Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Preface by the General Editors
- List of Abbreviations
- Chronology of Robert Louis Stevenson
- Introduction
- PRINCE OTTO
- Dedication
- Book I Prince Errant
- Chapter 1 IN WHICH THE PRINCE DEPARTS ON AN ADVENTURE
- Chapter 2 IN WHICH THE PRINCE PLAYS HAROUN-AL-RASCHID
- Chapter 3 IN WHICH THE PRINCE COMFORTS AGE AND BEAUTY AND DELIVERS A LECTURE ON DISCRETION IN LOVE
- Chapter 4 IN WHICH THE PRINCE COLLECTS OPINIONS BY THE WAY
- Book II Of Love and Politics
- Book III Fortunate Misfortune
- Bibliographical Postscript
- Appendices
- Note on the Text
- Emendation List
- End-of-Line Hyphens
- Explanatory Notes
Chapter 3 - IN WHICH THE PRINCE COMFORTS AGE AND BEAUTY AND DELIVERS A LECTURE ON DISCRETION IN LOVE
from Book I - Prince Errant
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 October 2014
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Preface by the General Editors
- List of Abbreviations
- Chronology of Robert Louis Stevenson
- Introduction
- PRINCE OTTO
- Dedication
- Book I Prince Errant
- Chapter 1 IN WHICH THE PRINCE DEPARTS ON AN ADVENTURE
- Chapter 2 IN WHICH THE PRINCE PLAYS HAROUN-AL-RASCHID
- Chapter 3 IN WHICH THE PRINCE COMFORTS AGE AND BEAUTY AND DELIVERS A LECTURE ON DISCRETION IN LOVE
- Chapter 4 IN WHICH THE PRINCE COLLECTS OPINIONS BY THE WAY
- Book II Of Love and Politics
- Book III Fortunate Misfortune
- Bibliographical Postscript
- Appendices
- Note on the Text
- Emendation List
- End-of-Line Hyphens
- Explanatory Notes
Summary
The Prince was early abroad: in the time of the first chorus of birds, of the pure and quiet air, of the slanting sunlight and the mile-long shadows. To one who had passed a miserable night, the freshness of that hour was tonic and reviving; to steal a march upon his slumbering fellows, to be the Adam of the coming day, composed and fortified his spirits; and the Prince, breathing deep and pausing as he went, walked in the wet fields beside his shadow, and was glad.
A trellised path led down into the valley of the brook, and he turned to follow it. The stream was a break-neck, boiling Highland river. Hard by the farm, it leaped a little precipice in a thick grey-mare's tail of twisted filaments, and then lay and worked and bubbled in a lynn. Into the middle of this quaking pool a rock protruded, shelving to a cape; and thither Otto scrambled and sat down to ponder.
Soon the sun struck through the screen of branches and thin early leaves that made a hanging bower above the fall; and the golden lights and flitting shadows fell upon and marbled the surface of that seething pot; and rays plunged deep among the turning waters; and a spark, as bright as a diamond, lit upon the swaying eddy. It began to grow warm where Otto lingered, warm and heady; the lights swam, weaving their maze across the shaken pool; on the impending rock, reflections danced like butterflies; and the air was fanned by the waterfall as by a swinging curtain.
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- Information
- Prince Otto, by Robert Louis Stevenson , pp. 18 - 25Publisher: Edinburgh University PressPrint publication year: 2014