‘What is the matter?’ she said in the kindest way. ‘You seem very sorrowful.’
‘Alas! Princess,’ he answered, ‘who would not be sorrowful who was ordered to do such a terrible thing as I am? The King has commanded me to kill you here, and carry your heart and your tongue to him, and if I disobey I shall lose my life.’
The poor Princess was terrified, she grew very pale and began to cry softly.
Looking up at the Captain of the Guard with her beautiful eyes, she said gently:
‘Will you really have the heart to kill me? I have never done you any harm, and have always spoken well of you to the King. If I had deserved my father’s anger I would suffer without a murmur, but, alas! he is unjust to complain of me, when I have always treated him with love and respect.’
‘Fear nothing, Princess,’ said the Captain of the Guard. ‘I would far rather die myself than hurt you; but even if I am killed you will not be safe: we must find some way of making the King believe that you are dead.’
‘What can we do?’ said Miranda; ‘unless you take him my heart and my tongue he will never believe you.
