United States or Cook Islands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
But on a sudden Prituitshkin jumped into the water, and Dogada exclaimed: "Ah! see, the servant Prituitshkin is drowned!" Then said Goria: "The devil take him! I want him no longer." Prince Dardavan, the real affianced husband of Dogada, was sent out to battle, and there lost his life.
At midnight, Dogada sent one of her attendants into the bedroom of the shoemaker, desiring her to steal away the stone from the table. But hardly had the girl entered the apartment, and was about to run off with the stone, than the servant Prituitshkin, who was lying by the door, jumped up and exclaimed: "Is it not a shame for you, pretty girl, to rob your future lord and master!
"No, dear father," replied Dogada, "this is not the Prince, but our shoemaker Krutshinin." "Why, have you lost your wits, child?" said Mistafor; "we have got rid of Goria Krutshinin long ago." "Well, mark you," replied Dogada, "I will prove that this man is not the Prince.
So the shoemaker told him all that had happened. Mistafor, enraged against his daughter, exclaimed: "Look ye, did you not say that this was not Prince Dardavan, but the shoemaker Goria Krutshinin? I have no longer patience prepare instantly for your wedding." And Goria the shoemaker married the Princess Dogada that very day.
Mistafor went to his daughter Dogada, and bade her come and welcome her betrothed husband, Prince Dardavan; but Dogada was discreet and cunning, and replied; "My gracious lord and father, this is indeed not Prince Dardavan, but our shoemaker Goria Krutshinin."
No sooner said than done: Prituitshkin slipped off her jacket, slipper, and head-dress, and dismissed Dogada in shame and remorse.
Then he invited Goria the shoemaker to sit down at table; and, when they were all seated, and white and brown bread was brought, Goria first took of the brown bread, and Mistafor and Dogada remarked this. Then said Mistafor: "My dear and honoured son-in-law, Prince Dardavan, how is it that you cut so much brown bread and no white?"
No one, I promise, will recognise you: every one will mistake you for Prince Dardavan, to whom Mistafor's daughter Dogada is betrothed." "Good, very good," said Goria, "if what you say prove true." "It shall all come to pass as I have said," replied the other. And thereupon the stranger desired Goria to go three steps backward and shut his eyes, and then open them again.
When the girl entered the bedchamber, up jumped Prituitshkin again as before, pulled off her slipper, head-dress and jacket, and let her go. But after another hour had passed, Dogada, again thinking they must have fallen asleep, resolved to go herself and fetch the stone.
Meanwhile Prince Dardavan, after his betrothal with Dogada, was travelling on business to another city; and the trusty servant Prituitshkin thought this a favourable opportunity to marry Goria the shoemaker to Dogada. So he went to his master, the shoemaker, and said: "Now is the time to settle this affair; we must contrive that Mistafor takes you for Dardavan."
Word Of The Day