Page:Plays by Jacinto Benavente - Third series (IA playstranslatedf03benauoft).pdf/71

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SC. II
EVERYTHING OUT OF BOOKS
37

Tony. Take advantage of your opportunities, whatever they may be, say I; that's my science.

Tutor. Here come your parents.

Prince. Happiness at last!

The King and the Queen enter.

Chuchurumbo. Ah! My excellent friend!

Queen. My son!

King. Chuchurumbo, fly to these arms!

Chuchurumbo. You seem remarkably well preserved.

Prince. How did you happen to follow me?

King. We heard that you were wandering about the world doing fearful and foolhardy things, so at the word, accoutred as we were, we set out upon our journey. [To the Tutor] Is this the care that you take of your Prince?

Tutor. Sire, by nature the Prince is impetuous. It is impossible to govern him.

Prince. Pay no attention to what he says. As you see, no harm has come to me.

Queen. You took the fairy-tales literally, and you thought that you saw good fairies and ogres and princesses everywhere, like those in the stories. And you were on the point of losing your life! You might even have married an insufferable woman.

Third Daughter. What is that, your Majesty? What is that you say about being insufferable? The one who is insufferable, the one who has had no bringing up, the jackanapes, is your son. Little monkey! [She sticks out her tongue.

Queen. What sort of Princess is this?

King. Are you undeceived now? Have you learned that life is not a fairy-tale?

Prince. No, on the contrary, I have found all my dreams realized, because I have believed in them. I have found good people, like the good fairies; I have found fierce and