to refresh himself, his mouth being parched with thirst. One day, when he was quite exhausted, he exclaimed, with a heavy sigh, "What does the king complain of? He has not a subject more loyal than I am,—I have never done anything to offend him!" The king by chance passed close by the tower, and hearing the voice of one he had loved so dearly, he stopped to listen, notwithstanding those who were with him, who hated Avenant, and said to the king, "What interests you, Sire?—Do you not know he is a rogue?" The king replied, "Leave me alone; I would hear what he has to say." Having listened to his complaints, the tears stood in his eyes: he opened the door of the tower and called to the prisoner. Avenant came, and knelt before him in deep sorrow, and kissed his feet. "What have I done, Sire, that I am thus severely treated?" "Thou hast made game of me, and of my ambassador," answered the king. "Thou hast boasted, that if I had sent thee to the Fair with Golden Hair, thou wouldst certainly have brought her back with thee."
"It is true, Sire," rejoined Avenant, "that I should have so impressed her with the sense of your majesty's high qualities, that I feel persuaded she could not have refused you; and in saying that, Sire, I uttered nothing that could be disagreeable to you." The king saw clearly that Avenant was innocent. He cast an angry look upon the traducers of his favourite, and brought him away with him, sincerely repenting the wrong he had done to him. After giving him an excellent supper he called him into his cabinet and said to him: "Avenant, I still love the Fair with Golden Hair; her refusal has not discouraged me: but I know not what course to take to induce her to marry me. I am tempted to send thee to her to see if thou couldst succeed." Avenant replied that he was ready to obey him in everything, and that he would set out the next day. "Hold," said the king; "I would give thee a splendid equipage." "It is unnecessary," answered Avenant; "I need only a good horse, and letters of credence from your majesty." The king embraced him, for he was delighted to find him prepared to start so quickly.
It was on a Monday morning that he took leave of the king and of his friends to proceed on his embassy, quite alone and without pomp or noise. His mind was occupied solely with schemes to induce the Fair with Golden Hair to marry
