a magnificent
reception awaiting him, for, though they pretended not to know who he
was, secrets like this are never hidden. Now the young king had a great
dislike to long ceremonies, so he proposed that his second interview
with the princess should take place in the garden. The princess made
some difficulties, but, as the weather was lovely and very still, she
at last consented to the king's wishes. But no sooner had they finished
their first bows and curtseys than a slight breeze sprung up, and began
to sway the princess, whose equerries had retired out of respect. The
king went forward to steady her, but the wind that he caused only drove
her further away from him. He rushed after her exclaiming, 'O princess!
are you really running away from me?'

'Good gracious, no!' she replied. 'Run a little quicker and you will be
able to stop me, and I shall be for ever grateful. That is what comes
of talking in a garden,' she added in disgust; 'as if one wasn't much
better in a room that was tightly closed all round.'

The king ran as fast as he could, but the wind ran faster still, and in
a moment the princess was whirled to the bottom of the garden, which was
bounded by a ditch. She cleared it like a bird, and the king, who was
obliged to stop short at the edge, saw the lovely Diaphana flying over
the plain, sometimes driven to the right, sometimes to the left, till at
last she vanished out of sight.

By this time the whole court were running over the plain, some on foot
and some on horseback, all hurrying to the help of their princess, who
really was in some danger, for the wind was rising to the force of
a gale. The king looked on for a little, and then returned with his
attendants to the palace, reflecting all the while on the extreme
lightness of his proposed bride and the absurdity of having a wife that
rose in the air better than any kite. He thought on the whole that it
would be wiser not to wait longer, but to depart at once, and he started
on horseback at the very moment when the princess had been found by
her followers, wet to the skin, and blown against a rick. Souci met the
carriage which was bringing her home, and stopped to congratulate her on
her escape, and to advise her to put on dry clothes. Then he continued
his journey.

It took a good while for the king to get home again, and he was rather
cross at having had so much trouble for nothing. Besides which, his
courtiers made fun at his adventure, and he d