The search began almost immediately. Led by the Grand Duke and the Captain of the Guard, a group set off from the palace. Per Kit’s orders, they were to visit every maiden in the kingdom, whether she was rich or poor. Kit had placed the glass slipper in the Grand Duke’s keeping to be used as a test. If the shoe fit, they had found their mystery princess.
And so it began. They knocked on the doors of large homes where the ladies greeted them with tea in fine china. They knocked on the doors in the humbler part of the village and stood shivering by empty hearths. When every maiden in the town had been seen, the search moved to the countryside. In small inns, women lined up to try their luck or hailed the group as they passed open fields.
Days passed and the search dragged on. But whether the ladies were from the town or the country, their excited reaction was always the same, and so was the outcome. The glass slipper never fit. On some, it was too small. On others, too large. It was too narrow, or too wide. No matter what the complaint, there was no doubt that they had yet to find the mystery princess.
“Enough folly,” the Grand Duke said as he and the Captain rode. It had been weeks and still nothing. “Not a foot will suit this accursed shoe,” the Grand Duke went on. “Time to head back to the palace, Captain.”
The Captain sighed and turned his horse to go, but catching sight of a house down the road, he paused. “We’re not done yet, Your Grace,” he said, pointing.
Barely glancing in the direction of the Captain’s finger, the Grand Duke waved at the house dismissively. “We have been there already,” he said, agitated.
“We have not, Your Grace,” the Captain said. The Captain was no fool. He had seen the way the Duke barely went through the motions, scoffing at the poorer girls and getting out of houses as quickly as possible. But this was Kit’s future. There was no way the Captain was going to let him down.
The Grand Duke sneered at the Captain but reluctantly nodded. “Very well,” he said. “We can tell His Highness that we have searched every house in the kingdom.” Kicking his horse into a canter, they approached the house.
Unbeknownst to either man, the house was in fact not just a house. It was Ella’s house. And hearing the sound of hoofbeats, Anastasia and Drisella went wild with anticipation.
“Mother!” Anastasia cried from the parlor. “It’s our chance!”
“Let them in!” Drisella shouted.
Unlike her daughters, Lady Tremaine was calm. She knew what would happen. Neither girl was the mystery princess. She was locked up in the attic. Yet her daughters acted as though they actually stood a chance. Not for the first time, she had to wonder how they had become such fools.
Sighing, Lady Tremaine walked to the door and opened it. She was surprised to see the Grand Duke at the head of the search party. There was a brief look of surprise on his face, as well. But then he composed himself and bowed deeply. She curtsied in return. Both pretended they’d never met before.
“A moment of your time, good lady,” the Grand Duke said.
“Of course, Your Grace,” Lady Tremaine replied.
The Grand Duke took out a well-worn scroll and read, for the thousandth time, the proclamation and the command of the king: to try the glass slipper on every maiden in the kingdom until they found the foot it fit. Nodding, Lady Tremaine called to Anastasia and Drisella.
“These are your daughters?” the Grand Duke asked, glancing at the two girls who fidgeted at their mother’s side. Lady Tremaine nodded. “And they are the only maidens in the house?”
“Yes,” Lady Tremaine said, pushing Drisella forward.
Taking the glass slipper off the cushion upon which it had been resting, the Captain of the Guard kneeled in front of Drisella. She lifted the hem of her skirt and began to squeeze her foot into the slipper—until her foot got stuck. The shoe was far too narrow. “How strange,” Drisella said through clenched teeth as she continued to shove her foot inside the slipper. “It fit so well at the ball.” Then, with a yelp, she lost her balance and fell over.
“Enough!” the Grand Duke cried. He motioned to Anastasia.
Just as her sister had done, Anastasia lifted her foot. The Captain slid the slipper on. But where Drisella’s foot had been too wide, Anastasia’s foot was just wide enough. For a brief moment, it looked like it might be a fit. And then everyone saw it: Anastasia’s heel stuck out over the back of the slipper. Her foot was far too big.
The Grand Duke clapped his heels together. “Very well,” he said. “Since there is no other maiden, our task is done.” Then, for it was what he was supposed to say, he added, “The king will be disappointed.”
“Ah, well, it is the way of the world,” Lady Tremaine said, shrugging. She and the Grand Duke shared a barely perceptible nod. “But fate may yet be kind to us.”
“Indeed, madam,” the Duke replied. “You are as wise as you are beautiful.”
