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Beauty and The Beast-Part1_Bayard Taylor(1825-1878)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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long cloth caftan of a merchant.

Prince Alexis started, and all slumber vanished out of his eyes.



He leaned forward for a moment, with a quick, eager expression;

then a loud roar, like that of an enraged wild beast, burst from



his mouth. He gave a stamp that shook the balcony.

"Dog!" he cried to the trembling attendent, "my cap! my whip!"



The sables fell upon the floor, the cap and whip appeared in a

twinkling, and the red slumber-flag was folded up again for the



first time in several years, as the Prince stormed out of the

castle. The traveller below had heard the cry,--for it might have



been heard half a mile. He seemed to have a presentiment of evil,

for he had already set off towards the town at full speed.



To explain the occurence, we must mention one of the Prince's many

peculiar habits. This was, to invite strangers or merchants of the



neighborhood to dine with him, and, after regaling them

bountifully, to take his pay in subjecting them to all sorts of



outrageous tricks, with the help of his band of willing domestics.

Now this particular merchant had been invited, and had attended;



but, being a very wide-awake, shrewd person, he saw what was

coming, and dexterously slipped away from the banquet without being



perceived. The Prince vowed vengeance, on discovering the escape,

and he was not a man to forget his word.



Impelled by such opposite passions, both parties ran with

astonishing speed. The merchant was the taller, but his long



caftan, hastily ungirdled, swung behind him and dragged in the air.

The short, booted legs of the Prince beat quicker time, and he



grasped his short, heavy, leathern whip more tightly as he saw the

space diminishing. They dashed into the town of Kinesma a hundred



yards apart. The merchant entered the main street, or bazaar,

looking rapidly to right and left, as he ran, in the hope of



espying some place of refuge. The terrible voice behind him

cried,--



"Stop, scoundrel! I have a crow to pick with you!"

And the tradesmen in their shops looked on and laughed, as well



they might, being unconcerned spectators of the fun. The fugitive,

therefore, kept straight on, notwithstanding a pond of water



glittered across the farther end of the street.

Although Prince Alexis had gained considerably in the race, such



violent exercise, after a heavy dinner, deprived him of breath. He

again cried,--



"Stop!"

"But the merchant answered,--



"No, Highness! You may come to me, but I will not go to you."

"Oh, the villian!" growled the Prince, in a hoarsewhisper, for he



had no more voice.

The pond cut of all further pursuit. Hastily kicking off his loose



boots, the merchant plunged into the water, rather than encounter

the princely whip, which already began to crack and snap in fierce



anticipation. Prince Alexis kicked off his boots and followed;

the pond gradually deepened, and in a minute the tall merchant



stood up to his chin in the icy water, and his short pursuer

likewise but out of striking distance. The latter coaxed and



entreated, but the victim kept his ground.

"You lie, Highness!" he said, boldly. "If you want me, come to



me."

"Ah-h-h!" roared the Prince, with chattering teeth, "what a



stubbornrascal you are! Come here, and I give you my word that I

will not hurt you. Nay,"--seeing that the man did not move,--"you



shall dine with me as often as you please. You shall be my friend;

by St. Vladimir, I like you!"



"Make the sign of the cross, and swear it by all the Saints," said

the merchant, composedly.



With a grim smile on his face, the Prince stepped back and

shiveringly obeyed. Both then waded out, sat down upon the ground



and pulled on their boots; and presently the people of Kinesma

beheld the dripping pair walking side by side up the street,



conversing in the most cordial manner. The merchant dried his

clothes FROM WITHIN, at the castle table; a fresh keg of old



Cognac was opened; and although the slumber-flag was not unfurled

that afternoon, it flew from the staff and hushed the town nearly



all the next day.

III.



The festival granted on behalf of Prince Boris was one of the

grandest ever given at the castle. In character it was a






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