ion, when he should know it was his own
wife, the despised Helena, whose conversation had so delighted him.

Bertram never knew how sensible a lady Helena was, else perhaps he
would not have been so regardless of her; and seeing her every day, he
had entirely overlooked her beauty, a face we are accustomed to see
constantly losing the effect which is caused by the first sight either
of beauty or of plainness; and of her understanding it was impossible
he should judge, because she felt such reverence, mixed with her love
for him, that she was always silent in his presence; but now that her
future fate, and the happy ending of all her love-projects, seemed to
depend on her leaving a favourable impression on the mind of Bertram
from this night's interview, she exerted all her wit to please him;
and the simple graces of her lively conversation and the endearing
sweetness of her manners so charmed Bertram, that he vowed she should
be his wife. Helena begged the ring from off his finger as a token of
his regard, and he gave it to her; and in return for this ring, which
it was of such importance to her to possess, she gave him another
ring, which was one the king had made her a present of. Before it was
light in the morning, she sent Bertram away; and he immediately set
out on his journey towards his mother's house.

Helena prevailed on the widow and Diana to accompany her to Paris,
their farther assistance being necessary to the full accomplishment
of the plan she had formed. When they arrived there, they found the
king was gone upon a visit to the countess of Rossilion, and Helena
followed the king with all the speed she could make.

The king was still in perfect health, and his gratitude to her who had
been the means of his recovery was so lively in his mind, that the
moment he saw the countess of Rossilion, he began to talk of Helena,
calling her a precious jewel that was lost by the folly of her son;
but seeing the subject distressed the countess, who sincerely lamented
the death of Helena, he said, "My good lady, I have forgiven and
forgotten all." But the good-natured old Lafeu, who was present, and
could not bear that the memory of his favourite Helena should be so
lightly passed over, said, "This I must say, the young lord did great
offence to his majesty, his mother, and his lady; but to himself he
did the greatest wrong of all, for he has lost a wife whose beauty
astonished all eyes, whose words took all ears capt