The reader may remember， that when I signed those articles upon which I recovered my liberty， there were some which I disliked， upon account of their being too servile； neither could anything but an extreme necessity have forced me to submit. But being now a nardac of the highest rank in that empire， such offices were looked upon as below my dignity， and the emperor （to do him justice）， never once mentioned them to me. However， it was not long before I had an opportunity of doing his majesty， at least as I then thought， a most signal service. I was alarmed at midnight with the cries of many hundred people at my door； by which， beingsuddenly awaked， I was in some kind of terror. I heard the word Burglum repeated incessantly： several of the emperor’s court， making their way through the crowd， entreated me to come immediately to the palace， where her imperial majesty’s apartment was on fire， by the carelessness of a maid of honour， who fell asleep while she was reading a romance. I got up in an instant； and orders being given to clear the way before me， and it being likewise a moonshine night， I made a shift to get to the palace without trampling on any of the people. I found they had already applied ladders to the walls of the apartment， and were well provided with buckets but the water was at some distance. These buckets were about the size of large thimbles， and the poor people supplied me with them as fast as they could： but the flame was so violent that they did little good. I might easily have stifled it with my coat， which I unfortunately left behind me for haste， and came away only in my leathern jerkin. The case seemed wholly desperate and deplorable； and this magnificent palace would have infallibly been burnt down to the ground， if， by a presence of mind unusual to me， I had not suddenly thought of an expedient. I had， the evening before， drunk plentifully of a most delicious wine called glimigrim， （the Blefuscudians call it flunec， but ours is esteemed the better sort，） which is very diuretic. By the luckiest chance in the world. I had not discharged myself of any part of it. The heat I had contracted by coming very near the flames， and by labouring to quench them， made the wine begin to operate by urine； which I voided in such a quantity， and applied so well to the proper places， that in three minutes the fire was wholly extinguished， and the rest of that noble pile， which had cost so many ages in erecting， preserved from destruction.
It was now day-light， and I returned to my house without waiting to congratulate with the emperor： because， although I had done a very eminent piece of service， yet I could not tell how his majesty might resent the manner by which I had performed it： for， by the fundamental laws of the realm， it is capital in any person， of what quality soever， to make water within the precincts of the palace. But I was a little comfortedby a message from his majesty， “that he would give orders to the grand justiciary for passing my pardon in form.” which， however， I could not obtain； and I was privately assured， “that the empress， conceiving the greatest abhorrence of what I had done， removed to the most distant side of the court， firmly resolved that those buildings should never be repaired for her use： and， in the presence of her chief confidents could not forbear vowing revenge.”
7
The Happy Prince
快乐王子
High above the city， on a tall column， stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold， for eyes he had two bright sapphires， and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt.
He was very much admired indeed. “He is as beautiful as a weathercock.” remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic tastes； “only not quite so useful，” he added， fearing lest people should think him unpractical， which he really was not.
“Why can’t you be like the Happy Prince？” asked a sensible mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon. “The Happy Prince never dreams of crying for anything.”
“I am glad there is some one in the world who is quite happy，” muttered a disappointed man as he gazed at the wonderful statue.
“He looks just like an angel，” said the charity children as they came out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks and their clean white pinafores.
“How do you know？” said the Mathematical Master. “You have never seen one.”
“Ah！ but we have in our dreams，” answered the children； and the Mathematical Master frowned and looked very severe， for he did not approve of children dreaming.
One night there flew over the city a little Swallow. His friends had gone away to Egypt six weeks before， but he had stayed behind， for he was in love with the most beautiful Reed. He had met her early in the spring ashe was flying down the river after a big yellow moth， and had been so attracted by her slender waist that he had stopped to talk to her.
“Shall I love you？” said the Swallow， who liked to come to the point at once， and the Reed made him a low bow. So he flew round and round her， touching the water with his wings， and making silver ripples. This was his courtship， and it lasted all through the summer.
“It is a ridiculous attachment，” twittered the other Swallows， “she has no money， and far too many relations”； and indeed the river was quite full of Reeds. Then， when the autumn came， they all flew away.
After they had gone he felt lonely， and began to tire of his lady-love. “She has no conversation，” he said， “and I am afraid that she is a coquette， for she is always flirting with the wind.” And certainly， whenever the wind blew， the Reed made the most graceful curtsies. “I admit that she is domestic，” he continued， “but I love travelling， and my wife， consequently， should love travelling also.”
“Will you come away with me？” he said finally to her； but the Reed shook her head， she was so attached to her home.
“You have been trifling with me.” he cried； “I am off to the Pyramids. Good-bye！” and he flew away.