Читать книгу Tales and Novels for Youth of Both Sexes - Anonymous - Страница 3

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Two pretty children, Louisa, five years of age, and Henry her brother, scarcely turned of four, lived in a large castle built by their ancestors. They gained the affections of every one, and were the hope and consolation of the tenderest of mothers. Brought up together under the tutelary aegis of a kind and provident wisdom, they never quitted each other. They shared equally the pleasures, and the little griefs, so keenly felt at that tender age.

Louisa could not remain alone an instant without her brother; Henry was never so happy as when with his sister. They were like two lilies of the spring, growing side by side, mingling their budding leaves, and rising majestically under the pure heaven, which protects them. The attachment those children felt for each other, influenced their thoughts as well as their actions. The wishes of one always became those of the other, and, though nature might produce in them some slight difference of taste, feelings, and disposition, they gave constant proofs of affection for each other in their words and actions. Amusements, walks, hours of repast, of study and prayer, were all enjoyed together; sometimes you might see the great doll of Louisa leaning on the arm of Henry's old grenadier; the fiery war-horse, composed of black paste-board, belonging to the latter, lying near the beautiful bay horse of his sister; upon different seats were huddled together an embroidered cap, ornamented with flowers, and a little dragoon's cap; a kerchief of Louisa's with the gorget of an officer of the guards; a work-box, with a cartridge-pouch; a fan and a reticule, with a hussar's sabre, and the beard of a sapper. Nothing was more droll, and, at the same time, more interesting than this odd mixture of the attributes of the two sexes; for every thing announced that the most perfect harmony reigned between Henry and Louisa.

They had a present made them of two young white doves, whose brilliant plumage was set off with a little black collar, elegantly designed by nature. This charming symbol of brotherly love delighted and interested the two children. They were never weary of seeing their tame and playful doves, perch on their heads, arms and shoulders, and take from their hands the nutritive millet-seed; sometimes they even dared to peck it from their innocent lips, then flutter their wings as if to ask a kiss. «Oh! what beautiful birds!» cried Louisa; «I have never seen any thing from which I have derived so much pleasure.» «They are like ourselves,» said Henry, «inseparable; they think of nothing but loving each other.» «Let us imitate them, my brother, and promise never to leave each other;» «no, sister, never!» and behold our two children embracing, whilst the doves, fluttering around them, appeared to share their joy. Some time passed away, the doves, quite happy, and well tended in the cage they occupied, became more beautiful every day; nothing could equal the whiteness of their plumage, the gracefulness and vivacity of their motions. Often tasting the sweets of liberty, from the indulgence of Louisa and Henry, who almost every moment opened the door of their cage, they availed themselves of it only in order to caress and thank them for all the happiness they owed them; but too much precaution is often injurious. They vied with each other in opening the bars which enclosed their beloved birds; sometimes they disputed with each other the right of changing the grain that nourished them, and the pure water that quenched their thirst; sometimes their caresses were anxtiously courted; they felt inexpressible delight at seeing them on their shoulders, and feeding them from their hands. Louisa would have it that they preferred her brother to her, Henry maintained that they had more love for his sister. At length, that spur to envy, the fatal desire of possession, which, alas! too often misleads every age, inspired the children with the idea of having each his own dove.

They acquainted their worthy mother with their project, who, without blaming or approving it, gave orders for fitting up a second cage in Louisa's apartment. The next day she agreed with her brother, that when they let out the two doves, as usual, that which first rested on her head or arm should belong to her, and that Henry should possess the other.

The proposal was accepted; they opened the cage, and each of the children soon takes possession of a dove, and fervently presses it to his bosom. The poor little creatures were almost suffocated, and their mutual looks, at the fatal moment of separation, appeared to express their sufferings, and predict all the evils they were about to endure. At length the doves, shut up in separate cages, became melancholy and silent.

Their handsome, white plumage turned yellow; no more fluttering of the wings, no more sweet cooings; in vain did they see themselves surrounded with yellow millet-seed, with odoriferous hemp-seed, the freshest of plants, and the clearest water, nothing could support them under so cruel a separation. Each of them, sorrowfully perched upon the highest stick of the cage, whether to see if her dear companion was not coming to rejoin her; and, weary of waiting in vain, they concealed their heads beneath their wings, as if to shun the light, until death should terminate their sufferings.

Henry and Louisa became alarmed. They informed their tender mother of their fears, who, under pretence of obliging them to yield the assistance which their unfortunate victims required, ordered them to remain in separate apartments.

The first day appeared rather long; but the amiable person who had the care of them, and the charm of possession, concurred to divert them. The second day was more tiresome; the third became insupportable. «Oh! how dull it is to play alone,» said Henry! «I would give all my playthings to see my sister a single moment.» «I wish it were possible to go to my brother,» said Louisa; «without him there is neither pleasure nor amusement; without him every thing fatigues, every thing wearies me: I shall never be able to bear it.» At length, being no longer able to support the privation of each other's society they supplicated their mother to unite them again; because it was impossible for one to exist without the other. «Well,» said she to them, sternly, «it is the same with your young doves, hatched in the same nest, brought up under the same foliage, accustomed to live and breathe the same air together, they suffer, as you do, the torments of a cruel separation, and are near dying with grief.» At these words, Louisa and Henry sprang towards both cages, the doors of which they immediately opened; instantly they saw the two prisoners reunited, revived by each others caresses, fluttering around their dear liberators, and testifying their joy and gratitude by tender cooings. They soon reassumed their graceful movements, and the rich colour of their plumage: the second cage was set aside, Louisa and Henry agreed to possess the two doves in common, and to separate them no more. «O my children,» said their excellent mother, pressing them to her bosom, «you have just had a proof that the ties of infancy are the most gratifying to the heart, the first charm of our existence: may you long bear with each other! never forget that on a throne, as well as in a cottage; in the midst of a brilliant court, as in the humblest solitude, nothing is more sweet to utter, or more delicious to hear, than the loved names of brother and sister.»