第2部分(第5/7 页)

ully　hard　frost。

Early　the　next　morning　the　Mayor　was　walking　in　the　square　below　in

pany　with　the　Town　Councillors。　As　they　passed　the　column　he

looked　up　at　the　statue：　〃Dear　me！　how　shabby　the　Happy　Prince　looks！〃

he　said。

〃How　shabby　indeed！〃　cried　the　Town　Councillors；　who　always　agreed

with　the　Mayor；　and　they　went　up　to　look　at　it。

〃The　ruby　has　fallen　out　of　his　sword；　his　eyes　are　gone；　and　he　is

golden　no　longer；〃　said　the　Mayor　in　fact；　〃he　is　litttle　beter　than　a

beggar！〃

〃Little　better　than　a　beggar；〃　said　the　Town　Councillors。

〃And　here　is　actually　a　dead　bird　at　his　feet！〃　continued　the　Mayor。

〃We　must　really　issue　a　proclamation　that　birds　are　not　to　be　allowed　to

die　here。〃　And　the　Town　Clerk　made　a　note　of　the　suggestion。

So　they　pulled　down　the　statue　of　the　Happy　Prince。　〃As　he　is　no

longer　beautiful　he　is　no　longer　useful；〃　said　the　Art　Professor　at　the

University。

10

The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

Then　they　melted　the　statue　in　a　furnace；　and　the　Mayor　held　a

meeting　of　the　Corporation　to　decide　what　was　to　be　done　with　the　metal。

〃We　must　have　another　statue；　of　course；〃　he　said；　〃and　it　shall　be　a　statue

of　myself。〃

〃Of　myself；〃　said　each　of　the　Town　Councillors；　and　they　quarrelled。

When　I　last　heard　of　them　they　were　quarrelling　still。

〃What　a　strange　thing！〃　said　the　overseer　of　the　workmen　at　the

foundry。　〃This　broken　lead　heart　will　not　melt　in　the　furnace。　We　must

throw　it　away。〃　So　they　threw　it　on　a　dust…heap　where　the　dead　Swallow

was　also　lying。

〃Bring　me　the　two　most　precious　things　in　the　city；〃　said　God　to　one　of

His　Angels；