As we approached, the Marquesa de Salamanca lifted the Prince of Asturias from the carriage and brought him in her arms toward us, presenting him as the Little Crown Prince. Anticipating her, however, the little fellow cried out: “Kaulak—Kaulak, is coming.” Now, Kaulak is a Madrid photographer who takes most of the photographs of the Royal family and the Prince had noticed the cameras in my hand. The Marquesa told him, as{97} she put him down at our feet, that I was not Kaulak, though I had cameras and could take his picture. He surveyed me critically for a moment and then came and posed himself before me with his little right hand at salute6, asking that I first take him that way. He wore the same broad-brimmed white straw hat encircled by a pale blue ribbon and the cunning little white flannel7 suit in which I had first seen him going out to drive. He tried valiantly8 to wrestle9 with my name but this proved too much of a mouthful.
The two English governesses and the French maid gathered the children’s toys from the coach and we started for a stream of water where the children wanted to play. As we started the Infante Don Jaime was brought over. He is a dear boy with a wonderfully sweet and friendly smile. It was evident from the first moment that he, at least, had no intention of standing10 on ceremony. The wee Infanta Beatrice was too sleepy to pay much attention, so she was put to rest in an ordinary baby carriage and was soon trundled fast asleep.
The Prince of Asturias first took up the sand pail and shovel11 that had recently been given him by his mother the Queen for his third birthday. Don Jaime, however, found more interest in the water. He splashed the stream for a few minutes then toddled12 off to a spring and began tossing stones into the water, laughing with delight at each splash. When he had used all of his stones he asked me to recover them. This was a task, but{98} I rolled up my sleeves, and getting down on my knees I began to pick them from the bottom one by one and arrange them around the spring wall. Just as I finished the Prince of Asturias ran up and seizing the largest stone of all splashed it violently back into the water, wetting me from head to foot. This gave them both great pleasure and they laughed tremendously. “See,” exclaimed the Infante, “I have given you a bath!”
The next moment the Prince decided13 that my dress was incomplete, as I had no flower in my buttonhole. He asked me if I wouldn’t like him to get me a nice flower. I told His Royal Highness that I should be very pleased. So away he went to the flower beds. He was critical in his selection. A number of flowers were successively rejected. Finally he plucked a beautiful white rose and bringing it back placed it (with a little assistance) in my buttonhole. Don Jaime, in the meantime watched his brother with evident interest and decided that it was his turn to do something toward entertaining me. So he went off to the strawberry bed and picked some luscious14 ripe berries to feed me.
The morning was unusually dark and gloomy for Madrid in June, and I am very much of an amateur at photography, consequently dependent upon bright light. About eleven o’clock the clouds lightened somewhat and I got out my cameras. Instantly both Princes were interested. The Prince of Asturias particularly seemed to enjoy{99} having his picture taken. I snapped him repeatedly and found that he never seemed to weary of posing for me.
The Infanta Beatrice had now waked up, so she joined us. Corral, ever attentive15 and watchful16, took great delight in catching17 the eye of the small Princess so that her face should be turned toward the camera. She showed a silent interest in the performance, but her little eyes were still heavy with sleep and it was evident that she would much have preferred to remain in her perambulator. She grew alert, however, when the donkey carriage was brought round. She enjoys her rides about the gardens, sitting by the side of her brother Don Jaime.
Don Jaime climbed into the carriage by himself and picked up the whip. The Infanta thought that she should hold this and straightway reached out her hand to grasp it. The two wrestled18 back and forth19 until between them they dropped it onto the ground. Then there was storm and tears.
When I looked round the Prince was proudly seated on Belaye. Belaye is one of the smallest of Shetland ponies20, and his saddle precisely21 like a toy. It is not quite a real saddle for it has a seat and straps22 to secure the little rider. But these are the first lessons of the Prince in riding. By the time he is six he will doubtless mount a real saddle and ride just like a little man.
Besides his Shetland pony he has two little donkeys, so tiny that any man could carry one under{100} each arm. These are harnessed to a little cart and the young Prince takes his first lessons in driving in the beautiful and extensive park behind the Royal Palace, known as the Casa de Campo. Formerly23 he had a third donkey called “Astra,” but Astra died. Sometime after this distressing24 event the Prince was asked about Astra by someone in the Palace, and he made answer with a certain manner of mystery, “Oh! he is gone away. He is in the Casa de Campo eating strawberries.”
In amusing contrast to these dwarf25 donkeys are four sturdy mules26 which are attached to the big nursery coach in which ride not only the Prince of Asturias but also his brother Don Jaime, his sister Infanta Beatrice and two of their nurses. Beside the carriage, ride two splendidly mounted equerries and behind, two Royal grooms27. On the whole, it is an imposing28 cavalcade29, this nursery out a-airing.
