a great hurry; but he could
not forget his daughter's dream.

"Does the proud girl wish to make me her slave?" he said to himself. "I
am not surprised at her choosing to dress herself in white satin without
a thought of me. She does not think me worthy of her consideration! But
I will soon put an end to her pretensions!"

He rose in a fury, and although it was not yet daylight, he sent for the
Captain of his Bodyguard, and said to him:

"You have heard the Princess Miranda's dream? I consider that it means
strange things against me, therefore I order you to take her away into
the forest and kill her, and, that I may be sure it is done, you must
bring me her heart and her tongue. If you attempt to deceive me you
shall be put to death!"

The Captain of the Guard was very much astonished when he heard this
barbarous order, but he did not dare to contradict the King for fear of
making him still more angry, or causing him to send someone else, so he
answered that he would fetch the Princess and do as the King had said.
When he went to her room they would hardly let him in, it was so early,
but he said that the King had sent for Miranda, and she got up quickly
and came out; a little black girl called Patypata held up her train, and
her pet monkey and her little dog ran after her. The monkey was called
Grabugeon, and the little dog Tintin.

The Captain of the Guard begged Miranda to come down into the garden
where the King was enjoying the fresh air, and when they got there, he
pretended to search for him, but as he was not to be found, he said:

"No doubt his Majesty has strolled into the forest," and he opened the
little door that led to it and they went through.

By this time the daylight had begun to appear, and the Princess, looking
at her conductor, saw that he had tears in his eyes and seemed too sad
to speak.

"What is the matter?" she said in the kindest way. "You seem very
sorrowful."

"Alas! Princess," he answered, "who would not be sorrowful who was
ordered to do such a terrible thing as I am? The King has commanded me
to kill you here, and carry your heart and your tongue to him, and if I
disobey I shall lose my life."

The poor Princess was terrified, she grew very pale and began to cry
softly.

Looking up at the Captain of the Guard with her beautiful eyes, she said
gently:

"Will you really have the heart to kill me? I have never done you any
harm, and have always spoken well of you to the King