where, however, the queen
promised to come on the following day.

Her majesty kept her word. Much affected by the sweetness of the
hapless bride, she promised to mitigate, as far as possible, her
melancholy situation.

Rose, very grateful, supplicated her benefactress to inform the
woodcutter's family that she was still alive, knowing what they would
suffer should the story reach them of the black Rose having
breakfasted the king's hounds. The queen promised to employ a
confidential domestic; and Rose, who had still preserved her wooden
shoes, sent one, that her father might recognise his handiwork.

A few days afterwards a young peasant arrived from the cottage; he
brought some cakes and cheese, made by Mother Thomas, which Rose
preferred to all the delicacies of the palace.

This young peasant, who was named Mirto, related to Rose everything
concerning her dear parents, and took back very loving messages from
her to them.

Mirto found so much pleasure in conversing with the fair prisoner, and
had so often cakes to carry, that they were seldom asunder. He said he
was an orphan, and having some work to do in the prison where Thomas
had been confined, there formed a friendship with the family. In
return for some little services then rendered them, he desired to
learn the trade of the wooden shoes; being very ingenious, he became a
valuable acquisition. He never had felt so happy before. In truth, he
was not aware that this happiness received its date from the hour in
which he first saw Rose.

Alas! the poor Rose was only too sensible of his affection, and
feeling the duty of struggling against it, found herself still more
miserable than before.

"Whatever may be the conduct of Prince Terrible," said she to herself,
"I have married him. It is certainly very hard to love a husband who
wished to kill me, but still I should not permit myself to love
another."

For a whole month following she had sufficient resolution to see Mirto
no more, and was becoming sick with chagrin and weariness. The queen
visited her frequently, bringing all sorts of sweetmeats, and a
singing-bird, to divert her captivity. She brought no finery; indeed,
that would have been quite thrown away on the pigeons.

At length, one day Rose heard a great noise in the palace. People kept
running to and fro--all the bells were rung, and all the cannons
fired. The poor prisoner mounted up to one of the pigeon-holes, and
peeping through, perceived t