united to each other for ever?" "I have no right to desire that special rules should be made in my favour," said the Prince. "It is not customary for royal personages to visit each other, and consult their own hearts in preference to the reasons of state which render it necessary for them to contract a certain alliance. The lady you have selected for me may be beautiful or ugly, intelligent or stupid; I shall obey you in either case." "I understand thee, wretch!" cried the Queen, flying out suddenly; "I understand thee! Thou adorest a worthless shepherdess; thou fearest leaving her. Thou shalt leave her, or I will have her dispatched before thine eyes! But if thou wilt depart without hesitation, and strive to forget her, I will retain her near my person, and love her as much as I now hate her."
The Prince, as pale as if he were about to die, consulted in his own mind what course he should take. On either hand he could see nothing but frightful agony. He knew his mother to be the most cruel and vindictive Princess in the world. He feared resistance would irritate her, and that the consequences would fall upon his dear mistress. At length, pressed by the Queen to say whether he would go or not, he consented to do so, with the same feeling that a man consents to drink the glass of poison that is to destroy him.
He had scarcely given her his word that he would depart, when, leaving his mother's chamber, he entered his own, his heart so wrung, that he thought it would break. He confided his affliction to the faithful Mirtain; and, impatient to inform Constancia, he went in search of her. She was in the deepest part of a grotto, where she occasionally took refuge, when the heat of the sun was too powerful for her in the garden. There was a little bank of turf by the side of a streamlet, which fell from the top of a rock of shell-work. In this peaceful retreat she unbound the tresses of her hair; they were fair as silver, finer than silk, and all in wavy curls. She sat with her naked feet in the water, the agreeable murmur of which, together with the fatigue of gardening, insensibly lulled her into a sweet sleep. Though her eyes were closed, they had still a thousand attractions; their long black lashes gave more brilliancy to the whiteness of her skin; the Loves and Graces seemed to hover around her, and modesty and gentleness added to the charm of her beauty.
