1 A Lonely Child

　　Prince Edward was born in 1894．His father，King George V， was a tall， cold man who did not like chil－dren．'Why does Edward talk all the time？'he once said．'He's a very noisy child！'

　　His mother，Queen Mary， agreed．'It doesn't matter if Edward is happy or unhappy，' she said．'A child must be silent and strong．'

　　The family lived in Buckingham Palace，which had 600 rooms．There were 8 kitchens，19 bathrooms，24 toilets， 11 dining rooms， 17 bedrooms and 21 sitting rooms．

　　Edward once told a story about the house ：Buckingham Palace was very big， and people sometimes got lost．One night my mother，my father and I were sitting in the dining room．We were waiting for our dinner．We wait－ed and waited， but the food did not come．After twenty minutes my father was very angry． He stood up and went to the kitchen．'Where is the cook？'he shouted，and where is my food？'

　　'But， Sir，' the cook replied，'your dinner left the kitchen fifteen minutes ago．Hasn't it arrived yet？'

　　'No，it hasn't，'my father shouted， 'and I'm hungry．'

　　The King left the kitchen and began to look for the food．Ten minutes later he saw a woman who was carrying three plates of meat and potatoes．'What happened to you？'my father said．'Why didn't you bring us our dinner？'

　　'I' m sorry， Sir， 'the woman replied． 'There are a lot of dining rooms． I couldn't remember where to go．But if you return to the table， Sir， this time I can follow you to the right room．'

　　Edward did not go to school with other children． He stayed in Buckingham Palace where he had a special classroom just for him．

　　This is how Edward described his lessons：

　　My teacher， Mr Hansell， was a thin man． He never smiled and his nose was very red．We had lots of books but they were all very boring． They were full of words and they didn't have any pictures．

　　Sometimes I stopped reading and looked out dow．Mr Hansell got very angry．He took a stick and hit me on the arm．'Don't look out of the window，little boy，' he shouted．'Look at the book．'He hit me many times and my arm was red．

　　Every Friday the teacher took me to my father's room．

　　'And what has my son learnt this week，Mr Hansell？'the King asked．

　　And the answer was always：'Not very much I'm afraid，Sir．Edward doesn't like his lessons． He never lis－tens to what I say．'

　　When Mr Hansell left the room，my father was angry with me．'What's wrong with you， child？'he said．'Are you stupid？ Why can't you learn anything？'

　　'But the lessons are so boring， Sir，'I replied．'And Mr Hansell hits me．'

　　'I don't understand you，Edward．You're a baby．You're so weak．You'll never be a good King． A King must be strong．Go to your room and stay there until the morning．'

　　'I spent many days alone in my room，'Edward wrote later．'I never played with other children and I didn't have any friends． I lived in the most beautiful house in England but I was always lonely and sad． I saw my mother once a day at din－ner time and I saw my father three or four times a week，but they never gave me any love．I was afraid of them and every－thing I did was wrong．'

　　1 一个孤独的孩子

　　爱德华王子出生于1894年。他的父亲乔治五世国王身材高大，性情冷漠。他不喜欢孩子。“爱德华为什么总是说个不停？”有一次，他说，“这孩子真闹人！”

　　他的母亲玛丽王后也这么想。“爱德华高兴与否并不重要，”她说，“小孩子一定要沉静而坚强。”

　　他们一家住在白金汉宫。这座宫殿有600个房间。其中有8个厨房，19间浴室，24个卫生间，11个餐厅，17间卧室和21间起居室。

　　有一次，爱德华讲了一个关于这座房子的故事：

　　白金汉宫非常大，人们有时会迷路。一天晚上，我和我的父母亲坐在餐厅里等着吃晚饭。我们等呀等呀，但饭菜迟迟没有送上来。等了20分钟，我父亲火了。他起身去厨房。“厨师呢？”他喊道，“我的晚餐在哪儿？”

　　“可是，陛下，”厨师说，“您的晚餐15分钟之前就送走了。难道还没有送到吗？”

　　“没有，”我父亲高声叫道，“我饿坏了。”

　　国王离开厨房，开始去找晚餐。10分钟后，他看见一个女佣正端着3盘子肉和土豆。“你是怎么回事？”我父亲问，“你为什么不把晚餐给我们端来？”

　　“对不起，陛下，”女佣回答道，“这儿有很多餐厅。我记不起应该进哪一间。但要是您能回到餐桌旁去，陛下，这次我会跟着您找到该去的餐厅。”

　　爱德华没有和其他孩子一起去学校上学。他待在白金汉宫，那儿有他的专用教室。

　　爱德华这样形容他的课程：

　　我的老师汉塞尔先生人很瘦。他从来不笑，鼻子红红的。我们有很多书，但都枯燥乏味。书里全是字，一幅画儿也没有。

　　有时读着读着我会停下来，往窗外看。汉塞尔先生非常生气。他拿起一根小棒儿打我的胳膊。“别往窗外看，小男孩，”他叫道。“看书。”他一下又一下地打我，打得我胳膊都红了。

　　每到星期五，老师都把我带到父亲的房间里。

　　“汉塞尔先生，这个星期我的儿子学了些什么？”国王问。

　　回答总是这样的：“恐怕没学多少，陛下。爱德华不喜欢上课。我讲什么他从来不听。”

　　汉塞尔退出房间后，我父亲便对我发火。“孩子，你怎么了？”他说，“你是不是脑子笨？你为什么学不会任何东西？”

　　“可是那些课程太没意思了，陛下，”我回答，“汉塞尔先生还打我。”

　　“我弄不懂你，爱德华。你真是长不大。你是个软骨头。你永远当不了一个出色的国王。国王必须坚强。回你的房间去，明天早晨以前不许出来。”