the village and the
Miller of Hofbau; both of them were sleeping very contentedly, and
snoring somewhat as they slept. The Princess, smitten by remorse at
the spectacle, said softly:

"Poor fellow, he grew weary of waiting, and hungry, and was compelled
to take his dinner; and, like the kind man he is, he has entertained
the priest, and kept him here, so that no time should be lost when I
arrived. Indeed I am afraid the poor man loves me very much. Well,
miller, or lord, or prince--they are all the same. Heigh-ho! Why did
I deceive him?" And she walked up to the miller's chair, leant over
the back of it, and lightly touched his red cap with her fingers. He
put up his hand and brushed with it, as though he brushed away a fly,
but gave no other sign of awakening.

The King called softly from behind the water-butt under the window:

"Is he there, Osra? Is he there?"

"The poor man has fallen asleep in weariness," she answered. "But the
priest is here, ready to marry us. Oh, Rudolf, I am so sorry for what
I have done!"

"Girls are always mighty sorry, after it is done," remarked the King.
"Wake him up, Osra."

At this moment the Miller of Hofbau sat up in his chair and gave a
great sneeze; and by this sound the priest also was awakened. Osra
came forward and stood between them. The miller looked at her, and
tilted his red cap forward in order that he might scratch his head.
Then he looked across to the priest, and said:

"It is she, Father. She has come."

The priest rubbed his hands together, and smiled uncomfortably.

"We waited two hours," said he, glancing at the clock. "See, it is
three o'clock now."

"I am sorry you waited so long," said Osra, "but I could not come
before. And--and now that I am come, I cannot----"

But here she paused in great distress and confusion, not knowing how to
break her sad tidings to the Miller of Hofbau.

The miller drew his legs up under his chair, and regarded Osra with a
grave air.

"You should have been here at eleven," said he. "I went to the church
at eleven, and the priest was there, and my cousin Hans to act as my
groom, and my cousin Gertrude to be your maid. There we waited hard on
two hours. But you did not come."

"I am very sorry," pleaded Princess Osra. The King laughed low to
himself behind the water-butt, being much amused at her distress and
her humility.

"And now that you are come," pursued the miller, scratching his head
again, "