her pictures in the gallery.
He was puzzled, not knowing what to do next, until it occurred to him to
see if the windows would help him, and, looking at the nearest, he saw a
picture of himself lifting the picture from the wall.

The Prince took the hint, and lifting aside the picture without
difficulty, found himself in a marble hall adorned with statues; from
this he passed on through numbers of splendid rooms, until at last he
reached one all hung with blue gauze. The walls were of turquoises, and
upon a low couch lay a lovely lady, who seemed to be asleep. Her hair,
black as ebony, was spread across the pillows, making her face look
ivory white, and the Prince noticed that she was unquiet; and when he
softly advanced, fearing to wake her, he could hear her sigh, and murmur
to herself:

'Ah! how dared you think to win my love by separating me from my beloved
Florimond, and in my presence cutting off that dear hand that even you
should have feared and honoured?'

And then the tears rolled slowly down the lovely lady's cheeks, and
Prince Curlicue began to comprehend that she was under an enchantment,
and that it was the hand of her lover that he had found.

At this moment a huge Eagle flew into the room, holding in its talons
a Golden Branch, upon which were growing what looked like clusters of
cherries, only every cherry was a single glowing ruby.

This he presented to the Prince, who guessed by this time that he was
in some way to break the enchantment that surrounded the sleeping lady.
Taking the branch he touched her lightly with it, saying:

'Fair one, I know not by what enchantment thou art bound, but in the
name of thy beloved Florimond I conjure thee to come back to the life
which thou hast lost, but not forgotten.'

Instantly the lady opened her lustrous eyes, and saw the Eagle hovering
near.

'Ah! stay, dear love, stay,' she cried. But the Eagle, uttering a
dolorous cry, fluttered his broad wings and disappeared. Then the lady
turned to Prince Curlicue, and said:

'I know that it is to you I owe my deliverance from an enchantment which
has held me for two hundred years. If there is anything that I can do
for you in return, you have only to tell me, and all my fairy power
shall be used to make you happy.'

'Madam,' said Prince Curlicue, 'I wish to be allowed to restore your
beloved Florimond to his natural form, since I cannot forget the tears
you shed for him.'

'That is very amiable of you, dea