The Little Lame Prince by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik
page 17 of 160 (10%)
page 17 of 160 (10%)
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As for the other child, his Royal Highness Prince Dolor,--for somehow
people soon ceased to call him his Majesty, which seemed such a ridiculous title for a poor little fellow, a helpless cripple,--with only head and trunk, and no legs to speak of,--he was seen very seldom by anybody. Sometimes people daring enough to peer over the high wall of the palace garden noticed there, carried in a footman's arms, or drawn in a chair, or left to play on the grass, often with nobody to mind him, a pretty little boy, with a bright, intelligent face and large, melancholy eyes--no, not exactly melancholy, for they were his mother's, and she was by no means sad-minded, but thoughtful and dreamy. They rather perplexed people, those childish eyes; they were so exceedingly innocent and yet so penetrating. If anybody did a wrong thing--told a lie, for instance they would turn round with such a grave, silent surprise the child never talked much--that every naughty person in the palace was rather afraid of Prince Dolor. He could not help it, and perhaps he did not even know it, being no better a child than many other children, but there was something about him which made bad people sorry, and grumbling people ashamed of themselves, and ill-natured people gentle and kind. I suppose because they were touched to see a poor little fellow who did not in the least know what had befallen him or what lay before him, living his baby life as happy as the day is long. Thus, whether or not he was good himself, the sight of him and his affliction made other people good, and, above all, made everybody love him--so much so, that his uncle the Regent began to feel a little uncomfortable. |
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