第15章

’AsyouhavehithertoalwaysbehavedwellinmyserviceIwillnotsendyoutoprison；butleaveyourplaceinstantlyandneverletmeseeyourfaceagain。’SotheHerd-boywentbacktohishut，andtakinghisloafandbeltwithhim，hewenttothenearesttown。Thereheboughthimselfsomefineclothes，andabeautifulcoachwithfourhorses，hiredtwoservants，anddrovebacktohismaster。YoumayimaginehowastonishedhewastoseehisHerd-boyreturningtohiminthismanner！Thentheyouthtoldhimofthepieceofgoodluckthathadbefallenhim，andaskedhimforthehandofhisbeautifuldaughter。Thiswasreadilygranted，andthetwolivedinpeaceandhappinesstotheendoftheirlives。

OnceuponatimetherelivedaFairywhohadpowerovertheearth，thesea，fire，andtheair；andthisFairyhadfoursons。

Theeldest，whowasquickandlively，withavividimagination，shemadeLordofFire，whichwasinheropinionthenoblestofalltheelements。Tothesecondson，whosewisdomandprudencemadeamendsforhisbeingratherdull，shegavethegovernmentoftheearth。Thethirdwaswildandsavage，andofmonstrousstature；andtheFairy，hismother，whowasashamedofhisdefects，hopedtohidethembycreatinghimKingoftheSeas。

Theyoungest，whowastheslaveofhispassionsandofaveryuncertaintemper，becamePrinceoftheAir。

Beingtheyoungest，hewasnaturallyhismother’sfavourite；butthisdidnotblindhertohisweaknesses，andsheforesawthatsomedayhewouldsuffermuchpainthroughfallinginlove。Soshethoughtthebestthingshecoulddowastobringhimupwithahorrorofwomen；and，tohergreatdelight，shesawthisdislikeonlyincreasedashegrewolder。Fromhisearliestchildhoodheheardnothingbutstoriesofprinceswhohadfallenintoallsortsoftroublesthroughlove；andshedrewsuchterriblepicturesofpoorlittleCupidthattheyoungmanhadnodifficultyinbelievingthathewastherootofallevil。

Allthetimethatthiswisemothercouldsparefromfillinghersonwithhatredforallwomenkindshepassedingivinghimaloveofthepleasuresofthechase，whichhenceforthbecamehischiefjoy。Forhisamusementshehadmadeanewforest，plantedwiththemostsplendidtrees，andturnedlooseiniteveryanimalthatcouldbefoundinanyofthefourquartersoftheglobe。Inthemidstofthisforestshebuiltapalacewhichhadnotitsequalforbeautyinthewholeworld，andthensheconsideredthatshehaddoneenoughtomakeanyprincehappy。

NowitisallverywelltoabusetheGodofLove，butamancannotstruggleagainsthisfate。InhissecretheartthePrincegottiredofhismother’sconstanttalkonthissubject；andwhenonedayshequittedthepalacetoattendtosomebusiness，begginghimnevertogobeyondthegrounds，heatoncejumpedatthechanceofdisobeyingher。

LefttohimselfthePrincesoonforgotthewisecounselsofhismother，andfeelingverymuchboredwithhisowncompany，heorderedsomeofthespiritsoftheairtocarryhimtothecourtofaneighbouringsovereign。ThiskingdomwassituatedintheIslandofRoses，wheretheclimateissodeliciousthatthegrassisalwaysgreenandtheflowersalwayssweet。Thewaves，insteadofbeatingontherocks，seemedtodiegentlyontheshore；

clustersofgoldenbushescoveredtheland，andthevineswerebentlowwithgrapes。

TheKingofthisislandhadadaughternamedRosalie，whowasmorelovelythananygirlinthewholeworld。NosoonerhadtheeyesofthePrinceoftheAirrestedonherthanheforgotalltheterriblewoeswhichhadbeenprophesiedtohimeversincehewasborn，forinonesinglemomenttheplansofyearsareoftenupset。Heinstantlybegantothinkhowbesttomakehimselfhappy，andtheshortestwaythatoccurredtohimwastohaveRosaliecarriedoffbyhisattendantspirits。

