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LITTLE LAME PRINCE.
"I SWEAR TO PERFORM MY DUTIES AS REGENT, AND TO TAKECARE OF HIS MAJESTY." [PAGE 11.]]
THE PLEASANT HOUR SERIES
THE LITTLE LAME PRINCE
_By_ DINAH MARIA MULOCK
REWRITTEN FOR YOUNG READERS BY MARGARET WATERS
ILLUSTRATED BY HUGO VON HOFSTEN
NEW YORK BARSE & HOPKINS PUBLISHERS
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page I SWEAR TO PERFORM MY DUTIES AS REGENT, AND TO TAKE CARE OF HIS MAJESTY Frontispiece
"I MUST KISS HIM, I AM HIS GOD MOTHER" 8
AND TWISTING HIMSELF AROUND, WHAT DO YOU THINK HE SAW? 16
PRINCE DOLOR MADE A SNATCH AT THE TOPMOST TWIG OF THE TALLEST TREE 24
THE PRINCE GAZED EARNESTLY DOWN INTO THE LARGEST ROOM HE HAD EVER BEHELD 32
HE LIFTED UP HIS THIN, SLENDER HAND, AND THERE CAME A SILENCE OVER THE VAST CROWD IMMEDIATELY 40
THE LITTLE LAME PRINCE
CHAPTER I.
He was the most beautiful prince that ever was born.
Being a prince, people said this; and it was true. When he looked at thecandle, his eyes had an earnest expression quite startling in a new-bornbaby. His nose was aquiline; his complexion was healthy; he was round,fat, and straight-limbed--a splendid baby.
His father and mother, King and Queen of Nomansland, and their subjectswere proud and happy, having waited ten years for an heir. The onlyperson not quite happy was the king's brother, who would have been kinghad the baby not been born, but his Majesty was very kind to him, andgave him a Dukedom as large as a country.
The Prince's christening was to be a grand affair; there were chosen forhim four and twenty godfathers and godmothers, who each had to give hima name, and promise to do their utmost for him. When he came of age, hehimself had to choose the name--and the godfather or godmother--that heliked best.
All was rejoicing and the rich gave dinners and feasts for the poor.
The only quiet place in the Palace was the room, which though the princewas six weeks old, his mother, the Queen, had not quitted. Nobodythought she was ill as she said nothing about it herself, but lay paleand placid, giving no trouble to anybody.
Christening day came at last and it was as lovely as the Prince himself.All the people in the Palace were beautifully dressed in the clotheswhich the Queen had given them.
By six in the morning all the royal household had dressed itself in itsvery best; and then the little Prince was dressed in his magnificentchristening robe; which he did not like at all, but kicked and screamedlike any common baby. When he had calmed down, they carried him to thebed where the Queen lay.
She kissed and blessed him, and then she gave him up with a gentlesmile, saying she "hoped he would be very good, that it would be a verynice christening, and all the guests would enjoy themselves," and turnedpeacefully over on her bed. She was a very uncomplaining person--theQueen, and her name was Dolorez.
Everything went on as if she had been present. All, even the Kinghimself, had grown used to her absence, for she was not strong, and foryears had not joined in the gaieties. The noble company arrived frommany countries; also the four-and-twenty godfathers and godmothers, whohad been chosen with care, as the people who would be most useful to hisRoyal Highness should he ever want friends.
They came, walking two and two, with their coronets on theirheads--dukes and duchesses, princes and princesses; they all kissed thechild and pronounced the name which each had given him. Then thefour-and-twenty names were shouted out, one after another, and writtendown, to be kept in the state records.
Everybody was satisfied except the little Prince, who moaned faintlyunder his christening robes, which nearly smothered him.
Though very few knew it, the Prince in coming to the chapel had met withan accident. A young lady of rank, whose duty it was to carry him to andfrom the chapel, had been so busy arranging her train with one hand,that she stumbled and let him fall. She picked him up--the accident wasso slight it seemed hardly worth speaking of. The baby had turned pale,but did not cry. No one knew that anything was wrong. Even if he hadmoaned, the silver trumpets were loud enough to drown his voice. Itwould have been a pity to let anything trouble such a day.
Such a procession! Heralds in blue and silver; pages in crimson andgold; and a troop of little girls in dazzling white, carrying baskets offlowers, which they strewed all the way before the child and thenurse,--finally the four and twenty godfathers and godmothers, splendidto look at.
The prince was a mere heap of lace and muslin, and had it not been for acanopy of white satin and ostrich feathers, which was held over himwhenever he was carried, his presence would have been unnoticed.
"It is just like fairyland," said one little flower-girl to another,"and I think the only thing the Prince wants now is a fairy godmother."
"Does he?" said a shrill, but soft and not unpleasant voice, and aperson no larger than a child was seen.
She was a pleasant little, old, grey-haired, grey-eyed woman, dressedall in grey.
"Take care and don't let the baby fall again."
The grand nurse started, flushing angrily.
"Old woman, you will be kind enough not to say, 'the baby,' but 'thePrince.' Keep away; his Royal Highness is just going to sleep."
"I must kiss him, I am his godmother."
"You!" cried the elegant lady-nurse.
"You!!" cried all the Court and the heralds began to blow the silvertrumpets, to stop the conversation.
As the procession formed to return, the old woman stood on the topmoststep, and stretched herself on tiptoe by the help of her stick, and gavethe little Prince three kisses.
"Take yourself out of the way," cried the nurse, "or the king shall beinformed immediately."
"The King knows nothing of me," replied the old woman, with anindifferent air. "My friend in the palace is the King's wife. I know herMajesty well, and I love her and her child. And since you dropped him onthe marble stairs I choose to take him for my own. I am his godmother,ready to help him whenever he wants me."
"You help him!" cried the group laughing. The little old woman paid noattention and her soft grey eyes were fixed on the Prince, who smiledback at her.
"His Majesty shall hear of this," said a gentleman-in-waiting.
"His Majesty will hear quite enough news in a minute or two," said theold woman sadly, kissing the little Prince on the forehead. "Be PrinceDolor, in memory of your mother Dolorez." Everybody started.
"Old woman, you are exceedingly ill-bred," cried a lady-in-waiting."Even if you did know, how dared you presume to hint that her mostgracious Majesty is called Dolorez?"
"Was called Dolorez," said the old woman with a tender solemnity.
The first gentleman, called the Gold-stick-in-waiting, raised the stickto strike her, and all the rest stretched out their hands to seize her;but the gray mantle melted from between their fingers; and there came aheavy, muffled sound.
The great bell of the palace--the bell which was only heard on thedeath of some of the Royal family, and for as many times as he orshe was years old--began to toll. They listened. Some one counted:"one-two-three-four"--up to nine and twenty--just the Queen's age.
The Queen, her Majesty, was dead. In the midst of the festivities shehad passed away. When the little prince was carried ba
ck to his mother'sroom, there was no mother to kiss him.
As for his godmother--the little old woman in grey, nobody knew whatbecame of her.
"I MUST KISS HIM, I AM HIS GODMOTHER." [PAGE 7.]]