he could not doubt of her love for him. To explain everything in his turn, he told her the trick that Longue-épine and her mother had played him; adding, that he must hasten to send and tell the King his father the happiness that had occurred to him in finding her; for that he was going to war, on account of the insult he believed had been offered him. Désirée begged him to write by Becafigue,—he was about to obey her, when a shrill noise of trumpets, clarions, kettle and other drums, echoed through the forest; they heard also the tramp of many people passing near the cottage. The Prince looked out of the window; he recognised several officers, his own colours and standards. He ordered them to halt and wait for him.
Never was any surprise more agreeable than that experienced by this army; they all imagined that their Prince was going to lead them, and be revenged upon Désirée's father. The Prince's father, notwithstanding his great age, was at their head. He travelled in a litter of velvet embroidered in gold, followed by an open chariot, in which was Longue-épine and her mother. Prince Guerrier, catching sight of the litter, ran to it; and the King, holding out his arms to him, embraced him with a thousand tokens of paternal affection. "And whence come you, my dear son?" cried he. "How could you possibly deliver me up to the grief your absence has caused me?" "My Lord," said the Prince, "deign to listen to me." The King immediately descended from his litter, and retiring into a side path, his son told him of his fortunate meeting with the Princess, and Longue-épine's imposture.
The King, enchanted at this event, raised his hands and eyes gratefully to Heaven; at the same moment he saw the Princess Désirée, more beautiful and more brilliant than all the stars together. She was mounted on a superb horse, which curvetted at every step; a hundred various-coloured feathers adorned her head, and her dress was enriched with the largest diamonds in the world. She was attired as a huntress. Giroflée, who followed her, was scarcely less splendid. All this was the effect of the fairy Tulip's protection: she had managed it all with care and success. The pretty house in the wood was built by her, expressly for the
