The Queen endeavours to make her children forget that they are of Royal blood, or in any way different from other children. In this particular she is very different from the Tsaritsa, who never allows her children or her court to forget that her son will one day be an Autocrat4 and Tsar of all the Russias, that her daughters are Grand Duchesses, and must, therefore, be kowtowed to by every Prince and granddame of the court.{257}
While I was in Rome, Queen Elena related the following anecdote5 of her own children, which illustrates6 her simplicity7 of attitude toward the Italian Prince and Princesses.
The young Prince Humbert was recently put through an examination by his two older sisters, who wished to have an experience of their brother’s knowledge about colours.
Yolanda, pointing with her hand to the cloth of a piece of the furniture, asked: “What colour is this?”
“It is red,” Humbert readily answered, without mistake.
“And that other piece of furniture, what colour is it?”
For the second time the young Prince gave a right answer.
“It is green,” he said.
But Mafalda wanted to take part, too, in what they intended to be the first examination of the future King of Italy.
“What colour are your small shoes?”
Here the matter became rather complicated. As far as it was a question of usual colours, little Humbert had found no difficulty in answering, but now, looking at his small shoes, he found that they had to him an unknown colour. But he was not discouraged, especially as he perceived on his sister’s lips a light smile, which could not be interpreted as of approval. It was clear that his wily sisters were teasing him.{258}
“Well, what colour are they?”
Vanquished8? Not he. “My shoes are Marron glacé,” he replied.
Yolanda and Mafalda laughed gaily9 at that answer, and little Humbert, considering himself scorned by them, began to weep, and ran to his mother for help.
Queen Elena endeavoured to explain to the little examiners that the Prince’s answer was right, as the little shoes had really a beautiful chestnut10 colour bright and brilliant.
Humbert is not fond of being quizzed by his sisters, and he is rather inclined to be resentful. Indeed, this little Crown Prince is a born soldier of a fighting disposition11, and many a nursery quarrel does the Queen have to settle. He is ever ready to defend with great boldness his small soldiers, his guns and his swords and other favourite toys, which Mafalda and Yolanda attempt sometimes to take from him. Humbert has one amusing weakness. He is fond of the two black eyes and beautiful little face of one of his sisters’ dolls. Sometimes he wants to take possession of this doll. Unhappily, his sisters are not always disposed to let him have it.
Ordinarily Humbert is glad to assume rather a martial12 air, and to dress in military uniforms. But the uniform that he likes best is a smart one of a Cuirassier regiment13 with boots, cuirasse and helmet. The little fellow distinctly prefers the company of boys of his own age, and he enjoys the little{259} friends that he is allowed to have, and who are the children of the Ladies at Court.
One of these little friends, a boy of five years who showed himself enthusiastic over his Princely friend, was asked if he loved him much.
“Yes, I love him very much, because he never complains when they take something belonging to him, and he never cheats,” he replied.
“And Yolanda and Mafalda, and the little Giovanna?”
“Yolanda and Mafalda, I like them also, but they always laugh at us men!”
Yolanda, who is especially beloved by all those who live closely to her, has always been a lively young girl with a frank and gay smile. Being the eldest14 sister, she endeavours to look in some manner the wisest and most serious, and she is at the same time the most charitable and kindly15. In fact, it is known to everyone, that many times she answers the letters that the little girls of the people address to her continually, by sending to them as a gift some of her own toys, of which she willingly deprives herself.
There is in her a lovely soul, which appears in a thousand ways and especially in the unlimited16 affection to her parents.
An old friend of the Queen’s once asked her to show her an ancient photograph very dear to her, representing Queen Elena having Yolanda on her lap, when she was only two or three months old.
The Queen afterwards sent for Yolanda, and{260} showed her the photograph. The little Princess, seeing her mother in the portrait, asked with suspicious anxiety who was the child she was keeping in her lap.
“She is a dear baby, of whom I am very fond,” said the Queen.
Yolanda’s face turned very serious, and after she looked again at the photograph, she could not abstain17 from showing a certain contempt.
“Don’t you see how ugly she is, Mamma? Throw it away.”
“You are wrong,” the Queen answered, “you are this baby. It is really you when you were very little.”
Then Yolanda smiled gladly, and changing at once her opinion, she said, with plenty of content: “Oh, yes, she is very handsome. You may keep it.”
Yolanda is in fact so affectionate to her mother that she hates in her heart all those duties which keep the Queen away from her. She, as also Mafalda and Humbert, like much better the beautiful days spent wholly near their parents, among the green hills of Racconigi, Sant’ Anna di Valdiere, and San Rossore.
Victor Emmanuel, leaving all cares of state in the full liberty of his acts, thinks only to play with his children from whom he never is widely separated, and who are really his all-absorbing joy. Even in Rome, the King, his duties accomplished18, spends the rest of each day in the intimacy19 of his family.
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1
extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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2
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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3
wards
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| 区( ward的名词复数 )； 病房； 受监护的未成年者； 被人照顾或控制的状态 | |
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autocrat
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| n.独裁者；专横的人 | |
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anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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6
illustrates
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| 给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明 | |
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7
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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8
vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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9
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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10
chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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12
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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14
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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15
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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16
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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17
abstain
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| v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免 | |
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18
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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19
intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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