heking’ssonwasgoingobemarried,sohereweregeneralrejoicingshehadwaiedawholeyearforhisbride,andasshehadarrivedshewasarussianprincess,andhaddrivenallhewayfromfinndinasledgedrawnbysixreindeerhesledgewasshapedlikeagreagoldenswan,andbeweenheswan’swingsyhelileprincessherselfherlongerminecloakreachedrighdownoherfee,onherheadwasainycapofsilverissue,andshewasaspaleashesnowpaceinwhichshehadalwayslivedsopalewasshehaasshedrovehroughhesreesallhepeoplewondered“sheislikeawhierose!”heycried,andheyhrewdownflowersonherfromhebalconies

ahegaeofhecasleheprincewaswaiingoreceiveherhehaddreamyvioleeyes,andhishairwaslikefinegoldwhenhesawherhesankupononeknee,andkissedherhand

“yourpicurewasbeauiful,”hemurmured,“buyouaremorebeauifulhanyourpicure;”andhelileprincessblushed

“shewaslikeawhierosebefore,”saidayoungpageohisneighbour,“busheislikearedrosenow;”andhewholecourwasdelighed

forhenexhreedayseverybodywenabousaying,“whierose,redrose,redrose,whierose;”andhekinggaveordershahepage’ssarywasobedoubledashereceivednosaryaallhiswasnoofmuchuseohim,buiwasconsideredagreahonour,andwasdulypublishedinhecourgazee

whenhehreedayswereoverhemarriagewascelebraediwasamagnificenceremony,andhebrideandbridegroomwalkedhandinhandunderacanopyofpurplevelveembroideredwihlilepearlshenherewasasaebanque,whichsedforfivehoursheprinceandprincesssaaheopofhegreahallanddrankouofacupofclearcrysalonlyrueloverscoulddrinkouofhiscup,foriffalselipsouchedi,igrewgreyanddullandcloudy

“i’squieclearhaheyloveeachoher,”saidhelilepage,“asclearascrysal!”andhekingdoubledhissaryasecondime“whaanhonour!”criedallhecouriers

aferhebanqueherewasobeaballhebrideandbridegroomwereodanceherosedanceogeher,andhekinghadpromisedopyhefluehepyedverybadly,bunoonehadeverdaredoellhimso,becausehewashekingindeed,heknewonlywoairs,andwasneverquiecerainwhichonehewaspying;buimadenomaer,for,whaeverhedid,everybodycriedou,“charming!charming!”

hesiemonheprogrammewasagranddispyoffireworks,obeleoffexaclyamidnighhelileprincesshadneverseenafireworkinherlife,sohekinghadgivenordershaheroyalpyroechnisshouldbeinaendanceonhedayofhermarriage

“whaarefireworkslike?”shehadaskedheprince,onemorning,asshewaswalkingonheerrace

“heyarelikeheauroraborealis,”saidheking,whoalwaysansweredquesionshawereaddressedooherpeople,“onlymuchmorenauralipreferhemosarsmyself,asyoualwaysknowwhenheyaregoingoappear,andheyareasdelighfulasmyownfluepyingyoumuscerainlyseehem”

soaheendofheking’sgardenagreasandhadbeenseup,andassoonasheroyalpyroechnishadpueveryhinginisproperpce,hefireworksbeganoalkoeachoher

“heworldiscerainlyverybeauiful,”criedalilesquib“juslookahoseyellowulipswhy!ifheywererealcrackersheycouldnobelovelieriamverygdihaveravelledravelimproveshemindwonderfully,anddoesawaywihallone’sprejudices”

“heking’sgardenisnoheworld,youfoolishsquib,”saidabigromancandle;“heworldisanenormouspce,andiwouldakeyouhreedaysoseeihoroughly”

“anypceyouloveisheworldoyou,”excimedapensivecaherinewheel,whohadbeenaachedoanolddealboxinearlylife,andpridedherselfonherbrokenhear;“buloveisnofashionableanymore,hepoeshavekillediheywroesomuchabouihanobodybelievedhem,andiamnosurprisedruelovesuffers,andissileniremembermyselfonce—buiisnomaernowromanceisahingofhepas”

“nonsense!”saidheromancandle,“romanceneverdiesiislikehemoon,andlivesforeverhebrideandbridegroom,forinsance,loveeachoherverydearlyiheardallabouhemhismorningfromabrownpapercarridge,whohappenedobesayinginhesamedrawerasmyself,andknewheescournews”

buhecaherinewheelshookherhead“romanceisdead,romanceisdead,romanceisdead,”shemurmuredshewasoneofhosepeoplewhohinkha,ifyousayhesamehingoverandoveragreamanyimes,ibecomesrueinheend

suddenly,asharp,drycoughwasheard,andheyalllookedround

icamefromaall,superciliouslookingrocke,whowasiedoheendofalongsickhealwayscoughedbeforehemadeanyobservaion,soasoaracaenion

“ahem!ahem!”hesaid,andeverybodylisenedexcephepoorcaherinewheel,whowassillshakingherhead,andmurmuring,“romanceisdead”

“order!order!”criedouacrackerhewassomehingofapoliician,andhadalwaysakenaprominenparinhelocalelecions,soheknewheproperparliamenaryexpressionsouse

“quiedead,”whisperedhecaherinewheel,andshewenoffosleep

assoonasherewasperfecsilence,herockecoughedahirdimeandbeganhespokewihaveryslow,disincvoice,asifhewasdicainghismemoirs,andalwayslookedoverheshoulderofhepersonowhomhewasalkinginfac,hehadamosdisinguishedma

er

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