With another bow, the Duke and the Captain turned and began to walk to their waiting horses. But as they did so, the Captain heard something. Pausing, he cocked his head and listened. There it was again: the very faint sound of someone singing—a girl singing. Whipping back around, he leveled his gaze at Lady Tremaine. “Madam,” he said, his tone warning. “Are you sure there is no other maiden in your house?”
Up in the attic, Ella was unaware that the Grand Duke and the Captain of the Guard were in the house. She didn’t know that the other glass slipper was being tried on her stepsisters’ feet or that Lady Tremaine and the Grand Duke had a plan in action.
She sat on her bed and sighed. She wouldn’t allow herself to cry. Instead, she would focus on the good, just as her mother had taught her to do. She would hold on to her memories of Kit and remember the happier times from her childhood. She would think of her mother and father and the love they had given her, and that would keep her warm when winter came. Those thoughts would nourish her when she was hungry. While things had not gone her way, she knew she had kept her promises, and that was enough. It was freeing to let go of the pain and sorrow.
She began to move through the attic, her fingers brushing against the remnants of the toy butterfly, which was now gently laid on her bed. She leaned down and waved hello to Jacqueline and Gus, who twitched their whiskers happily. As she walked, she began to sing her mother’s lullaby. “Lavender’s green, dilly dilly,” she sang, her voice soft and sweet. She approached the door and leaned against it, her voice growing stronger. “Lavender’s blue… You must love me, for I love you.”
搜尋幾乎是立即就開始了。公爵和侍衛(wèi)長親自率領(lǐng)一隊(duì)人馬從王宮出發(fā)。按照基特的命令,他們要查訪王國的每一位少女,不管她富有還是貧窮?;匕涯侵凰唤o了公爵以便讓別人試穿。如果鞋子合適,那他們就找到那位神秘的公主了。
查訪就這樣開始了。他們敲開深宅大院的門,貴婦給他們用精美的瓷器端上香茶;他們敲開荒野鄉(xiāng)村的門,站在空蕩蕩的壁爐邊瑟瑟發(fā)抖。查訪過市鎮(zhèn)上的所有少女,他們又開始搜尋鄉(xiāng)村的。在小酒館里,女人們排著隊(duì)要試試運(yùn)氣;在田野里,女人們向他們歡呼。
日子一天天過去,搜尋仍在繼續(xù)。不管是市鎮(zhèn)還是鄉(xiāng)下的少女,她們一開始都是激動萬分,但是結(jié)果都一樣。誰穿這只水晶鞋都不合適:要么太小了,要么太大了;要么太瘦了,要么太肥了。不管他們怎么抱怨,他們無疑還是要繼續(xù)尋找那位神秘的公主。
“太愚蠢了,”公爵騎著馬對侍衛(wèi)長說。他們已經(jīng)搜尋了好幾個星期但是一無所獲?!皼]有一個人能穿上這只該死的鞋子,”公爵繼續(xù)說道,“該回王宮了,侍衛(wèi)長?!?
侍衛(wèi)長嘆了口氣,掉轉(zhuǎn)馬頭準(zhǔn)備要走。不過看到路的那頭有一座房子時(shí),他停了下來。“我們還沒有查完呢,大人。”說著,他指向那座房子。
公爵勉強(qiáng)看了一下侍衛(wèi)長指的方向,然后不以為然地沖房子的方向擺擺手?!拔覀?nèi)ミ^那兒了,”他有點(diǎn)不耐煩地說道。
“我們沒去過,大人,”侍衛(wèi)長說。侍衛(wèi)長可不好糊弄。他看公爵不過是敷衍了事:對貧窮人家的女兒冷嘲熱諷,恨不得立刻逃離搜查的房子。但這關(guān)系到基特的將來。無論如何侍衛(wèi)長也不能讓基特失望。
公爵對侍衛(wèi)長冷笑一聲,但不得不點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭?!昂芎?,”他說,“這樣我們就可以告訴陛下我們已經(jīng)搜查了王國的每一所房子了。”說完他踢馬向前,快速朝房子走去。
兩個人都沒想到的是,這所房子不是別處,正是瑞拉的家。安泰西亞和崔西里亞聽到馬蹄聲,不禁欣喜若狂。
“母親!”安泰西亞在客廳里叫道,“我們的機(jī)會來了!”
