xandrine heard him from her distant turret, and,
terrified though she was, hastened to find out what was the matter.

'My daughter! Where is my daughter?' he cried, stammering with rage.

'Asleep, sire,' answered Alexandrine.

'Asleep still!' said the emperor; 'then wake her instantly, for the
bridegroom is ready and I am waiting to lead her to him.'

'Alas! sire, Melior has heard that in Greece royal brides pass their
lives shut in a tower, and she has sworn that she will never wed one of
that race. But, indeed, for my part, I think that is not her true
reason, and that she has pledged her faith to another, whom you also
know and love.'

[Illustration: The Werwolf's visit to the Cave]

'And who may that be?' asked the emperor.

'The man who saved your life in battle, William himself,' answered
Alexandrine boldly, though her limbs shook with fear.

At this news the emperor was half beside himself with grief and rage.

'Where is she?' he cried; 'speak, girl, or I will shut you up in the
tower.'

'Where is William?' asked Alexandrine. 'If Melior is not here, and
William is not here, then of a surety they have gone away together.'

The emperor looked at her in silence for a moment.

'The Greeks will make war on me for this insult,' he said; 'and, as for
William, a body of soldiers shall go in search of him this moment, and
when he is found I will have his head cut off, and stuck on my palace
gate as a warning to traitors.'

But the soldiers could not find him. Perhaps they did not look very
carefully, for, like everyone else, they loved William. Party after
party was sent out by the emperor, but they all returned without finding
a trace of the runaways. Then at last the Greek who had seen the two
white bears galloping through the garden came to the high chamberlain
and told his tale.

'Send to the kitchen at once and ask if any bearskins are missing,'
ordered the chamberlain; and the page returned with the tidings that the
skins of two white bears could not be found.

Now the werwolf had been lurking round the palace seeking for news, and
as soon as he heard that the emperor had ordered out his dogs to hunt
the white bears, he made a plan in his head to save William and Melior.
He hid in some bushes that lay in the path of the hounds, and let them
get quite near him. As soon as they were close, he sprang out in front
of their noses and they gave chase at once. And a fine dance he led
them!--over mountains