Throughout Princess Anemone’s story, I could not do anything but make my eyes speak, and they were understood. I even thought I perceived in Rosebelle’s a certain favorable disposition, but as soon as the beautiful Anemone and Prince Zazaraph had finished their clarifications and I was at liberty to speak, I was no longer master of my transports. Forgetting all the laws of Romancia, of which the prince had informed me, I threw myself recklessly at the feet of the charming Rosebelle in order to declare the passion with which I was burning for her.
I have discovered since that Rosebelle was not annoyed, in the depths of her soul, by such an abrupt declaration, but it nevertheless neglected all the customary ceremonies.
As for the spectators, after a moment of surprise that my action caused them, they all looked at one another, smiling, and as Princess Rosebelle did not say anything, her brother spoke.
“Oh, Prince,” he said, obliging me to get up, “how quick you are! What would become of Romancia if such vivacities were tolerated?”
“Eh! What will become of me,” I retorted, with enthusiasm, “if the adorable Rosebelle is not favorable to my prayers, and if you, Prince, who can dispose of her, refuse to make me happy? I know all the respect that the laws of Romancia merit, and the preliminary formalities of which you have informed me, but in sum, can I not obtain a dispensation of them, or at least abridge them, for I sense strongly that the violence of my amour will not permit me to sustain that extension without dying?”
“I have already told you, Prince,” he great paladin replied, “that it is unprecedented, since the foundation of the Romancian nation, for any hero to dispense with the formalities and proofs ordered by the laws, but it is true that it is not impossible to obtain from the public council that the time can be abridged. I flatter myself that I can obtain that favor for you, in favor of the great examples of constancy that Princess Anemone and I have just given to Romancia in the rude and long proofs that we have endured. It is, in addition, an opportunity for me to acquit myself toward you for the service you have rendered me, and also to bind ourselves narrowly together. I am only awaiting the consent of the princess, my sister to work efficaciously for that.”
At those words, a lovely blush that covered the fact of the princess made her appear even more beautiful in my eyes. I trembled while awaiting her response.
“My brother,” she said, “it is for you to dispose of me, and since it is necessary to confess it, I would not be sorry if it were in favor of Prince Fan-Férédin.”
Gods! What were my transports! I was no longer in possession of myself. I don’t know what I became. I wept with joy. I moistened Rosebelle’s beautiful hand with my tears; I tried to speak, but I could only stammer; my amour choked me, and I believe that I experienced in a quarter of an hour the value of more than fifteen of the preliminary formalities that I have mentioned—so that counted in my favor when the great paladin asked for the time of formalities and proofs to be abridged for me. He had some difficulty in obtaining it regardless, but he had acquired such great credit in Romancia and a reputation so splendid that he could not be refused anything. He was even granted the favor in its entirety; all that was asked of me was three days to accomplish all the formalities and all the proofs, after which I would be permitted to depart with the great paladin, in order to go to Dondindandia to complete our union.
Here you might imagine that three days would not have been enough for me to do all the things that often furnish material for several volumes, but I can assure you that I still had time to spare, so true is it that our Romancian authors have an admirable talent for inflating and elongating their works. As I was already very advanced with regard to the formalities, I finished all the others on the first day, and on the two following days I underwent all my proofs.
I began by dueling a rival, and I killed him. That was done in an hour. It is true that I received a serious wound, but with a little Romancian balm I was back on my feet in half an hour and in a state to signal myself the same day in a great naval battle that was fought near the port; I don’t really remember why.
I performed prodigies of valor. I leapt on to an enemy ship with a valor worthy of a better fate, but having not been followed I was captured, and was already being taken into captivity while my enemies were making their descent on land when, in my despair, I thought of setting fire to the ship. It was consumed in a moment, and, after throwing myself into the sea, I was fortunate enough to reach the shore and to defend myself against those enemies I found here. I made a horrible carnage, after which I returned to my dear Rosebelle.
