covered　with　fine　gold，”　said　the　Prince，　“you　must　take　it　off，　leaf　by　leaf，　and　give　it　to　my　poor；　the　living　always　think　that　gold　can　make　them　happy。”
Leaf　after　leaf　of　the　fine　gold　the　Swallow　picked　off，　till　the　Happy　Prince　looked　quite　dull　and　grey。　Leaf　after　leaf　of　the　fine　gold　he　brought　to　the　poor，　and　the　children’s　faces　grew　rosier，　and　they　laughed　and　played　games　in　the　street。　“We　have　bread　now！”　they　cried。
Then　the　snow　came，　and　after　the　snow　came　the　frost。　The　streets　looked　as　if　they　were　made　of　silver，　they　were　so　bright　and　glistening；　long　icicles　like　crystal　daggers　hung　down　from　the　eaves　of　the　houses，　everybody　went　about　in　furs，　and　the　little　boys　wore　scarlet　caps　and　skated　on　the　ice。
The　poor　little　Swallow　grew　colder　and　colder，　but　he　would　not　leave　the　Prince，　he　loved　him　too　well。　He　picked　up　crumbs　outside　the　baker’s　door　when　the　baker　was　not　looking　and　tried　to　keep　himself　warm　by　flapping　his　wings。
But　at　last　he　knew　that　he　was　going　to　die。　He　had　just　strength　to　fly　up　to　the　Prince’s　shoulder　once　more。　“Good…bye，　dear　Prince！”　he　murmured，　“will　you　let　me　kiss　your　hand？”
“I　am　glad　that　you　are　going　to　Egypt　at　last，　little　Swallow，”　said　the　Prince，　“you　have　stayed　too　long　here；　but　you　must　kiss　me　on　the　lips，　for　I　love　you。”
“It　is　not　to　Egypt　that　I　am　going，”　said　the　Swallow。　“I　am　going　to　the　House　of　Death。　Death　is　the　brother　of　Sleep，　is　he　not？”
And　he　kissed　the　Happy　Prince　on　the　lips，　and　fell　down　dead　at　his　feet。
At　that　moment　a　curious　crack　sounded　inside　the　statue，　as　if　something　had　broken。　The　fact　is　that　the　leaden　heart　had　snapped　right　in　two。　It　certainly　was　a　dreadfully　hard　frost。
Early　the　next　morning　the　Mayor　was　walking　in　the　square　below　in　pany　with　the　Town　Councillors。　As　they　passed　the　column　he　looked　up　at　the　statue：　“Dear　me！　how　shabby　the　Happy　Prince　looks！”　he　said。
“How　shabby　indeed！”　cried　the　Town　Councillors，　who　always　agreed　with　the　Mayor；　and　they　went　up　to　look　at　it。
“The　ruby　has　fallen　out　of　his　sword，　his　eyes　are　gone，　and　he　is　golden　no　longer，”　said　the　Mayor，　“in　fact　he　is　litttle　beter　than　a　beggar！”
“Little　better　than　a　beggar，”　said　the　Town　Councillors。
“And　here　is　actually　a　dead　bird　at　his　feet！”　continued　the　Mayor。　“We　must　really　issue　a　proclamation　that　birds　are　not　to　be　allowed　to　die　here。”　And　the　Town　Clerk　made　a　note　of　the　suggestion。
So　they　pulled　down　the　statue　of　the　Happy　Prince。　“As　he　is　no　longer　beautiful　he　is　no　longer　useful，”　said　the　Art　Professor　at　the　University。
Then　they　melted　the　statue　in　a　furnace，　and　the　Mayor　held　a　meeting　of　the　Corporation　to　decide　what　was　to　be　done　with　the　metal。　“We　must　have　another　statue，　of　course，”　he　said，　“and　it　shall　be　a　statue　of　myself。”
“Of　myself，”　said　each　of　the　Town　Councillors，　and　they　quarrelled。　When　I　last　heard　of　them　they　were　quarrelling　still。
“What　a　strange　thing！”　said　the　overseer　of　the　workmen　at　the　foundry。　“This　broken　lead　heart　will　not　melt　in　the　furnace。　We　must　throw　it　away。”　So　they　threw　it　on　a　dust…heap　where　the　dead　Swallow　was　also　lying。
“Bring　me　the　two　most　precious　things　in　the　city，”　said　God　to　one　of　His　Angels；　and　the　Angel　brought　Him　the　leaden　heart　and　the　dead　bird。
“You　have　rightly　chosen，”　said　God，　“for　in　my　garden　of　Paradise　this　little　bird　shall　sing　for　evermore，　and　in　my　city　of　gold　the　Happy　Prince　shall　praise　me。”
★、The　Selfish　Giant
Every　afternoon，　as　they　were　ing　from　school，　the　children　used　to　go　and　play　in　the　Giant’s　garden。
It　was　a　large　lovely　garden，　with　soft　green　grass。　Here　and　there　over　the　grass　stood　beautiful　flowers　like　stars，　and　there　were　twelve　peach…trees　that　in　th