The two Princes—aged three and two respectively—sit on the main seat. A brace30 for their feet has been adjusted to the carriage and two leather belts keep them securely in place. One day I was going into the Palace just as the nursery was about to start out. The little Prince and the Infante were in their seats and the baby Infanta was just being brought downstairs. As I passed the carriage, I raised my hat to the wee boys, both of whom were dressed in white with broad-brimmed straw hats. Instantly, two little hands were raised to their right temples, elbows out, eyes front—all{101} with military precision. No soldier could have given a truer salute. It was so charming, so unexpected, that I laughed outright31. On later days when I saw them out driving, I noticed that each time they passed a flag they saluted32 it, and each time an officer or soldier saluted them, the salute was returned.
The morning wore on till noon time when Don Jaime grew overpoweringly sleepy, and the Prince grew anxious for his morning story—preliminary to his noon nap. We drove and rode and picked more flowers and threw more stones into the water and made more sand piles—and we were all very happy. I found them wholesome33, hearty34 children, normal in all respects, bright beyond their years, and well developed. How the baseless stories concerning their supposed infirmities and defectiveness36 ever started, is a mystery to me, unless political enemies of the monarchial37 parties set them in circulation with malice38 aforethought.
After my morning with them in the Casa de Campo some people at my hotel said to me: “What a pity that the Princes are not right in their faculties39!”
“Oh! no, sir. You must be mistaken.”
“How can I be mistaken?” I answered, “I have just spent a morning with them and I found them not only normal in every way, but particularly intelligent.{102}”
I began to grow indignant and finally I gave up the controversy41. After I had gone they asked one another, as I later learned, how much the King had paid me to say that the Princes were all right! What is one to do with such people? And this is characteristic of what is met often in Madrid.
The Prince of Asturias is to-day one of the loveliest of children. Presently he must submit to the discipline which will make of him a strong, fearless man fit to lead and rule a nation. If he lives he will succeed to the throne of Spain as King Alfonso XIV.
There is no better wish that I may express for my readers than that when they come to this beautiful summer land of Spain, they may have something of the same privileges I have enjoyed; that they may meet this manly42, courageous43, wise King, Alfonso XIII—face to face, clasp his hand in hearty grasp and sit with him in his study by the hour listening to his clear-cut, incisive44 conversation, enjoying his ideas and ideals, all expressed in most excellent English; or go with him to the beautiful polo ground and watch him play the fastest sort of game, riding his beautiful ponies brought over from the Argentine Republic; that they may meet the beautiful Queen Victoria Eugenie, the English Princess, who is the true heroine of this romance and perhaps hear from her own lips the story of{103} the beautiful prophesy45 of her father, now long dead, that one day she should come to Spain and be very, very happy. Perchance, indeed, some favoured ones may be shown the Spanish fan he sent her from Seville and which is to-day her most treasured possession. Above all, I would wish that all might spend a morning such as I spent in the Casa de Campo with the little Princes, playing in the sand, splashing water and eating strawberries plucked by these dear, little, Royal hands and carry away a pure white rose, selected and plucked by him who will one day, God willing, be King Alfonso XIV of Spain.
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1
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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2
automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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3
mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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4
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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6
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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7
flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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8
valiantly
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| adv.勇敢地，英勇地；雄赳赳 | |
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9
wrestle
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| vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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11
shovel
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| n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出 | |
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12
toddled
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| v.（幼儿等）东倒西歪地走( toddle的过去式和过去分词 )；蹒跚行走；溜达；散步 | |
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13
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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14
luscious
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| adj.美味的；芬芳的；肉感的，引与性欲的 | |
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15
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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16
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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17
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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18
wrestled
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| v.（与某人）搏斗( wrestle的过去式和过去分词 )；扭成一团；扭打；（与…）摔跤 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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ponies
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| 矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑 | |
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21
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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22
straps
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| n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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23
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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24
distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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26
mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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27
grooms
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| n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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28
imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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29
cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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30
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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31
outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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32
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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33
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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34
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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35
defective
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| adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的 | |
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defectiveness
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| n.有缺陷，缺乏 | |
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37
monarchial
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| 国王的，帝王风度的 | |
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38
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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39
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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40
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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41
controversy
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| n.争论，辩论，争吵 | |
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42
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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43
courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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44
incisive
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| adj.敏锐的，机敏的，锋利的，切入的 | |
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45
prophesy
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| v.预言；预示 | |
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