aughter was beloved by a youth who was surpassingly fair and
brave and comely; but, ah me! he was poor, and so the father despised
him.

"But one day there came from out of the dark depths of the forest a
prince in a splendid chariot, with six milk-white steeds, and the sound
of many trumpets blowing. This prince was stiff and somewhat old, yet he
said to the father: 'Give unto me your daughter, that I may wed her, and
she shall be my queen; then shall you be loved and honoured too, for you
shall have titles as well as wealth.'

"But the daughter loathed the elderly suitor. Nevertheless, that she
might see her father happy and titled, she gave the prince her hand, and
her father dowered her munificently, and--"

"Go on, Mr. Richards."

"Well, of course they lived happy ever afterwards."

"No, no, no, Mr. Richards; that isn't quite the end."

"Well, if I must tell you, I must. For a time, then, there was no one
more loved and honoured than Sylvina (for that was her pretty name), and
her father, too, was invited to the court of the prince. But the fame of
Sylvina's beauty and charms spread far and near, and hundreds visited
the prince who had never before been seen at his castle. Especially did
there come gay young sparks, with downy moustachelets to twirl, and
swords that tinkled at their heels; and so attentive were these crowds
of gallants that Sylvina never had time even to think, else her
thoughts might have gone back to her true lover, whom she had forsaken
in his poverty and sorrow, and whose white, distracted face often even
yet haunted her dreams at night, just as she had seen it for a moment
that day as she walked to the altar with the prince.

"But to the prince the young sparks were beyond measure attentive. They
seemed delighted of an evening to see him snug in his high-backed chair
by the fire; and one would run and bring his slippers and warm them,
another pulled off his shoes, while a third brought his wine, and a
fourth his hubble-bubble. Then they sang lullabies to him and patted his
shoulder till he fell asleep; then--

"But the prince awoke at last in every sense of the word. 'No longer,'
he cried, 'will I keep an open house that young sparks may pay
attentions to my wife. I will issue no more invitations, give no more
parties; Sylvina's father must return to his lonely house by the forest.
I and my bride will live but for each other.'

"He spoke thus because the green demon Jealousy had arou