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middle of the floor； half inclined to believe that it would be better to give
up entirely； lay himself down； and die。
This feeling； however； did not last long； for he was young and strong；
and； I said before； by nature a very courageous boy。 There came into his
head； somehow or other； a proverb that his nurse had taught himthe
people of Nomansland were very fond of proverbs：
〃For every evil under the sun There is a remedy； or there's none； If
there is one； try to find it If there isn't； never mind it。〃
〃I wonder is there a remedy now； and could I find it？〃 cried the
Prince； jumping up and looking out of the window。
No help there。 He only saw the broad； bleak； sunshiny plainthat is； at
first。 But by and by； in the circle of mud that surrounded the base of the
tower； he perceived distinctly the marks of a horse's feet； and just in the
spot where the deaf…mute was accustomed to tie up his great black charger；
while he himself ascended； there lay the remains of a bundle of hay and a
feed of corn。
〃Yes； that's it。 He has come and gone； taking nurse away with him。
Poor nurse！ how glad she would be to go！〃
That was Prince Dolor's first thought。 His secondwasn't it natural？
was a passionate indignation at her crueltyat the cruelty of all the world
toward him； a poor little helpless boy。 Then he determined； forsaken as he
was； to try and hold on to the last； and not to die as long as he could
possibly help it。
Anyhow； it would be easier to die here than out in the world； among
the terrible doings which he had just beheldfrom the midst of which； it
suddenly struck him； the deaf…mute had come； contriving somehow to
make the nurse understand that the king was dead； and she need have no
fear in going back to the capital； where there was a grand revolution； and
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everything turned upside down。 So； of course； she had gone。 〃I hope she'll
enjoy it； miserable womanif they don't cut off her head too。〃
And then a kind of remorse smote him for feeling so bitterly toward
her； after all the years she had taken care of himgrudgingly； perhaps； and
coldly； still she had taken care of him； and that even to the last： for； as I
have said； all his four rooms were as tidy as possible； and his meals laid
out； that he might have no more trouble than could be helped。
〃Possibly she did not mean to be cruel。 I won't judge her；〃 said he。 And
afterward he was very glad that he had so determined。
For the second time he tried to dress himself； and then to do
everything he could for himself even to sweeping up the hearth and
putting on more coals。 〃It's a funny thing for a prince to have to do；〃 said
he； laughing。 〃But my godmother once said princes need never mind doing
anything。〃
And then he thought a little of his godmother。 Not of summoning her；
or asking her to help him；she had evidently left him to help himself； and
he was determined to try his best to do it； being a very proud and
independent boy； but he remembered her tenderly and regret… fully； as if
even she had been a little hard upon himpoor； forlorn boy that he was。
But he seemed to have seen and learned so much within the last few days
that he scarcely felt like a boy； but a manuntil he went to bed at night。
When I was a child； I used often to think how nice it would be to live
in a little house all by my own selfa house built high up in a tree； or far
away in a forest； or halfway up a hillside so deliciously alone and
independent。 Not a lesson to learnbut no！ I always liked learning my
lessons。 Anyhow； to choose the lessons I liked best； to have as many books
to read and dolls to play with as ever I wanted： above all； to be free and at
rest； with nobody to tease or trouble or scold me； would be charming。 For
I was a lonely little thing； who liked quietnessas many children do；
which other children； and sometimes grown…up people even； cannot
understand。 And so I can understand Prince Dolor。
After his first despair； he was not merely comfortable； but actually
happy in his solitude； doing everything for himself； and enjoying
everything by himselfuntil bedtime。 Then he did not like it at all。 No
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The Little Lame Prince
more； I suppose； than other children would have liked my im… aginary
house in a tree when they had had sufficient of their own company。
But the Prince had to bear itand he did bear it； like a princefor fully
five days。 All that time he got up in the morning and went to bed at night
without having spoken to a creature； or； indeed； heard a single sound。 For
even his little lark was silent； and as for his traveling…cloak； either he
never thought about it； or else it had been spirited away for he made no
use of it； nor attempted to do so。
A very strange existence it was； those five lonely days。 He never
entirely forgot it。 It threw him back upon himself； and into himself in a
way that all of us have to learn when we grow up； and are the better for it；
but it is somewhat hard learning。
On the sixth day Prince Dolor had a strange composure in his look； but
he was very grave and thin and white。 He had nearly come to the end of
his provisionsand what was to happen next？ Get out of the tower he
could not： the ladder the deaf…mute used was always carried away again；
and if it had not been； how could the poor boy have used it？ And even if
he slung or flung himself down； and by miraculous chance came alive to
the foot of the tower； how could he run away？
Fate had been very hard to him； or so it seemed。
He made up his mind to die。 Not that he wished to die； on the contrary；
there was a great deal that he wished to live to do； but if he must die； he
must。 Dying did not seem so very dreadful； not even to lie quiet like his
uncle； whom he had entirely forgiven now； and neither be miserable nor
naughty any more； and escape all those horrible things that he had seen
going on outside the palace； in that awful place which was called 〃the
world。〃
〃It's a great deal nicer here；〃 said the poor little Prince； and collected
all his pretty things round him： his favorite pictures； which he thought he
should like to have ne