Alas, I no longer found her there; as the enemies were retreating they had captured her, along with many other prisoners. What despair! It was almost nightfall, and I embarked immediately in a simple fishing boat with a small number of determined men, and by favor of the darkness I reached the enemy fleet without being recognized.
I had no doubt that my princess must be on the admiral’s flagship, and that vessel as identifiable among the others because of its beacons. I approached it quietly. Immediately acquiring the uniform of an enemy sailor I climbed aboard without encountering any obstacle and, passing myself off as a crewman I informed myself adroitly of what had become of Princess Rosebelle.
I discovered that she was in a cabin where the captain had just left her, prey to mortal dolors. I went in and had myself recognized by her, making her a sign at the same time to follow me on to the deck under the pretext of getting some air momentarily. She followed me, and scarcely was she there than, taking her in my arms, I leapt into the sea with her.
Here you might believe that both of us ought to have perished. Not at all; I took advantage of an admirable stratagem that I had learned in Cleveland. I had ordered my men to extend a large, taut net alongside the vessel, and to draw it in as soon as they heard me fall. I was obeyed exactly; we were scarcely in the water for two minutes. My men pulled Rosebelle and me out, and we got away with vomiting a little salt water we had swallowed. Meanwhile, our fall had been heard aboard the enemy ship, but no one could imagine what it was—not, at least, until we were already far away.
We arrived in the port at daybreak and I flattered myself that we would be welcomed with public acclamations, but what was my astonishment when I saw myself laden with chains and taken to prison! I was accused of intelligence with the enemy, and the foundation of the accusation was the boldness with which I had leapt on to an enemy ship and mingled among them without receiving any wound—and it was added that it was, as the price of that treason that Princess Rosebelle had been returned to me.
If I had had time to abandon myself to regrets and dolors, that would have been a fine opportunity, but I did not have a moment to lose; I hastened to accomplish in summary all the dolorous ceremonial appropriate to such occasions, and scarcely had I arrived in prison than better-informed judges returned me to liberty, even heaping me with eulogies and thanks.
I still had nearly an entire day left and, in consequence, half the work still to do. I nearly had too much. There was a magnificent tourney, to which I was invited. I was sure of carrying off the prize, in accordance with the laws of Romancia, and did not fail to do so. It was a rich bracelet, which the victor had to give, as the rule dictated, to the lady of his thoughts. Now, as the princesses had judged it appropriate that day to attend the tourney in masks, I made the worst blunder one can imagine. I went to present my bracelet to Princess Rigriche, whom I mistook for the adorable object of my prayers.
It is unnecessary to ask whether Princess Rigriche was satisfied with my present. She became immensely arrogant; she stood up, swollen with pride and made all the most agreeable little gestures she could invent immediately, after which, unmasking, as was customary, she enabled me to see a face so ugly that, honestly believing that she was wearing two masks, I waited for her to take off the second, and I was about to ask her to do so when I recognized my mistake, by virtue of a slight sound nearby.
Princess Rosebelle had fallen in a fai
nt. She was carried to her apartment unconscious and devoid of sentiment. A cruel situation! I foresaw all the consequences of that catastrophic adventure. What will my dear Rosebelle think? I said to myself. Alas, I could see only too clearly what she already thought. What would her brother think? What would become of me? All those reflections, which I made in an instant, seized me so sharply that I fell unconscious in my turn, overwhelmed by dolor.
People hastened to help me, and as time was precious, I recovered my senses. I opened my eyes, and what did I see? Princess Rigriche holding me in her arms, calling me “my dear prince,” with the action of a person ardently interested in my conservation, and doubtless regarding me as her lover. I confess that I shivered, and of all my proofs, I believe that was the moment in which I suffered the most. I quit her abruptly in order to run to Princes Rosebelle,
A new adventure: the great paladin Zazaraph came to meet me and claimed that I must reckon with him for the scorn that I had shown his sister.
