fter a matutinal meal of delicacies, of which even the Knight had never
heard, the lady conducted him through the castle, and exhibited to him
statues, and pictures, and gems most rare and beautiful, and then she
led him through gardens full of flowers, shrubs, and trees, of forms and
hues and scents most strange and lovely and sweet. Thus occupied, the
banqueting time arrived, followed by a ball as on the previous evening.

Unhappily, Le Crapeau, forgetting the warning he had received, followed
his partner as before, when a hand, coming suddenly out of the wall,
gave him so severe a cuff upon the cheek that for many minutes he lay
unable to move, when at length, much crest-fallen, he slowly crept back
to his post behind his master.

Thus the days passed away. Sometimes the lady led the Knight forth,
mounted on cream-coloured steeds; at others, in a chariot drawn by
twenty beautiful peacocks; at others, they glided over the surface of a
lake in a barge, towed by thirty milk-white swans, and visited scenes of
the most enchanting beauty.

At length, however, the Knight began to weary of the monotony of his
existence, and to sigh for fresh adventures and more excitement. The
Squire, too, wished for change, and was not altogether pleased with the
buffet he regularly got every evening at the termination of the ball.

"A parting scene is always painful," exclaimed the Knight.

"It is," answered the Squire. "I understand your wishes. I will have
the steeds ready, and at early dawn we will ride forth, and leave a
sweet-scented billet to thank the lady for her courtesy, and to inform
her of our departure."

Less difficulty occurred in the execution of the design than might have
been expected, and, rejoicing in their liberty, the Knight and his
Squire rode gaily forth towards the confines of Armenia.

"But we have got well out of that," quoth the Squire to his master. "By
my faith, I like more animation, less formality, and greater variety
than we enjoyed down there."

"You speak the truth, my Le Crapeau; yet she was a sweet creature, that
lady of the castle."

Now, the lady of the castle was no other than a powerful fairy, very
kind and very woman-like, who had conceived an affection for the French
Champion, when she chanced to see him as he journeyed through her realm.
Even good fairies will inflict a punishment.

By means for which they could not account, the Knight and his Squire
lost their way. Round and ro