I cannot accept the honour," replied King Charming.
"A monarch is surely at liberty to form his own engagements. I know
what is a knight's duty to his lady, and should wish to fulfil it; as
I cannot fulfil it to Troutina, I would rather decline the favour she
offers me than become unworthy of it."

Civil as this answer was, it irritated the queen and her daughter
exceedingly; and when, since in all his audiences with their majesties
he never saw Florina, he at last inquired where the younger princess
was, the queen answered fiercely, that she was shut up in prison, and
would remain there till Troutina was married.

"And for what reason?" asked King Charming.

"I do not know; and if I did, I would not tell you," replied the
queen, more angrily than ever; so that King Charming quitted her
presence as soon as ever he could.

When he was alone, he sent for one of his attendants, whom he trusted
very much, and begged him to gain information from some court lady
about the princess Florina. This scheme succeeded so well, that
Florina was persuaded to promise she would speak to him for a few
moments next night, from a small window at the bottom of the tower.
But the faithless lady-in-waiting betrayed her to the queen, who
locked her up in her chamber, and determined to send her own daughter
to the window instead. The night was so dark that King Charming never
found out the difference, but made to Troutina all the tender speeches
that he meant for Florina, offering her his crown and his heart, and
ending by placing his own ring on her finger, as a pledge of eternal
fidelity. He also made her agree to fly with him next night, in a
chariot drawn by winged frogs, of which a great magician, one of his
friends, had made him a present. He thought she talked very little,
and that little not in quite so pleasant a voice as formerly; still,
he was too much in love to notice much, and departed very joyful in
having obtained her promise.

Next night Troutina, thickly veiled, quitted the palace by a secret
door. King Charming met her, received her in his arms, and vowed to
love her for ever. Then he lifted her into the fairy chariot, and they
sailed about in the air for some hours. But as he was not likely to
wish to sail about for ever, he at last proposed that they should
descend to earth, and be married. Troutina agreed with all her heart,
but wished that the ceremony should be performed at her godmother's,
the fairy Soussio. So th