y, to the intense
amusement of the Enchanter, who laughed like a pack of wolves
quarrelling. After this, as many of the will-o'-the-wisps as could
get in crowded into Potentilla's garden, and by their light the tall
yew-trees danced minuets until the Princess was weary and begged to
be excused from looking at anything more that night. But, in spite of
Potentilla's efforts to behave politely to the tiresome old Enchanter,
whom she detested, he could not help seeing that he failed to please
her, and then he began to suspect very strongly that she must love
someone else, and that somebody besides Melinette was responsible for
all the festivities he had witnessed. So after much consideration
he devised a plan for finding out the truth. He went to the Princess
suddenly, and announced that he was most unwillingly forced to leave
her, and had come to bid her farewell. Potentilla could scarcely hide
her delight when she heard this, and his back was hardly turned before
she was entreating Prince Narcissus to make himself visible once more.
The poor Prince had been getting quite thin with anxiety and annoyance,
and was only too delighted to comply with her request. They greeted one
another rapturously, and were just sitting down to talk over everything
cosily, and enjoy the Enchanter's discomfiture together, when out
he burst in a fury from behind a bush. With his huge club he aimed a
terrific blow at Narcissus, which must certainly have killed him but for
the adroitness of the Fairy Melinette, who arrived upon the scene just
in time to snatch him up and carry him off at lightning speed to her
castle in the air. Poor Potentilla, however, had not the comfort of
knowing this, for at the sight of the Enchanter threatening her beloved
Prince she had given one shriek and fallen back insensible. When she
recovered her senses she was more than ever convinced that he was dead,
since even Melinette was no longer near her, and no one was left to
defend her from the odious old Enchanter.

To make matters worse, he seemed to be in a very bad temper, and came
blustering and raging at the poor Princess.

'I tell you what it is, madam,' said he: 'whether you love this
whipper-snapper Prince or not doesn't matter in the least. You are going
to marry me, so you may as well make up your mind to it; and I am going
away this very minute to make all the arrangements. But in case you
should get into mischief in my absence, I think I had better put yo