on the following day; she felt irresistibly led
thither, dreading, and yet wishing, to meet the prince.

He had been already waiting above an hour, and accosted her with a
degree of respect quite unusual for him; but he was in love, and love
makes the worst of people better for the time.

"Cruel beauty!" said he, in a courtier-like style, to which Rose was
little accustomed, "what have I not suffered during your absence! I
even remained all night in the wood, in expectation of you, and the
queen my mother despatched messengers everywhere, fearing some
accident had befallen me."

"The queen, your mother!" exclaimed Rose. "Are you, then, the son of a
queen?"

"I have betrayed myself!" said the prince, striking his forehead in a
theatrical manner. "Yes, it is true, I have that misfortune. You will
now fear me; and what we fear, we never love."

"The wicked alone are to be feared," answered Rose. "I am very glad to
hear that you are a king, for I know that you will be my husband."

The prince, who little guessed the enchanter's communication, was
confounded by the unembarrassed freedom of her manner; but it was far
from displeasing to him. "You are ambitious," said he, smiling; "but
there is nothing to which beauty may not pretend. Tell me only how I
can have the happiness of serving you, and you shall see that
everything is possible to love."

Rose sat down on the grass, and related in very simple terms the story
of the purse; confessed that she had deceived him, and that, so far
from being severely treated at home, she was now weeping her mother's
loss; that the king must take measures for the discovery and
liberation of her family, before he could hope to win her affections,
or pretend to her hand.

The enamoured monarch vowed he would not lose a moment; and although
she behaved with much dignity, her every word and look was adorable in
his eyes. Rose thought all night of the fine fortune of being a queen;
she would then no longer wear wooden shoes; and, above all, might have
an opportunity of being useful to her dear parents.

These meetings continued every alternate day during a week; and the
queen dowager was informed that her son neglected all business, and
thought of nothing but making love. She was in despair. This prince
was surnamed the Terrible, by reason of his ferocity to women: till
that moment he had never loved, but he had frequently made pretence of
it, and when successful, it was not unusual wi