第9部分(第3/4 頁)

！〃　said　the　Rocket；　〃impossible！　GOLD　Stick；　that　is

The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

what　he　said。　Gold　Stick　is　very　plimentary。　In　fact；　he　mistakes

me　for　one　of　the　Court　dignitaries！〃

〃Let　us　put　it　into　the　fire！〃　said　the　other　boy；　〃it　will　help　to　boil　the

kettle。〃

So　they　piled　the　faggots　together；　and　put　the　Rocket　on　top；　and　lit

the　fire。

〃This　is　magnificent；〃　cried　the　Rocket；　〃they　are　going　to　let　me　off　in

broad　day…light；　so　that　every　one　can　see　me。〃

〃We　will　go　to　sleep　now；〃　they　said；　〃and　when　we　wake　up　the　kettle

will　be　boiled〃；　and　they　lay　down　on　the　grass；　and　shut　their　eyes。

The　Rocket　was　very　damp；　so　he　took　a　long　time　to　burn。　At　last；

however；　the　fire　caught　him。

〃Now　I　am　going　off！〃　he　cried；　and　he　made　himself　very　stiff　and

straight。　〃I　know　I　shall　go　much　higher　than　the　stars；　much　higher　than

the　moon；　much　higher　than　the　sun。　In　fact；　I　shall　go　so　high　that　…　〃

Fizz！　Fizz！　Fizz！　and　he　went　straight　up　into　the　air。

〃Delightful！〃　he　cried；　〃I　shall　go　on　like　this　for　ever。　What　a

success　I　am！〃

But　nobody　saw　him。

Then　he　began　to　feel　a　curious　tingling　sensation　all　over　him。

〃Now　I　am　going　to　explode；〃　he　cried。　〃I　shall　set　the　whole　world

on　fire；　and　make　such　a　noise　that　nobody　will　talk　about　anything　else

for　a　whole　year。〃　And　he　certainly　did