本集演播：槑贰 

后期：青丘

英文对照文本在最底下，请往下拉到底。

第2节

每次他们一起用过餐，他第一个问她的总是这个问题。艾琳都已经等得不耐烦了，因为她想，她应该可以解开一个困扰她已久的谜团。

“我想让你带我去看我的老老奶奶。”

国王严肃地说：

“我的小女儿在说什么呢？”

“我是说住在塔楼上的艾琳王后——那个非常老的妇人，你知道的，她有一头长长的银发。”

国王用一种小公主看不懂的表情凝视着她。

“她把她的王冠放在卧室里，”她接着说，“可我还没去过那。您知道她在哪里，对吗？”

“不知道。”国王平静地说。

“那肯定是我做的梦了。”艾琳说。“我一半觉得是梦，又不太确定。现在我能确定了。而且，我第二次上去的时候也没找到她。”

这时一只雪白的鸽子从一个开着的窗户飞进来，落在艾琳的头上。她快乐地大笑起来，稍稍缩着身体，把手放在头顶，说道：

“亲爱的小鸽子，不要啄我。你要是不小心，你的长爪子会扯断我的头发的。”

国王伸手想去抓鸽子，可它张开翅膀又从开着的窗户飞走了。一道雪白色在阳光里一闪就消失了。国王把手放在他的小公主的头上，微微向后拉近自己，他注视着她的脸庞，勉强地微笑着，叹了口气。

“来，我的孩子，咱们一起在花园里走走。”他说。

“你不上去看看我的美丽的祖祖奶奶吗，父王？”公主说。

“这次不看了，’国王温柔地说。“因为她没有邀请我。你知道，像她那样尊贵的老妇人是不喜欢别人不请自来的。”

花园是个非常美丽的地方。因为就在山坡上，花园里林立着大量的岩石，而且在这些岩石周围依然十分荒凉。一丛丛石楠还有别的一些坚韧山麓植物和野花在岩石之间生长着。而就在它们旁边的花园里，却种着美丽的玫瑰、百合还有各种招人喜爱的花。精心栽培的花园和荒野的山脉巧妙地融合在一起，不管多少园丁也不可能打造出这么井井有条又错落有致的花园来。

在众多岩石之中有一个园林座椅，下午的阳光刚好被它上方突出的岩石遮住。有一条蜿蜒的小径直通向岩石的顶上，那里还有另一个椅子。不过因为太阳太晒，他们就一起坐在石头脚下的椅子上，聊了好多好多。最后国王说道：

“你有一天出去玩儿到很晚啊，艾琳。”

“是的，父王，那都是我的错，洛蒂特别愧疚。”

“我得跟洛蒂谈谈这件事，”国王说。

“求你不要大声跟她说话，爸爸，”艾琳说，“她从那次以后就特别害怕晚回来了！而且她从来都不淘气。她就犯过那一次错。”

“一次就够多了，”国王拍拍他女儿的头，自言自语道。

我不能告诉你们他是怎么知道的。我保证不是科迪告诉他的。肯定是宫殿里有人看见他们了。

他坐在那里沉思了许久。周围万籁俱寂，只有一条溪流从他们坐着的地方旁边的石头缝里欢快地流出来，又从花园里快速流到山下去了。他留下艾琳在原地，起身独自走进宅子派人去找洛蒂，他才跟她说了没几句，她就哭了。

晚上他骑上高大的白马离开，临行前吩咐六个侍卫留下，让他们每三个人一组晚上在外面看守宅子，从太阳下山之后就开始巡逻，直到日出为止。很明显他对公主非常担忧。

PART II

This was the question he almost always put to her first after their meal together; and Irene had been waiting for it with some impatience, for now, she thought, she should be able to settle a question which constantly perplexed her.

'I should like you to take me to see my great old grandmother.'

The king looked grave And said:

'What does my little daughter mean?'

'I mean the Queen Irene that lives up in the tower—the very old lady, you know, with the long hair of silver.'

The king only gazed at his little princess with a look which she could not understand.

'She's got her crown in her bedroom,'; 'but I've not been in there yet. You know she's there, don't you?'

'No,' said the king, very quietly.

'Then it must all be a dream, I half thought it was; but I couldn't be sure. Now I am sure of it. Besides, I couldn't find her the next time I went up.'

At that moment a snow-white pigeon flew in at an open window and settled upon Irene's head. She broke into a merry laugh, cowered a little, and put up her hands to her head, saying:

'Dear dovey, don't peck me. You'll pull out my hair with your long claws if you don't mind.'

The king stretched out his hand to take the pigeon, but it spread its wings and flew again through the open window, when its Whiteness made one flash in the sun and vanished. The king laid his hand on his princess's head, held it back a little, gazed in her face, smiled half a smile, and sighed half a sigh.

'Come, my child; we'll have a walk in the garden together,' he said.

'You won't come up and see my huge, great, beautiful grandmother, then, king-papa?' said the princess.

'Not this time,' said the king very gently. 'She has not invited me, you know, and great old ladies like her do not choose to be visited without leave asked and given.'

The garden was a very lovely place. Being upon a Mountainside there were parts in it where the rocks came through in great masses, and all immediately about them remained quite wild. Tufts of heather grew upon them, and other hardy mountain plants and flowers, while near them would be lovely roses and lilies and all pleasant garden flowers. This mingling of the wild mountain with the civilized garden was very quaint, and it was impossible for any number of gardeners to make such a garden look formal and stiff.

Against one of these rocks was a garden seat, shadowed from the afternoon sun by the overhanging of the rock itself. There was a little winding path up to the top of the rock, and on top another seat; but they sat on the seat at its foot because the sun was hot; and there they talked together of many things. At length the king said:

'You were out late one evening, Irene.'

'Yes, papa. It was my fault; and Lootie was very sorry.'

'I must talk to Lootie about it,' said the king.

'Don't speak loud to her, please, papa, She's been so afraid of being late ever since! Indeed she has not been naughty. It was only a mistake for once.'

'Once might be too often,' murmured the king to himself, as he stroked his child's head.

I can't tell you how he had come to know. I am sure Curdie had not told him. Someone about the palace must have seen them, after all.

He sat for a good while thinking. There was no sound to be heard except that of a little stream which ran merrily out of an opening in the rock by where they sat, and sped away down the hill through the garden. Then he rose and, leaving Irene where she was, went into the house and sent for Lootie, with whom he had a talk that made her cry.

When in the evening he rode away upon his great white horse, he left six of his attendants behind him, with orders that three of them should watch outside the house every night, walking round and round it from sunset to sunrise. It was clear he was not quite comfortable about the princess.