consent," said the two brothers of Rosette. "You consent!" rejoined the King; "then to prison with you, and there remain until the Princess shall arrive." The princes made not the slightest difficulty, for they were perfectly certain that Rosette was handsomer than her picture.
When they were in prison the King of the Peacocks had them admirably attended to, and frequently went to see them, keeping in his own castle the portrait of Rosette, on which he so doted that he slept neither night nor day. As the other king and his brother were in prison, they wrote clothes immediately and to come with all speed, as the King of the Peacocks was waiting for her. They did not tell her they were prisoners, for fear of alarming her.
When she received their letter she was so transported with joy that she thought she should die of it. She told everybody that the King of the Peacocks was found and desired to marry her. They kindled bonfires, fired guns, and made feasts of sweetmeats and sugar throughout the kingdom. Every one who came to see the Princess during three days had given to them a slice of bread and butter with jam on it, some wafers, and a glass of Hypocras wine. After she had been thus liberal she left her beautiful dolls to her best friends, and her brother's kingdom in the hands of the wisest old men in the city. She strongly enjoined them to take great care of everything, to spend very little, and save up money against the King's return. She begged them to preserve her peacock, and would take nobody with her but her nurse, her foster-sister, and her little green dog Fretillon.
They put to sea in a boat, taking with them the bushel of gold crowns, and clothes enough to change their dress twice a-day, for ten years. They did nothing but laugh and sing. The nurse asked the boatman, "Are we nearing—are we nearing the kingdom of Peacocks?" He answered, "No, no." Another time she asked him, "Are we nearing? are we nearing?" He answered, "We shall be soon; we shall be soon." A third time she said to him, "Are we nearing? are we nearing?" He answered, "Yes, yes." And as soon as he had said so, she went to the end of the boat, seated herself beside him, and said to him, "If thou choosest, thou shalt be rich for ever." He answered, "I should like it much." "If thou