“快讓他們進(jìn)來!”崔西里亞喊道。
和女兒們不同,特曼妮夫人非常平靜。她知道會發(fā)生什么事情。神秘的公主不是她女兒中的任何一個,她被鎖在閣樓里,但女兒們表現(xiàn)得好像她們會有機(jī)會似的。特曼妮夫人忍不住想女兒們怎么變成了這樣兩個白癡,這已經(jīng)不是她第一次這么想了。
特曼妮夫人嘆息著上前開門。見到公爵帶著人馬來搜查,她很吃驚。公爵的臉上也掠過一絲驚訝。但他很快鎮(zhèn)定下來,深深鞠了一躬。特曼妮夫人也屈膝還禮。兩人都裝作從來沒見過面。
“打擾您片刻,夫人。”公爵說道。
“當(dāng)然,大人?!碧芈莘蛉舜鸬?。
公爵拿出破舊的卷軸,開始第一千次宣讀國王的命令:讓全國的每一個少女都試穿這只水晶鞋,直到找到能穿上它的人。特曼妮夫人點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭,把安泰西亞和崔西里亞叫了過來。
“這兩位是您的女兒?”公爵看著特曼妮夫人身邊兩個坐立不安的女孩問道。特曼妮夫人點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭?!凹依餂]有別的少女了嗎?”
“是的,”特曼妮夫人說著把崔西里亞推到前面。
侍衛(wèi)長從墊子上取下水晶鞋,在崔西里亞面前跪下來。她提起裙邊開始使勁把腳往鞋里伸——直到卡到動彈不得。鞋子太瘦了?!昂闷婀郑贝尬骼飦喴贿呉а狼旋X地說著,一邊繼續(xù)使勁往鞋里塞著腳?!拔钑厦髅鞔┑煤煤玫?。”說著她尖叫一聲,跌倒在了地上。
“好了!”公爵喝道。他指了指安泰西亞。
像她妹妹那樣,安泰西亞也抬起腳。侍衛(wèi)長把鞋子給她穿上。剛才崔西里亞的腳太肥了,安泰西亞的腳肥瘦剛剛好。一下子看起來,好像是正合適。但接著人們都看到安泰西亞的腳后跟還在鞋跟外面露著呢——她的腳太大了。
公爵并起雙腿?!昂芎?,”他說,“既然沒有其他少女,我們的任務(wù)就完成了。”然后,他又說道:“國王陛下會很失望的。”這種情況下,他只能這么說了。
“啊,好吧,這個世界就是這樣。”特曼妮夫人聳聳肩說。她和公爵用他人難以察覺的方式互相點(diǎn)了點(diǎn)頭。“但是命運(yùn)可能會再次眷顧我們?!?
“一點(diǎn)兒沒錯,夫人,”公爵回答,“你可真是既美麗又聰明?!?
公爵又鞠了一躬,便和侍衛(wèi)長朝等在門外的馬匹走去。但這時(shí),侍衛(wèi)長聽到了什么聲音。他停下來,抬起腦袋聽著。他又聽到了:那非常微弱的聲音是有人在唱歌——一個女孩唱歌的聲音。他立即轉(zhuǎn)身盯著特曼妮夫人,用警告的口吻說:“夫人,你確定家里沒有其他少女了嗎?”
此刻,閣樓上的瑞拉不知道公爵和侍衛(wèi)長就在她家里。她不知道她的姐姐們正在試穿另外一只水晶鞋,她也不知道特曼妮夫人和公爵正在按他們的計(jì)劃行事。
她坐在床上嘆息著。她不允許自己哭。她只會去想好的方面,就像母親曾經(jīng)教她的那樣。她回味著和基特有關(guān)的事情,還有自己小時(shí)候的快樂時(shí)光。她想起了父親和母親,想起了他們給她的愛,所有這些都讓她在寒冷的冬天擁有一顆溫暖的心。饑腸轆轆的時(shí)候,所有這些都能滋養(yǎng)著她。盡管事情沒有如她所愿,她知道她信守了自己的諾言,這就夠了。忘記痛苦和悲傷會讓人更加釋然。
她開始在閣樓里走來走去,她用手指撫摸著殘缺的玩具蝴蝶,這會兒蝴蝶正輕放在她的床上。她彎下腰向杰奎琳和葛斯招手問候,他們高興地抽動著胡須。她一邊走動一邊唱起了母親的搖籃曲?!稗挂虏莅。至ㄠ至??!彼脺厝崽鹈赖穆曇舫K叩介T后倚在門上,聲音大了一些。“藍(lán)花綠葉……你要愛我,因我愛你。”
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