leep.

Matthias did not breathe a word. Seeing her asleep he sat down at a
table near the sofa, leaned his elbows upon it, and rested his chin in
the hollow of his hands. Gradually he felt drowsy and his eyes closed,
as did those of his companions.

Now this was the moment the princess was waiting for. Quickly changing
herself into a dove, she flew towards the window. If it had not
happened that one of her wings touched Tall's hair he would not have
awakened, and he would certainly never have succeeded in catching her
if it had not been for the Man with Eyes of Flame, for he, as soon as
he knew which direction she had taken, sent such a glance after her,
that is, a flame of fire, that in the twinkling of an eye her wings
were burnt, and having been thus stopped, she was obliged to perch on
the top of a tree. From thence Tall reached her easily, and placed her
in Matthias' hands, where she became a princess again. Matthias had
hardly awakened out of his sleep.

Next morning and the morning after the king was greatly astonished to
find his daughter sitting by the prince's side, but he was obliged to
keep silent and accept facts as they were, at the same time
entertaining his guests royally. At the approach of the third night he
spoke with his daughter, and begged her to practise all the magic of
which she was capable, and to act in such a way as to free him from
the presence of intruders of whom he knew neither the rank nor the
fortune.

As for Matthias, he used every means in his power to bring about a
happy ending to such a hitherto successful undertaking. Before
entering the princess's apartments he took his comrades aside and
said, "There is but one more stroke of luck, dear friends, and then we
have succeeded. If we fail, do not forget that our four heads will
roll on the scaffold."

"Come along," replied the three; "never fear, we shall be able to keep
good watch."

When they came into the princess's room they hastened to take up their
positions, and Matthias sat down facing the lady. He would have much
preferred to remain with her without being obliged to keep watch all
the time for fear of losing her for ever. Resolving not to sleep this
time, he said to himself, "Now I will keep watch upon you, but when
you are my wife I will rest."

At midnight, when sleep was beginning to overpower her watchers, the
princess kept silence, and, stretching herself on the couch, shut her
beautiful eyes as if she were rea