13-the invisible prince-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



put　myself　out　of　my　pain　by　means　of　the　Golden　Fountain。　　A

single　drop　of　its　water　falling　on　the　sand　around　will　trace

the　name　of　my　rival　in　her　heart。　　I　dread　the　test；　and　yet

this　very　dread　convinces　me　of　my　misfortune。'



It　may　be　imagined　that　after　listening　to　these　words　the

Invisible　Prince　followed　Prince　Gnome　like　his　shadow；　and　after

walking　some　time　they　arrived　at　the　Golden　Fountain。　　The

unhappy　lover　stooped　down　with　a　sigh；　and　dipping　his　finger　in

the　water　let　fall　a　drop　on　the　sand。　　It　instantly　wrote　the

name　of　Prince　Flame；　his　brother。　　The　shock　of　this　discovery

was　so　real；　that　Prince　Gnome　sank　fainting　into　the　arms　of　his

friend。



Meanwhile　the　Invisible　Prince　was　turning　over　in　his　mind　how

he　could　best　deliver　Rosalie。　　As；　since　he　had　been　touched　by

the　Giant's　ring；　he　had　the　power　to　live　in　the　water　as　well

as　on　land；　he　at　once　dived　into　the　fountain。　　He　perceived　in

one　corner　a　door　leading　into　the　mountain；　and　at　the　foot　of

the　mountain　was　a　high　rock　on　which　was　fixed　an　iron　ring　with

a　cord　attached。　　The　Prince　promptly　guessed　that　the　cord　was

used　to　chain　the　Princess；　and　drew　his　sword　and　cut　it。　　In　a

moment　he　felt　the　Princess's　hand　in　his；　for　she　had　always

kept　her　magic　pebble　in　her　mouth；　in　spite　of　the　prayers　and

entreaties　of　the　Prince　of　the　Air　to　make　herself　visible。



So　hand　in　hand　the　invisible　Prince　and　Rosalie　crossed　the

mountain；　but　as　the　Princess　had　no　power　of　living　under　water；

she　could　not　pass　the　Golden　Fountain。　　Speechless　and　invisible

they　clung　together　on　the　brink；　trembling　at　the　frightful

tempest　the　Prince　of　the　Air　had　raised　in　his　fury。　　The　storm

had　already　lasted　many　days　when　tremendous　heat　began　to　make

itself　felt。　　The　lightning　flashed；　the　thunder　rattled；　fire

bolts　fell　from　heaven；　burning　up　the　forests　and　even　the

fields　of　corn。　　In　one　instant　the　very　streams　were　dried　up；

and　the　Prince；　seizing　his　opportunity；　carried　the　Princess

over　the　Golden　Fountain。



It　took　them　a　long　time　still　to　reach　the　Golden　Isle；　but　at

last　they　got　there；　and　we　may　be　quite　sure　they　never　wanted

to　leave　it　any　more。