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快乐王子童话集(英文版)-第10部分

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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 

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                            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。 

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                            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 
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