“Me, scorn for Princess Rosebelle!” I said to him, utterly transported. “Oh, I adore her! The gods are my witnesses…” But it was futile. The affair, he said, had exploded; the insult was too sensible. In a word, he had already drawn his sword, and he was threatening to dishonor me if I did not defend myself.
What could I do? One of the singular resources that are only found in Romancia got me out of difficulty. It was forbidden for princes to settle their quarrels on the solemn day of a tourney. The magistrates sent us an order, under pain of degradation, to postpone our combat until the following day. That was all that I wanted, in the hope that I would have disabused Rosebelle and obtained a pardon for my scorn. In fact, I went to find her and justified myself so well, with all the marks of a passion so tender and so veritable, that I perceived that she was very glad to find me innocent. The reconciliation was soon made. The great paladin entered into it for his part, and I believed that all my ordeals were concluded, when Princess Rigriche came to add a very embarrassing scene to them.
She was a stout little person, as lively as anyone who had ever been seen. I was doubtless the first lover who had ever rendered homage to her attractions, and perhaps she did not hope to find a second. She seized the opportunity, as they say, by the hair. At any rate, with wrath and jealousy painted in her eyes, outraged by the fashion in which I had quit her to run to see Princess Rosebelle, she came to find me herself, as a conquest that belonged to her, or a slave escaped from her chain.
She began with very sharp reproaches, to which I made no response. Her reproaches softened gradually to the extent of calling me fickle boy, and enabled me to hope for a facile pardon; but there was an augmentation of embarrassment on my part, and all that I could do was to mumble between my teeth an inept compliment that she did not hear.
Meanwhile, Rosebelle was smiling maliciously, and Prince Zazaraph was showing less restraint. Rigriche perceived that, and, seeing that I was showing no disposition to repair my fault, her sweet talk was soon succeeded by such atrocious insults that I had no other recourse than to surrender the place to her. She retired in her turn, her heart swollen with chagrin, but as I did not have any remedy for that, we had no difficulty forgetting that comical scene in order to make our preparations to depart together the following day.
I expressed some anxiety in that regard because I had no equipage, but the prince assured me that I ought not to worry about it, because it was the custom in Romancia to furnish the princes who had lived here, gratuitously, with everything necessary to them on such occasions, and that I would have reason to be satisfied.
In fact, when we got up with the dawn the following day, we found equipages all ready, such as only Romancia can furnish.
Conclusion
and a lamentable catastrophe.
Oh, to what strange vicissitudes are human things subject! The great paladin and I were two great princes, famous heroes, mounted on two superb palfreys. Golden bridles and saddles and horse-blankets heightened the magnificence of our train. The harness of our equipage was no less rich. Gold, silver and precious stones glittered everywhere. All our officers were remarkable above all for their good looks, and would even have been admired if the advantage given to us by our noble and gracious air had not attracted all gazes to us.
We were riding to either side of a magnificent caleche, the richness of which effaced everything imaginable of the most beautiful. Four golden columns around which wound an emerald vine, the grapes of which were rubies and sapphires, supported the imperial, and the imperial itself was so beautiful that it put the firmament to shame. In the depths of that fine carriage our two princesses shone, at least as much as two of the most beautiful stars in the sky; the splendor of their beauty, heightened by an expression of satisfaction that animated their beautiful eyes, dazzled the world.
No assemblage of men and women so complete in perfections great and small, had ever been seen. The acclamations of people accompanied us everywhere. We found all roads strewn with flowers, the air perfumed with exquisite odors, and musical choirs at intervals that sang the praises of our exploits and the beauty of our princesses.
Finally, already having covered a considerable distance, I believed that I was on the point of arriving at the terminus when a fatal instant stole a perfect happiness from me; but in order to understand that cruel event fully it is necessary to take the matter forward and warn the readers that I am about to change tone.
