# ■ 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 一個孤獨的孩子

愛德華王子出生於1894年。他的父親喬治五世國王身材高大，性情冷漠。他不喜歡孩子。“愛德華為什麼總是說個不停？”有一次，他說，“這孩子真鬧人！”

他的母親瑪麗王后也這麼想。“愛德華高興與否並不重要，”她說，“小孩子一定要沉靜而堅強。”

他們一家住在白金漢宮。這座宮殿有600個房間。其中有8個廚房，19間浴室，24個衛生間，11個餐廳，17間臥室和21間起居室。

有一次，愛德華講了一個關於這座房子的故事：

白金漢宮非常大，人們有時會迷路。一天晚上，我和我的父母親坐在餐廳裡等著吃晚飯。我們等呀等呀，但飯菜遲遲沒有送上來。等了20分鐘，我父親火了。他起身去廚房。“廚師呢？”他喊道，“我的晚餐在哪兒？”

“可是，陛下，”廚師說，“您的晚餐15分鐘之前就送走了。難道還沒有送到嗎？”

“沒有，”我父親高聲叫道，“我餓壞了。”

國王離開廚房，開始去找晚餐。10分鐘後，他看見一個女傭正端著3盤子肉和土豆。“你是怎麼回事？”我父親問，“你為什麼不把晚餐給我們端來？”

“對不起，陛下，”女傭回答道，“這兒有很多餐廳。我記不起應該進哪一間。但要是您能回到餐桌旁去，陛下，這次我會跟著您找到該去的餐廳。”

愛德華沒有和其他孩子一起去學校上學。他待在白金漢宮，那兒有他的專用教室。

愛德華這樣形容他的課程：

我的老師漢塞爾先生人很瘦。他從來不笑，鼻子紅紅的。我們有很多書，但都枯燥乏味。書裡全是字，一幅畫兒也沒有。

有時讀著讀著我會停下來，往窗外看。漢塞爾先生非常生氣。他拿起一根小棒兒打我的胳膊。“別往窗外看，小男孩，”他叫道。“看書。”他一下又一下地打我，打得我胳膊都紅了。

每到星期五，老師都把我帶到父親的房間裡。

“漢塞爾先生，這個星期我的兒子學了些什麼？”國王問。

回答總是這樣的：“恐怕沒學多少，陛下。愛德華不喜歡上課。我講什麼他從來不聽。”

漢塞爾退出房間後，我父親便對我發火。“孩子，你怎麼了？”他說，“你是不是腦子笨？你為什麼學不會任何東西？”

“可是那些課程太沒意思了，陛下，”我回答，“漢塞爾先生還打我。”

“我弄不懂你，愛德華。你真是長不大。你是個軟骨頭。你永遠當不了一個出色的國王。國王必須堅強。回你的房間去，明天早晨以前不許出來。”

“許多個日子我都是獨自一人在自己房間裡度過的，”愛德華後來寫道，“我從未和其他孩子一起玩過，我也沒有朋友。我住在英國最漂亮的房子裡，卻總是感到寂寞、悲傷。我每天只是在吃飯的時候才見我母親一面，父親每星期見三、四面，但他們從不給我愛。我害怕他們，在他們看來，我做的每件事都不對。”