But she could discuss scientific and
philosophical subjects with the sages of her father's kingdom like one
of themselves.

And besides all this care bestowed upon her training, no stone had been
left unturned in hopes of awakening in the unfortunate girl some
affection or emotion. Every day the most soul-stirring poetry was read
aloud to her by the greatest elocutionists, the most exciting and moving
dramas were enacted before her; she was taken to visit the poor of the
city in their pitiable homes; she was encouraged to see sad sights from
which most soft-hearted maidens would instinctively flee. But all was in
vain. She would express interest and ask intelligent questions with
calm, unmoved features and dry eyes. Even music, from which much had
been hoped, was powerless to move her to aught but admiration of the
performers' skill or curiosity as to the construction of their
instruments. There was but one peculiarity about her, which sometimes,
though they could not have explained why, seemed to Ice-Heart's unhappy
parents to hint at some shadowy hope. The sight of tears was evidently
disagreeable to her. More certainly than anything else did the signs of
weeping arouse one of her rare fits of anger--so much so that now and
then, for days together, the poor Queen dared not come near her child,
and tears were to her a frequent relief from her lifelong regrets.

So beautiful and wealthy and accomplished a maiden was naturally not
without suitors; and from this direction, too, at first, Queen Claribel
trusted fondly that cure might come.

"If she could but fall in love," she said, the first time the idea
struck her.

"My poor dear!" replied the King, "to see, you must have eyes; to love,
you must have a heart."

"But a heart she has," persisted the mother. "It is only, as it were,
asleep--frozen, like the winter stream which bursts forth again into
ever fresh life and movement with the awaking spring."

So lovers were invited, and lovers came and were made welcome by the
dozen. Lovers of every description--rich and poor, old and young,
handsome and ugly--so long as they were of passable birth and fair
character, King Brave-Heart was not too particular--in the forlorn hope
that among them one fortunate wight might rouse some sentiment in the
lovely statue he desired to win. But all in vain. Each prince, or duke,
or simple knight, duly instructed in the sad case, did his best: one
would try poetry, another his lute