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As the guide finished his story of the Sunset Princess, Ethelda noticed they had passed through the forest, and it was with a little thrill of terror she saw the black dwarf and his companions a short distance ahead.
148
After thanking their kind messenger for his guidance and the delightful2 stories he had told them, Prince Dorion and his party joined the dwarf. He seemed more hideous3 than ever, but his manner was perfectly4 respectful as he greeted his guests, and he hardly looked at the Princess. Two days of travel followed,—days during which new beauties of the earth were revealed; and because of her interest in these beauties the lovely Moon Princess almost forgot her sad forebodings. She did not see the black dwarf during that time, and the horror of his presence almost passed. He kept out of her sight, and remaining in front with his imps5, led the way.
Gold and silver had been scattered6 as they travelled, and for each piece that fell there formed later a splendid mine. The precious metal, melting and filtering through the earth in slender veins7, reached finally the heart of the deepest mountains. There it spread and grew, until to-day the earth is full of its treasures in gold and silver mines.
One day, Ethelda, light-hearted and happy, had loitered behind for a moment, to gather some tiny green ferns creeping between the rocks. She was stooping to pluck one, when suddenly she felt herself rudely seized. Looking up, she saw it was the black dwarf who had her within his grasp. She tried to get away, but his grip was like iron on her delicate arm. She could not move, and realizing her utter helplessness, she screamed aloud. Her agonizing8 call reached her husband, but too late for him to aid her. For the black dwarf stamped violently upon the ground, which opened wide, and with her in his arms he sank into the opening, which immediately closed over them. Then Ethelda fainted.
149
When she recovered, she found she was in a large vaulted9 chamber10, in a big cave. The light was very poor, but she could see the ugly black dwarf watching her steadily11. For a moment she thought she would die of fright, and then she remembered that, as a Moon maiden12, she had the power to protect herself from harm. In that instant her courage returned and strengthened her. Softly she repeated the words of the charm she had learned in the nursery of the Moon palace, and had sung at her mother’s knee. In a low, musical voice she chanted:—
Rays of the Moon, brilliant and bright,
Protect me by day, protect me by night.
Protect me you must, as child of your race.
Send but the halo seen often about you,
And I promise, sweet mother, I never shall doubt you.
As she sang, a beautiful halo formed gradually about her, such as you sometimes see about the moon, and in the centre of this great shining space Ethelda stood alone.
150
When she moved, her white and silver dress flashed in long sparkling rays, like the moonlight on the water. The black man covered his eyes to shield them at first from the blinding light, for it was like the sudden flashing of midday into the darkest night, and the cave became very bright. He looked on surprised, not understanding Ethelda’s words, and on finding what she had done he was completely astounded14. He stepped forward quickly to snatch her from the glowing circle, but found he could not reach her side. Then he became furious and called his imps, who swarmed15 to his assistance; but when they approached the maiden, a barrier of iron seemed to stand before them. They could not break it down at all, nor could they penetrate16 the beaming circle. Ethelda was safe from any harm except imprisonment17.
The dwarf soon abandoned all thought of reaching her, and in truth he never really meant to harm her, but had stolen her to marry her. So he determined18 to try kindness to win her love, and though he kept her a prisoner, he was not otherwise unkind. In many ways he tried to please her.
151
For years he had been fitting up a wonderful cave, hoping some day to induce a lovely maiden to accept and marry him. But he was so ugly and repulsive19 that all the Earth maidens20 shunned21 him. Still he had gone on decorating the cave, determined to steal a wife if necessary.
He had gone to the Earth festival with the intention of finding a wife there, but when his eyes fell on the Princess Ethelda he forgot all the other maidens. He thought her gloriously beautiful, and determined to steal her, although she was already married. Therefore, he made up his mind that the Moon Princess should love him and forget her husband. On that account he tried to be kind. Every morning he sent her a beautiful gift, and then soon after paid her a visit and asked her to marry him. Each day her reply was the same,—that she loved her husband and hated him, but if he would restore her to her husband, and show her her home in the starry22 skies, she would forgive his stealing her. At these words the dwarf would go into a great rage and leave the room, but every day he would return, hoping she had changed her mind.
152
At last he conceived a great idea by which he thought he could win her. Day and night he worked over it, and one morning, when it was completed, he invited her in to see a room he had fitted especially for her to occupy. He thought she would be so pleased at what he had done for her that she could no longer refuse him.
When he opened the door and bade her enter, she was amazed and delighted in spite of herself. Round and beautiful in shape was the room. Great stalactites and stalagmites hung from the ceiling and grew from the floors,—all a mass of shining light, for they were of purest white crystal, and shone like the sun. The room was richly furnished, and every comfort seemed there; but all of this was not what she saw to admire. It was a darker room beyond that absorbed and enchanted23 her. Her eyes beheld24 what she thought at first was her own beautiful home again. Quickly she passed into it. Blue as the heavens she had left was the lofty ceiling she gazed into. She stared with fresh wonder at the bejewelled stars, and with beating heart watched their brilliant rays. She expected every moment to see the Moon sail past in silver glory. But the radiant splendor25 of her mother’s Moon palace was absent, and then Ethelda recognized with a great pang26 that it was not really the sky she saw at all.
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The countless27 clusters of stars overheard had been gathered only with untold28 labor29. The dwarf had stationed his numerous slaves to watch the heavens all the night, and when a shooting star fell they seized and brought it straight to him. Gradually, therefore, toiling30 and working in this way, they built the famous Star Chamber in the great black cave for the Moon Princess.
Ethelda’s disappointment was very keen when she learned the truth. Still she loved the Star Chamber better than any other spot in her prison, and she visited it often.
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1
dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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2
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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3
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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5
imps
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| n.（故事中的）小恶魔( imp的名词复数 )；小魔鬼；小淘气；顽童 | |
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6
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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7
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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8
agonizing
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| adj.痛苦难忍的；使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦；折磨(agonize的ing形式) | |
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9
vaulted
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| adj.拱状的 | |
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10
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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12
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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13
naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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14
astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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15
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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16
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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17
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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18
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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19
repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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21
shunned
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| v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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23
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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24
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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25
splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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26
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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27
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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28
untold
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| adj.数不清的，无数的 | |
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29
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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30
toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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