Old French Fairy Tales. Comtesse de Ségur

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СКАЧАТЬ madam, have pity upon me. Do not compel me to lead my dear princess to destruction. She who has always been so good to me!”

      “You still hesitate, miserable coward! Of what importance is the fate of Blondine to you? When you have obeyed my commands I will see that you enter the service of Brunette and I declare to you solemnly that the bonbons shall never fail.”

      Gourmandinet hesitated and reflected a few moments longer and, alas! at last resolved to sacrifice his good little mistress to his gluttony.

      The remainder of that day he still hesitated and he lay awake all night weeping bitter tears as he endeavored to discover some way to escape from the power of the wicked queen; but the certainty of the queen’s bitter revenge if he refused to execute her cruel orders, and the hope of rescuing Blondine at some future day by seeking the aid of some powerful fairy, conquered his irresolution and decided him to obey the queen.

      In the morning at ten o’clock Blondine ordered her little carriage and entered it for a drive, after having embraced the king her father and promised him to return in two hours.

      The garden was immense. Gourmandinet, on starting, turned the ostriches away from the Forest of Lilacs. When, however, they were entirely out of sight of the palace, he changed his course and turned towards the grating which separated them from the enchanted ground. He was sad and silent. His crime weighed upon his heart and conscience.

      “What is the matter?” said Blondine, kindly. “You say nothing Are you ill, Gourmandinet?”

      “No, my princess, I am well.”

      “But how pale you are! Tell me what distresses you, poor boy, and I promise to do all in my power to make you happy.”

      Blondine’s kind inquiries and attentions almost softened the hard heart of Gourmandinet, but the remembrance of the bonbons promised by the wicked queen, Fourbette, soon chased away his good resolutions. Before he had time to reply, the ostriches reached the grating of the Forest of Lilacs.

      “Oh! the beautiful lilacs!” exclaimed Blondine; “how fragrant—how delicious! I must have a bouquet of those beautiful flowers for my good papa. Get down, Gourmandinet and bring me some of those superb branches.”

      “I cannot leave my seat, princess, the ostriches might run away with you during my absence.”

      “Do not fear,” replied Blondine; “I could guide them myself to the palace.”

      “But the king would give me a terrible scolding for having abandoned you, princess. It is best that you go yourself and gather your flowers.”

      “That is true. I should be very sorry to get you a scolding, my poor Gourmandinet.”

      While saying these words she sprang lightly from the carriage, crossed the bars of the grating and commenced to gather the flowers.

      At this moment Gourmandinet shuddered and was overwhelmed with remorse. He wished to repair his fault by calling Blondine but although she was only ten steps from him,—although he saw her perfectly—she could not hear his voice, and in a short time she was lost to view in the enchanted forest.

      For a long time Gourmandinet wept over his crime, cursed his gluttony and despised the wicked queen Fourbette.

      At last he recalled to himself that the hour approached at which Blondine would be expected at the palace. He returned to the stables through the back entrance and ran at once to the queen, who was anxiously expecting him.

      On seeing him so deadly pale and his eyes inflamed from the tears of awful remorse, she knew that Blondine had perished.

      “Is it done?” said she.

      Gourmandinet bowed his head. He had not the strength to speak.

      “Come,” said she, “behold your reward!”

      She pointed to a large box full of delicious bonbons of every variety. She commanded a valet to raise the box and place it upon one of the mules which had brought her jewelry.

      “I confide this box to Gourmandinet, in order that he may take it to my father,” she said. “Go, boy, and return in a month for another.” She placed in his hand at the same time a purse full of gold.

      Gourmandinet mounted the mule in perfect silence and set off in full gallop. The mule was obstinate and wilful and soon grew restive under the weight of the box and began to prance and kick. He did this so effectually that he threw Gourmandinet and his precious box of bonbons upon the ground.

      Gourmandinet, who had never ridden upon a horse or mule, fell heavily with his head upon the stones and died instantly.

      Thus he did not receive from his crime the profit which he had hoped, for he had not even tasted of the bonbons which the queen had given him.

      No one regretted him. No one but the poor Blondine had ever loved him.

      THE FOREST OF LILACS

      When Blondine entered the forest she commenced gathering the beautiful branches of lilacs. She rejoiced in their profusion and delighted in their fragrance.

      As she made her selection, it seemed to her that those which were more distant were still more beautiful so she emptied her apron and her hat, which were both full and filled them again and again.

      Blondine had been thus busily occupied for about an hour. She began to suffer from the heat and to feel great fatigue. She found the branches of lilacs heavy to carry and thought it was time to return to the palace. She looked around and saw herself surrounded with lilacs. She called Gourmandinet but no one replied.

      “I have wandered further than I intended,” said Blondine. “I will return at once, though I am very weary. Gourmandinet will hear me and will surely come to meet me.”

      Blondine walked on rapidly for some time but she could not find the boundaries of the forest.

      Many times she called anxiously upon Gourmandinet but he did not respond and at last she became terribly frightened.

      “What will become of me, all alone in this vast forest? What will my poor papa think when I do not return? And Gourmandinet, how will he dare go back to the palace without me? He will be scolded, perhaps beaten and all this is my fault because I would leave my carriage to gather lilacs? Unfortunate girl that I am! I shall die of hunger and thirst in this forest if the wolves do not eat me up this night.”

      Weeping bitterly, Blondine fell on the ground at the foot of a large tree. She wept a long time. At last her great fatigue mastered her grief. She placed her little head upon her bundle of lilacs, and slept peacefully.

      BLONDINE’S AWAKENING—BEAU-MINON

      Blondine slept calmly all night; СКАЧАТЬ