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great many times； it bees true in the end。
suddenly； a sharp； dry cough was heard； and they all looked round。
it came from a tall； supercilious…looking rocket； who was tied to
the end of a long stick。 he always coughed before he made any
observation； so as to attract attention。
〃ahem！ ahem！〃 he said； and everybody listened except the poor
catherine wheel； who was still shaking her head； and murmuring；
〃romance is dead。〃
〃order！ order！〃 cried out a cracker。 he was something of a
politician； and had always taken a prominent part in the local
elections； so he knew the proper parliamentary expressions to use。
〃quite dead；〃 whispered the catherine wheel； and she went off to
sleep。
as soon as there was perfect silence； the rocket coughed a third
time and began。 he spoke with a very slow； distinct voice； as if
he was dictating his memoirs； and always looked over the shoulder
of the person to whom he was talking。 in fact； he had a most
distinguished manner。
〃how fortunate it is for the kings son；〃 he remarked； 〃that he is
to be married on the very day on which i am to be let off。 really；
if it had been arranged beforehand； it could not have turned out
better for him； but； princes are always lucky。〃
〃dear me！〃 said the little squib； 〃i thought it was quite the other
way； and that we were to be let off in the princes honour。〃
〃it may be so with you；〃 he answered； 〃indeed； i have no doubt that
it is； but with me it is different。 i am a very remarkable rocket；
and e of remarkable parents。 my mother was the most celebrated
catherine wheel of her day； and was renowned for her graceful
dancing。 when she made her great public appearance she spun round
nineteen times before she went out； and each time that she did so
she threw into the air seven pink stars。 she was three feet and a
half in diameter； and made of the very best gunpowder。 my father
was a rocket like myself； and of french extraction。 he flew so
high that the people were afraid that he would never e down
again。 he did； though； for he was of a kindly disposition； and he
made a most brilliant descent in a shower of golden rain。 the
newspapers wrote about his performance in very flattering terms。
indeed； the court gazette called him a triumph of pylotechnic art。〃
〃pyrotechnic； pyrotechnic； you mean；〃 said a bengal light； 〃i know
it is pyrotechnic； for i saw it written on my own canister。〃
〃well； i said pylotechnic；〃 answered the rocket； in a severe tone
of voice； and the bengal light felt so crushed that he began at
once to bully the little squibs； in order to show that he was still
a person of some importance。
〃i was saying；〃 continued the rocket； 〃i was saying … what was i
saying？〃
〃you were talking about yourself；〃 replied the roman candle。
〃of course； i knew i was discussing some interesting subject when i
was so rudely interrupted。 i hate rudeness and bad manners of
every kind； for i am extremely sensitive。 no one in the whole
world is so sensitive as i am； i am quite sure of that。〃
〃what is a sensitive person？〃 said the cracker to the roman candle。
〃a person who； because he has corns himself； always treads on other
peoples toes；〃 answered the roman candle in a low whisper； and the
cracker nearly exploded with laughter。
〃pray； what are you laughing at？〃 inquired the rocket； 〃i am not
laughing。〃
〃i am laughing because i am happy；〃 replied the cracker。
〃that is a very selfish reason；〃 said the rocket angrily。 〃what
right have you to be happy？ you should be thinking about others。
in fact； you should be thinking about me。 i am always thinking
about myself； and i expect everybody else to do the same。 that is
what is called sympathy。 it is a beautiful virtue； and i possess
it in a high degree。 suppose； for instance； anything happened to
me to…night； what a misfortune that would be for every one！ the
prince and princess would never be happy again； their whole married
life would be spoiled； and as for the king； i know he would not get
over it。 really； when i begin to reflect on the importance of my
position； i am almost moved to tears。〃
〃if you want to give pleasure to others；〃 cried the roman candle；
〃you had better keep yourself dry。〃
〃certainly；〃 exclaimed the bengal light； who was now in better
spirits； 〃that is only mon sense。〃
〃mon sense； indeed！〃 said the rocket indignantly； 〃you forget
that i am very unmon； and very remarkable。 why； anybody can
have mon sense； provided that they have no imagination。 but i
have imagination； for i never think of things as they really are； i
always think of them as being quite different。 as for keeping
myself dry； there is evidently no one here who can at all
appreciate an emotional nature。 fortunately for myself； i dont
care。 the only thing that sustains one through life is the
consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else； and
this is a feeling that i have always cultivated。 but none of you
have any hearts。 here you are laughing and making merry just as if
the prince and princess had not just been married。〃
〃well； really；〃 exclaimed a small fire…balloon； 〃why not？ it is a
most joyful occasion； and when i soar up into the air i intend to
tell the stars all about it。 you will see them twinkle when i talk
to them about the pretty bride。〃
〃ah！ what a trivial view of life！〃 said the rocket； 〃but it is only
what i expected。 there is nothing in you； you are hollow and
empty。 why； perhaps the prince and princess may go to live in a
country where there is a deep river； and perhaps they may have one
only son； a little fair…haired boy with violet eyes like the prince
himself； and perhaps some day he may go out to walk with his nurse；
and perhaps the nurse may go to sleep under a great elder…tree； and
perhaps the little boy may fall into the deep river and be drowned。
what a terrible misfortune！ poor people； to lose their only son！
it is really too dreadful！ i shall never get over it。〃
〃but they have not lost their only son；〃 said the roman candle； 〃no
misfortune has happened to them at all。〃
〃i never said that they had；〃 replied the rocket； 〃i said that they
might。 if they had lost their only son there would be no use in
saying anything more about the matter。 i hate people who cry over
spilt milk。 but when i think that they might lose their only son；
i certainly am very much affected。〃
〃you certainly are！〃 cried the bengal light。 〃in fact； you are the
most affected person i ever met。〃
〃you are the rudest person i ever met；〃 said the rocket； 〃and you
cannot understand my friendship for the prince。〃
〃why； you dont even know him；〃 growled the roman candle。
〃i never said i knew him；〃 answered the rocket。 〃i dare say that
if i knew him i should not be his friend at all。 it is a very
dangerous thing to know ones friends。〃
〃you had really better keep yourself dry；〃 said the fire…balloon。
〃that is the important thing。〃
〃very important for you； i have no doubt；〃 answered th