In The East. Maria Pia Oelker

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      " Your son " he said to her without many preambles " will make me crazy and in the end, he will be punished severely.”

      "What did he do?" She asked quietly.

      " He didn't respect my orders.”

      " He was in the park, right? He always does that and probably thought that there was nothing wrong with it.”

      " He knew it was forbidden to everyone.”

      " He thinks he is not equal to the others in my heart and maybe he felt it was the same for this father ...”

      The king made a vague gesture with his hand, as if he wanted to drive away a boring fly that buzzed in front of his face.

      " Yes, that's what he said, more or less.”

      " And you?”

      " I didn't know what to say to him. Then he told me he wanted to be punished anyway and I hit him. I don't understand his reasoning. It overwhelms me.”

      " If in his father's heart there was no special place for him, he might as well be treated like everyone else.”

      "Do you understand him?" The king marveled.

      " I think so. There are not many secrets between us, and we have always been so close ...”

      " Yes, I'm sorry I wasn't a good father or ... "

      " No " the queen interrupted " what you think just is not true. Not all of it at least.”

      " Okay, we can talk about this later, but I swore that I will punish him in such a way that he will never forget it. Now I regret it, but I'm not going to go back on my word and show weakness. It is my dignity we are talking about.”

      " I see " the queen smiled ironically.

      " What do you mean?

      " Nothing. Talk to him again. He will understand. If you want to punish him, if you really think this is right, do it. He will not love you less for this reason. Don't humiliate him however, please.”

      " I'll think about it. I would like to skin it for the way he has upset me with all his absurdities.”

      " Even a great gentleman can sometimes learn from a child; don't take it out on him if you're not happy with yourself.”

      The king looked at her questioningly, then kissed her and left even more uncertain and nervous than before. Is it possible that she also blamed him? It had never happened before.

      The prince entered his father's rooms on tiptoes because he had never been allowed to enter the room before.

      He looked around curiously and recorded many details that excited him and made him ponder on the fact that his father had to be very different from what everyone thought.

      For example all those paintings so different from those that were in the art-filled quarters (dark and imposing family portraits or austere bishops and epic scenes) or the colors that dominated the room, alive and warm, almost cheerful, bloody and energetic, or the golden cage near the window overlooking the park, full of colorful little birds that he had never seen anywhere else.

      Despite the fear that the punishment was going to be really terrible, he could not help thinking that he would have liked his father to invite him more often to those rooms and show him his treasures and the thousand mysterious things that he was looking at in astonishment.

      The king heard him walk slowly, but did not turn to him, continuing undauntedly to look out the window.

      “ Father " the prince called him in a whisper " I am here.

      " Come closer.”

      He took a few more steps but did not have the courage to stand beside his father.

      " So? " asked the king briskly.

      " The master told me that I would deserve to be locked up in the tower prison alone for a week, on bread and water, and to receive ten lashes.”

      " Ah! Really?”

      " Yes, father.”

      " Do you think that would be right?”

      " As you like.”

      " Yes, of course, but what would you think if someone else was to take your place?”

      " I would ask you not to do it.”

      " Are you scared?”

      " No " but his voice was weak and uncertain.

      The king urged him: " Tell the truth.”

      " Yes, father. I am very afraid of being alone in the tower especially at night.”

      " And the lashes? Don't those scare you?”

      " Even those, but I can deal with pain better. Loneliness in the dark makes me shudder.”

      The king smiled sweetly.

      " Do you sleep with your mother at night?”

      " No, but Antonia is in the room next to mine and I know she will come right away if I call her.”

      " Then no tower " the king decided "You will stay in your room; then I will instruct the teacher to whip you and the matter is closed.”

      " Yes, father. But I would like to ask you a favor, if it's allowed, since I'm still indebted to you.”

      " Let’s hear it.”

      " Here it is: in the cypress grove in the morning the deer and the squirrels come, and I bring them food. If I can't get out anymore, how will they get by? Could you do it for me?”

      " Do you think a king should do that? " asked his father, barely restraining himself from laughing.

      " I don't know, now I am not sure of anything anymore. I'm sorry. But how will they get by?”

      The little voice was very anxious, almost cracked by pain. Then the king decided to give in: " I will. But only if you come with me every morning and show me how it's done.”

      "Father," cried the prince, almost weeping with joy.

      " Do we agree?”

      " Yes.”

      " And I'll tell your teacher that he deserves me to punish him for all the nonsense he has been saying.”

      " No, father. I want those lashes.”

      " Do not insist again.”

      " Only if you promise the ban is not abolished solely for me.”

      " I promise, but get out of here quickly, before I get a chance to think it over and whip you myself.”

      The СКАЧАТЬ