being suspected by her. Mirtain (so was the young gentleman named) was too anxious to please his master to neglect an opportunity of so doing in a matter which appeared so much to interest him. He promised to obey his commands to the best of his ability; and the very next morning he was ready to proceed to the pastures. The keeper of them would not have admitted him, had he not produced an order from the Prince, in which it was stated that he was the Prince's shepherd, and had charge of his flock.
He was immediately permitted to mix with the rural company. He was very gallant, and easily succeeded in making himself agreeable to the shepherdesses generally; but with regard to Constancia, he found she possessed a spirit so far above what she appeared to be, that he could not reconcile the existence of so much beauty, wit, and merit with the rude and country life she led. It was in vain be followed her; he always found her alone in the depths of the forest, singing abstractedly. He observed no shepherd venture to attempt to please her; it seemed to be too difficult a task. Mirtain made that great attempt himself; he courted her assiduously, and learned from his own experience that she declined forming any engagement. Every evening he reported to the Prince the state of affairs; all the information he gave him had only the effect of distracting him. "Do not deceive yourself, my Lord," said Mirtain one day to him; "if this beautiful girl does love, it must be some one in her own country." "If that were the case," said the Prince, "would she not return to it?" "How do we know," rejoined Mirtain, "that she has not some reasons which prevent her returning to her native land? She may have quarrelled with her lover." "Alas!" exclaimed the Prince, "she sang with too much tenderness the words I heard." "It is a fact," continued Mirtain, "that all the trees are covered with the initials of their names; and as no one seems to please her in these parts, some one undoubtedly must have done so elsewhere." "Ascertain," said the Prince, "her sentiments for me. Speak well or ill of me, thou mayest in some measure arrive at what she thinks of me."
Mirtain failed not to find an opportunity to speak to Constancia. "What ails you, fair shepherdess?" said he to her; "you appear melancholy, notwithstanding all the reasons you