ItiseasytoimaginethefeelingsoftheKingwhenhefoundthathisdaughterhadvanished。Heweptherlossnightandday，andhisonlycomfortwastotalkoveritwithayoungandunknownprince，whohadjustarrivedattheCourt。Alas！hedidnotknowwhatadeepinterestthestrangerhadinRosalie，forhetoohadseenher，andhadfallenavictimtohercharms。

OnedaytheKing，moresorrowfulthanusual，waswalkingsadlyalongthesea-shore，whenafteralongsilencetheunknownPrince，whowashisonlycompanion，suddenlyspoke。’Thereisnoevilwithoutaremedy，’hesaidtotheunhappyfather；’andifyouwillpromisemeyourdaughterinmarriage，Iwillundertaketobringherbacktoyou。’

’Youaretryingtosoothemebyvainpromises，’answeredtheKing。’DidInotseehercaughtupintotheair，inspiteofcrieswhichwouldhavesoftenedtheheartofanyonebutthebarbarianwhohasrobbedmeofher？Theunfortunategirlispiningawayinsomeunknownland，whereperhapsnofootofmanhasevertrod，andIshallseehernomore。Butgo，generousstranger；bringbackRosalieifyoucan，andlivehappywithhereverafterinthiscountry，ofwhichInowdeclareyouheir。’

Althoughthestranger’snameandrankwereunknowntoRosalie’sfather，hewasreallythesonoftheKingoftheGoldenIsle，whichhadforcapitalacitythatextendedfromoneseatoanother。Thewalls，washedbythequietwaters，werecoveredwithgold，whichmadeonethinkoftheyellowsands。Abovethemwasarampartoforangeandlemontrees，andallthestreetswerepavedwithgold。

TheKingofthisbeautifulislandhadoneson，forwhomalifeofadventurehadbeenforetoldathisbirth。ThissofrightenedhisfatherandmotherthatinordertocomfortthemaFairy，whohappenedtobepresentatthetime，producedalittlepebblewhichshetoldthemtokeepforthePrincetillhegrewup，asbyputtingitinhismouthhewouldbecomeinvisible，aslongashedidnottrytospeak，forifhedidthestonewouldloseallitsvirtue。InthiswaythegoodfairyhopedthatthePrincewouldbeprotectedagainstalldangers。

NosoonerdidthePrincebegintogrowoutofboyhoodthanhelongedtoseeiftheothercountriesoftheworldwereassplendidastheoneinwhichhelived。So，underpretenceofvisitingsomesmallislandsthatbelongedtohisfather，hesetout。Butafrightfulstormdrovehisshipontounknownshores，wheremostofhisfollowerswereputtodeathbythesavages，andthePrincehimselfonlymanagedtoescapebymakinguseofhismagicpebble。Bythismeanshepassedthroughthemidstofthemunseen，andwanderedontillhereachedthecoast，wherehere-embarkedonboardhisship。

ThefirstlandhesightedwastheIslandofRoses，andhewentatoncetothecourtoftheKing，Rosalie’sfather。ThemomenthiseyesbeheldthePrincess，hefellinlovewithherlikeeveryoneelse。

HehadalreadyspentseveralmonthsinthisconditionwhenthePrinceoftheAirwhirledheraway，tothegriefanddespairofeverymanontheisland。Butsadthougheverybodywas，thePrinceoftheGoldenIslewasperfectlyinconsolable，andhepassedbothdaysandnightsinbemoaninghisloss。

’Alas！’hecried；’shallIneverseemylovelyPrincessagain？’

Whoknowswhereshemaybe，andwhatfairymayhaveherinhiskeeping？Iamonlyaman，butIamstronginmylove，andIwillseekthewholeworldthroughtillIfindher。’

Sosaying，heleftthecourt，andmadereadyforhisjourney。

HetravelledmanywearydayswithouthearingasinglewordofthelostPrincess，tillonemorning，ashewaswalkingthroughathickforest，hesuddenlyperceivedamagnificentpalacestandingattheendofapineavenue，andhisheartboundedtothinkthathemightbegazingonRosalie’sprison。Hehastenedhissteps，andquicklyarrivedatthegateofthepalace，whichwasformedofasingleagate。Thegateswungopentolethimthrough，andhenextpassedsuccessivelythreecourts，surroundedbydeepditchesfilledwithrunningwater，withbirdsofbrilliantplumageflyingaboutthebanks。Everythingaroundwasrareandbeautiful，butthePrincescarcelyraisedhiseyestoallthesewonders。HethoughtonlyofthePrincessandwhereheshouldfindher，butinvainheopenedeverydoorandsearchedineverycorner；heneithersawRosalienoranyoneelse。Atlasttherewasnoplaceleftforhimtosearchbutalittlewood，whichcontainedinthecentreasortofhallbuiltentirelyoforange-trees，withfoursmallroomsopeningoutofthecorners。

