Щасливий принц та інші казки

           "Comeback!comeback!"screamedtheRocket,"Ihaveagreatdealtosaytoyou;"buttheDuckpaidnoattentiontohim."Iamgladthatshehasgone,"hesaidtohimself,"shehasadecidedlymiddle-classmind;"andhesankalittledeeperstillintothemud,andbegantothinkaboutthelonelinessofgenius,whensuddenlytwolittleboysinwhitesmockscamerunningdownthebank,withakettleandsomefaggots.

           "Thismustbethedeputation,"saidtheRocket,andhetriedtolookverydignified.

           "Hallo!"criedoneoftheboys,"lookatthisoldstick!Iwonderhowitcamehere;"andhepickedtheRocketoutoftheditch.

           "OldStick!"saidtheRocket,"impossible!GoldStick,thatiswhathesaid.GoldStickisverycomplimentary.Infact,hemistakesmeforoneoftheCourtdignitaries!"

           "Letusputitintothefire!"saidtheotherboy,"itwillhelptoboilthekettle."

           Sotheypiledthefaggotstogether,andputtheRocketontop,andlitthefire.

           "Thisismagnificent,"criedtheRocket,"theyaregoingtoletmeoffinbroaddaylight,sothateveryonecanseeme."

           "Wewillgotosleepnow,"theysaid,"andwhenwewakeupthekettlewillbeboiled;"andtheylaydownonthegrass,andshuttheireyes.

           TheRocketwasverydamp,sohetookalongtimetoburn.Atlast,however,thefirecaughthim.

           "NowIamgoingoff!"hecried,andhemadehimselfverystiffandstraight."IknowIshallgomuchhigherthanthestars,muchhigherthanthemoon,muchhigherthanthesun