In the depths of Languedoc there is a gentleman named Monsieur de la Brosse, who, retired to his land, combines rural amusements with that of reading, which he loves passionately. Although he knows enough to prefer good books to bad ones, he nevertheless reads a few romances, less by virtue of the esteem in which he holds them than because he likes to read all books. That gentleman has a sister who has just married a gentleman of the neighborhood named Monsieur des Mottes, and in order to make a double alliance, Monsieur de la Brosse married Monsieur des Mottes’ sister at the same time.
While that double marriage was being negotiated, and when it was still on the eve of conclusion, Monsieur de la Brosse, having his head filled with a long sequence of romances that he had read recently, dreamed in a long and profound slumber the entire story that you have just read. After being metamorphosed into Prince Fan-Férédin, he made Monsieur des Mottes into the great paladin Zazaraph. He changed his sister to Princess Anemone, his mistress into Princess Rosebelle, and composed the entre sequence of adventures that has just been narrated.
Now that gentleman, previously Prince Fan-Férédin, is me, not to displease you, and judge, in consequence, how astonished I was, on waking up, to find myself Monsieur de la Brosse again!
I remained so struck by the loss that I had suffered, that all day, I could not think about anything else, and when Monsieur des Mottes came to see me in the morning I said to him: “Oh, Prince Zazaraph, now much the two of us have lost! Have you seen Princess Anemone? What do you think of the folly of Rigriche? Oh, the beautiful diamonds! How I regret that bracelet! Shall we soon arrive in Dondindandia?”
It is easy to imagine that such words astonished Monsieur des Mottes strangely, and I saw the moment coming when he was about to believe that my head had turned, when a loud burst of laughter I emitted reassured him. He started to laugh himself as he asked me for an explanation of what I had just said.
“No,” I replied, “it’s a long story that I only want to narrate before a complete audience. We’re all due to dine together today; after dinner I’ll regale you with the story of my adventures, and even yours, which you don’t know.”
I kept my word, and my story, or my dream, gave them all such a great pleasure that since then, in order to conserve a little debris of my former fortune, we often call one another, in jest, Princes Fan-Férédin and Zazaraph, and Princesses Anemone and Rosebelle. Furthermore, I have been asked to put my story in writing. Friend reader, you have just read it. I hope that it has given you pleasure.
PIERRE-FRANÇOIS GODARD DE BEAUCHAMPS: FUNE
STINE
PART ONE
Funestine, Princess of Australia,53 came into the world under the most malign constellation. The fays who presided over her birth were all old or malevolent; they only endowed her with hateful qualities. Earthquakes and phenomena in the sky all seconded their ill humor; an aurora borealis made distinctly legible in luminous letters so large that they were visible in the four continents of the world the terrible words: All monsters are not in Africa.
The king, her father, was so frightened by her ugliness and the consequences it might have that, not wanting to give the queen the chagrin of raising a creature so deformed, he had her exposed to the beasts in his menagerie. The panthers and tigers of our continent are lambs by comparison with Australian animals; if, by misfortune, a single one escaped from its cage it devastated twenty leagues of the country in a quarter of an hour. The king of Sweden has killed fewer Muscovites than the humans one such creature devours in a single meal. At the sight of the prey thrown to them, they recoiled in fear.
The following year, the queen, who was told that her first child had been stillborn, gave birth to a second. She was beautiful, compared to her sister, but she had neither grace nor gentility; she was one of those human creatures who vegetate, and of whom one speaks neither good nor ill, very similar to a quantity of others you find every day at spectacles or the Tuileries.
The genius Clair-obscur was traveling through the air. He was surprised to read the celestial inscription. By virtue of a curiosity fortunate for Funestine, he wanted to see what species the newborn monster was. The young princess, lying on the ground, uttered horrible screams that drew him to the menagerie. He has said since that at the sight of an object so hideous he was tempted to flee. An impulse of compassion stopped him.
Funestine and Other Adventures in Romancia Page 19