第82章 THE GOLDEN BRAN(2)

He turned a page, and there was an excellent smell of a savoury dinner, and one of the figures who sat at the feast looked at him and said:

`We drink your health, Curlicue.Try to give us our Queen again, for if you do you will be rewarded; if not, it will be the worse for you.'

At these words the Prince, who had been growing more and more astonished, was fairly terrified, and dropping the book with a crash he sank back insensible.The noise he made brought his guards to his aid, and as soon as he revived they asked him what was the matter.He answered that he was so faint and giddy with hunger that he had imagined he saw and heard all sorts of strange things.

Thereupon, in spite of the King's orders, the guards gave him an excellent supper, and when he had eaten it he again opened his book, but could see none of the wonderful pictures, which convinced him that he must have been dreaming before.

However, when he went into he gallery next day and looked at the painted windows again, he found that they moved, and the figures came and went as if they had been alive, and after watching the one who was like himself find the key in the crack of the turret wall and open the old cabinet, he determined to go and examine the place himself, and try to find out what the mystery was.So he went up into the turret and began to search about and tap upon the walls, and all at once he came upon a place that sounded hollow.

Taking a hammer he broke away a bit of the stone, and found behind it a little golden key.The next thing to do was to find the cabinet, and the Prince soon came to it, hidden away in a dark corner, though indeed it was so old and battered-looking that he would never have noticed it of his own accord.At first he could not see any keyhole, but after a careful search he found one hidden in the carving, and the golden key just fitted it; so the Prince gave it a vigorous turn and the doors flew open.

Ugly and old as the cabinet was outside, nothing could have been more rich and beautiful than what met the Prince's astonished eyes.

Every drawer was made of crystal, of amber, or of some precious stone, and was quite full of every kind of treasure.Prince Curlicue was delighted; he opened one after another, until at last he came to one tiny drawer which contained only an emerald key.

`I believe that this must open that little golden door in the middle,' said the Prince to himself.And he fitted in the little key and turned it.The tiny door swung back, and a soft crimson light gleamed over the whole cabinet.The Prince found that it proceeded from an immense glowing carbuncle, made into a box, which lay before him.He lost no time in opening it, but what was his horror when he found that it contained a man's hand, which was holding a portrait.His first thought was to put back the terrible box and fly from the turret; but a voice in his ear said, `This hand belonged to one whom you can help and restore.Look at this beautiful portrait, the original of which was the cause of all my misfortunes, and if you wish to help me, go without a moment's delay to the great gallery, notice where the sun's rays fall most brightly, and if you seek there you will find my treasure.'

The voice ceased, and though the Prince in his bewilderment asked various questions, he received no answer.So he put back the box and locked the cabinet up again, and, having replaced the key in the crack in the wall, hastened down to the gallery.

When he entered it all the windows shook and clattered in the strangest way, but the Prince did not heed them; he was looking so carefully for the place where the sun shone most brightly, and it seemed to him that it was upon the portrait of a most splendidly handsome young man.

He went up and examined it, and found that it rested against the ebony and gold panelling, just like any of the other pictures in the gallery.He was puzzled, not knowing what to do next, until it occurred to him to see if the windows would help him, and, looking at the nearest, he saw a picture of himself lifting the picture from the wall.

The Prince took the hint, and lifting aside the picture without difficulty, found himself in a marble hall adorned with statues; from this he passed on through numbers of splendid rooms, until at last he reached one all hung with blue gauze.The walls were of turquoises, and upon a low couch lay a lovely lady, who seemed to be asleep.Her hair, black as ebony, was spread across the pillows, making her face look ivory white, and the Prince noticed that she was unquiet; and when he softly advanced, fearing to wake her, he could hear her sigh, and murmur to herself:

`Ah! how dared you think to win my love by separating me from my beloved Florimond, and in my presence cutting off that dear hand that even you should have feared and honoured?'

And then the tears rolled slowly down the lovely lady's cheeks, and Prince Curlicue began to comprehend that she was under an enchantment, and that it was the hand of her lover that he had found.

At this moment a huge Eagle flew into the room, holding in its talons a Golden Branch, upon which were growing what looked like clusters of cherries, only every cherry was a single glowing ruby.

This he presented to the Prince, who guessed by this time that he was in some way to break the enchantment that surrounded the sleeping lady.Taking the branch he touched her lightly with it, saying:

`Fair one, I know not by what enchantment thou art bound, but in the name of thy beloved Florimond I conjure thee to come back to the life which thou hast lost, but not forgotten.'

Instantly the lady opened her lustrous eyes, and saw the Eagle hovering near.

`Ah! stay, dear love, stay,' she cried.But the Eagle, uttering a dolorous cry, fluttered his broad wings and disappeared.Then the lady turned to Prince Curlicue, and said:

`I know that it is to you I owe my deliverance from an enchantment which has held me for two hundred years.If there is anything that I can do for you in return, you have only to tell me, and all my fairy power shall be used to make you happy.'