第43章 節杖

國王對他的妻子說："夫人，你並非名符其實的王后。你太庸俗，太粗野，不配做我的伴侶。" 妻子道："先生，你自以為是個國王，然而事實上你不過是一個可憐的傳聲筒罷了。"這些話觸怒了國王，他手執節杖，用那金質節杖打在王后的前額上。 這時候王室侍從長進宮來了，他說道："啊，啊，國王陛下！這節杖是天下最偉大的藝術家製作的。唉，有朝一日，國王和王后行將被忘記了，但這節杖會被保存下來，作為藝術品一代又一代地傳下去。陛下，如今你讓節杖沾上了王后陛下額上的血，將來它就越發要受到重視和追念了。" The Sceptre Said a king to his wife, "Madame, you are not truly a queen. You are too vulgar and ungracious to be my mate."

Said his wife, "Sir, you deem yourself king, but indeed you are only a poor soundling." Now these words angered the king, and he took his sceptre with his hand, and struck the queen upon her forehead with his golden sceptre. At that moment the lord chamberlain entered, and he said, "Well, well, Majesty! That sceptre was fashioned by the greatest artist of the land. Alas! Some day you and the queen shall be forgotten, but this sceptre shall be kept, a thing of beauty from generation to generation. And now that you have drawn blood from her Majestys head, Sire, the sceptre shall be the more considered and remembered."