nes, she protested
Bertram did not know she loved him, comparing her humble unaspiring
love to a poor Indian, who adores the sun, that looks upon his
worshipper but knows of him no more. The countess asked Helena if
she had not lately an intent to go to Paris? Helena owned the design
she had formed in her mind, when she heard Lafeu speak of the king's
illness. "This was your motive for wishing to go to Paris," said the
countess, "was it? Speak truly." Helena honestly answered, "My lord
your son made me to think of this; else Paris, and the medicine, and
the king, had from the conversation of my thoughts been absent then."
The countess heard the whole of this confession without saying a word
either of approval or of blame, but she strictly questioned Helena as
to the probability of the medicine being useful to the king. She found
that it was the most prized by Gerard de Narbon of all he possessed,
and that he had given it to his daughter on his death-bed; and
remembering the solemn promise she had made at that awful hour in
regard to this young maid, whose destiny, and the life of the king
himself, seemed to depend on the execution of a project (which though
conceived by the fond suggestions of a loving maiden's thoughts, the
countess knew not but it might be the unseen workings of Providence to
bring to pass the recovery of the king, and to lay the foundation of
the future fortunes of Gerard de Narbon's daughter), free leave she
gave to Helena to pursue her own way, and generously furnished her
with ample means and suitable attendants, and Helena set out for
Paris with the blessings of the countess, and her kindest wishes for
her success.

Helena arrived at Paris, and by the assistance of her friend the old
lord Lafeu, she obtained an audience of the king. She had still many
difficulties to encounter, for the king was not easily prevailed on to
try the medicine offered him by this fair young doctor. But she told
him she was Gerard de Narbon's daughter (with whose fame the king
was well acquainted), and she offered the precious medicine as the
darling treasure which contained the essence of all her father's long
experience and skill, and she boldly engaged to forfeit her life, if
it failed to restore his majesty to perfect health in the space of two
days. The king at length consented to try it, and in two days time
Helena was to lose her life if the king did not recover; but if she
succeeded, he promised to give her the