we contemplate the present; in the third, the
future can be read. It was here that I fled after I had gazed on the
Princess Argentine, but instead of love I only saw scorn and contempt.
Think how great must be my devotion, when, in spite of my fate, I still
love on!'

Now the Prince of the Golden Isle was enchanted with this conversation,
for the Princess Argentine was his sister, and he hoped, by means of her
influence over the Prince of the Gnomes, to obtain from his brother
the release of Rosalie. So he joyfully returned to his father's palace,
where he found his friend the Fairy, who at once presented him with
a magic pebble like his own. As may be imagined, he lost no time in
setting out to deliver Rosalie, and travelled so fast that he soon
arrived at the forest, in the midst of which she lay a captive. But
though he found the palace he did not find Rosalie. He hunted high and
low, but there was no sign of her, and his despair was so great that
he was ready, a thousand times over, to take his own life. At last he
remembered the conversation of the two Princes about the cabinets of the
years, and that if he could manage to reach the oak tree, he would be
certain to discover what had become of Rosalie. Happily, he soon found
out the secret of the passage and entered the cabinet of the present,
where he saw reflected in the mirrors the unfortunate Rosalie sitting
on the floor weeping bitterly, and surrounded with genii, who never left
her night or day.

This sight only increased the misery of the Prince, for he did not
know where the castle was, nor how to set about finding it. However,
he resolved to seek the whole world through till he came to the right
place. He began by setting sail in a favourable wind, but his bad luck
followed him even on the sea. He had scarcely lost sight of the land
when a violent storm arose, and after several hours of beating about,
the vessel was driven on to some rocks, on which it dashed itself
to bits. The Prince was fortunate enough to be able to lay hold of a
floating spar, and contrived to keep himself afloat; and, after a long
struggle with the winds and waves, he was cast upon a strange island.
But what was his surprise, on reaching the shore, to hear sounds of the
most heartrending distress, mingled with the sweetest songs which had
ever charmed him! His curiosity was instantly roused, and he advanced
cautiously till he saw two huge dragons guarding the gate of a wood.
They w