--"This is done; it was to me you gave the ring.
Will you be mine, now you are doubly won?" Bertram replied, "If you can
make it plain that you were the lady I talked with that night, I will
love you dearly ever, ever dearly." This was no difficult task, for the
widow and Diana came with Helena to prove this fact; and the king was so
well pleased with Diana, for the friendly assistance she had rendered
the dear lady he so truly valued for the service she had done him, that
he promised her also a noble husband: Helena's history giving him a
hint, that it was a suitable reward for kings to bestow upon fair ladies
when they perform notable services.

Thus Helena at last found that her father's legacy was indeed sanctified
by the luckiest stars in heaven; for she was now the beloved wife of her
dear Bertram, the daughter-in-law of her noble mistress, and herself the
Countess of Rousillon.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

Katharine, the Shrew, was the eldest daughter of Baptista, a rich
gentleman of Padua. She was a lady of such an ungovernable spirit and
fiery temper, such a loud-tongued scold, that she was known in Padua by
no other name than Katharine the Shrew. It seemed very unlikely, indeed
impossible, that any gentleman would ever be found who would venture to
marry this lady, and therefore Baptista was much blamed for deferring
his consent to many excellent offers that were made to her gentle sister
Bianca, putting off all Bianca's suitors with this excuse, that when the
eldest sister was fairly off his hands, they should have free leave to
address young Bianca.

[Illustration: PETRUCHIO, PRETENDING TO FIND FAULT WITH EVERY DISH,
THREW THE MEAT ABOUT THE FLOOR]

It happened, however, that a gentleman, named Petruchio, came to Padua,
purposely to look out for a wife, who, nothing discouraged by these
reports of Katharine's temper, and hearing she was rich and handsome,
resolved upon marrying this famous termagant, and taming her into a meek
and manageable wife. And truly none was so fit to set about this
herculean labour as Petruchio, whose spirit was as high as Katharine's,
and he was a witty and most happy-tempered humourist, and withal so
wise, and of such a true judgment, that he well knew how to feign a
passionate and furious deportment, when his spirits were so calm that
himself could have laughed merrily at his own angry feigning, for his
natural temper was careless and