Threeofthesewereemptyexceptforstatuesandwonderfulthings，butinthefourththeInvisiblePrincecaughtsightofRosalie。Hisjoyatbeholdingheragainwas，however，somewhatlessenedbyseeingthatthePrinceoftheAirwaskneelingatherfeet，andpleadinghisowncause。Butitwasinvainthatheimploredhertolisten；sheonlyshookherhead。’No，’wasallshewouldsay；’yousnatchedmefrommyfatherwhomIloved，andallthesplendourintheworldcanneverconsoleme。Go！Icanneverfeelanythingtowardsyoubuthateandcontempt。’Withthesewordssheturnedawayandenteredherownapartments。

UnknowntoherselftheInvisiblePrincehadfollowedher，butfearingtobediscoveredbythePrincessinthepresenceofothers，hemadeuphismindtowaitquietlytilldark；andemployedthelonghoursinwritingapoemtothePrincess，whichhelaidonthebedbesideher。Thisdone，hethoughtofnothingbuthowbesttodeliverRosalie，andheresolvedtotakeadvantageofavisitwhichthePrinceoftheAirpaideveryyeartohismotherandbrothersinordertostriketheblow。

OnedayRosaliewassittingaloneinherroomthinkingofhertroubleswhenshesuddenlysawapengetupfromoffthedeskandbegintowriteallbyitselfonasheetofwhitepaper。Asshedidnotknowthatitwasguidedbyaninvisiblehandshewasverymuchastonished，andthemomentthatthepenhadceasedtomovesheinstantlywentovertothetable，whereshefoundsomelovelyverses，tellingherthatanothersharedherdistresses，whatevertheymightbe，andlovedherwithallhisheart；andthathewouldneverrestuntilhehaddeliveredherfromthehandsofthemanshehated。Thusencouraged，shetoldhimallherstory，andofthearrivalofayoungstrangerinherfather’spalace，whoselookshadsocharmedherthatsincethatdayshehadthoughtofnooneelse。AtthesewordsthePrincecouldcontainhimselfnolonger。Hetookthepebblefromhismouth，andflunghimselfatRosalie’sfeet。

WhentheyhadgotoverthefirstraptureofmeetingtheybegantomakeplanstoescapefromthepowerofthePrinceoftheAir。

Butthisdidnotproveeasy，forthemagicstonewouldonlyserveforonepersonatatime，andinordertosaveRosaliethePrinceoftheGoldenIslewouldhavetoexposehimselftothefuryofhisenemy。ButRosaliewouldnothearofthis。

’No，Prince，’shesaid；’sinceyouareherethisislandnolongerfeelsaprison。Besides，youareundertheprotectionofaFairy，whoalwaysvisitsyourfather’scourtatthisseason。

Goinstantlyandseekher，andwhensheisfoundimplorethegiftofanotherstonewithsimilarpowers。Onceyouhavethat，therewillbenofurtherdifficultyinthewayofescape。’

ThePrinceoftheAirreturnedafewdayslaterfromhismother’spalace，buttheInvisiblePrincehadalreadysetout。Hehad，however，entirelyforgottentheroadbywhichhehadcome，andlosthimselfforsolongintheforest，thatwhenatlasthereachedhometheFairyhadalreadyleft，and，inspiteofallhisgrief，therewasnothingforitbuttowaittilltheFairy’snextvisit，andallowRosalietosufferthreemonthslonger。Thisthoughtdrovehimtodespair，andhehadalmostmadeuphismindtoreturntotheplaceofhercaptivity，whenoneday，ashewasstrollingalonganalleyinthewoods，hesawahugeoakopenitstrunk，andoutofitsteptwoPrincesinearnestconversation。