rge was by no means so beautiful as his brother; he had only
a fresh boyish face, but his eyes were exceptionally deep and truthful,
and his mother always found in them a perfect reflection of what was in
her own heart.

The two boys were as happy as is every child who grows up in the
sunshine of its mother's love, but the lords and ladies about the Court,
and the castle-servants felt that misfortune had already begun to dog
the footsteps of the younger prince. How constantly he was in disgrace
with the duchess! And the accidents that had already happened in the
eleven years of his life were too numerous to count. While bathing he
had ventured too far out into the lake and had been nearly drowned;
once, while riding in the ring, he had been thrown over the barriers
by an unmanageable horse; indeed the Court-physician was certain to be
called from his night's rest at least once a month, to bind up bloody
wounds in the young prince's bead, or bruises on his body.

No one, save the Seneschal of the Royal Household, and the Master of
Ceremonies bore the unruly boy any malice, but every one pitied him as
an ill-starred child. With what relentlessness his evil destiny pursued
him was first made clear when a stone house, which he, together with
some other boys, had built, fell down on top of him. When they drew
him out from under the blocks and stones he was unconscious, and the
Major-domo, who had been attracted by the cries of George's companions,
carried him into the prince's room, laid him on the bed, and watched by
him until the physician was called.

The old nurse, Nonna, aided the Majordomo, and these two faithful souls
confided their anxiety to one another. They recalled the unlucky signs
that had accompanied his entrance into the world, and Pepe expressed his
fear that the unfortunate child would not come to life again.

"'Tis very sad," he continued, "but I doubt not it would be better for
the ducal family if Heaven were now to remove him, for an early death
is, after all, preferable to a long life of vexation and misery."

The boy heard this conversation word for word, for, although he could
move neither hand nor foot, and kept his eyes closed, his hearing and
understanding were wide awake.

Old Nonna had shed many tears during good Pepe's speech, and he was
trying to comfort her when George suddenly sat up, rubbed his eyes with
the back of his hands, stretched himself, and then, agile as a brook
trout, sprang