g
was gone upon a visit to the countess of Rousillon, and Helena followed
the king with all the speed she could make.

The king was still in perfect health, and his gratitude to her who had
been the means of his recovery was so lively in his mind, that the
moment he saw the countess of Rousillon, he began to talk of Helena,
calling her a precious jewel that was lost by the folly of her son; but
seeing; the subject distressed the countess, who sincerely lamented the
death of Helena, he said: 'My good lady, I have forgiven and forgotten
all.' But the good-natured old Lafeu, who was present, and could not
bear that the memory of his favourite Helena should be so lightly
passed over, said: 'This I must say, the young lord did great offence
to his majesty, his mother, and his lady; but to himself he did the
greatest wrong of all, for he has lost a wife whose beauty astonished
all eyes, whose words took all ears captive, whose deep perfection made
all hearts wish to serve her.' The king said: 'Praising what is lost
makes the remembrance dear. Well call him hither'; meaning Bertram, who
now presented himself before the king: and, on his expressing deep
sorrow for the injuries he had done to Helena, the king, for his dead
father's and his admirable mother's sake, pardoned him and restored him
once more to his favour. But the gracious countenance of the king was
soon changed towards him, for he perceived that Bertram wore the very
ring upon his finger which he had given to Helena: and he well
remembered that Helena had called all the saints in heaven to witness
she would never part with that ring, unless she sent it to the king
himself upon some great disaster befalling her; and Bertram, on the
king's questioning him how he came by the ring, told an improbable
story of a lady throwing it to him out of a window, and denied ever
having seen Helena since the day of their marriage. The king, knowing
Bertram's dislike to his wife, feared he had destroyed her: and he
ordered his guards to seize Bertram, saying: 'I am wrapt in dismal
thinking, for I fear the life of Helena was foully snatched.' At this
moment Diana and her mother entered, and presented a petition to the
king, wherein they begged his majesty to exert his royal power to
compel Bertram to marry Diana, he having made her a solemn promise of
marriage. Bertram, fearing the king's anger, denied he had made any
such promise; and then Diana produced the ring (which Helena had p