said he.

"The wise are fools, then!" cried Osra.

"So the dream would please you, madam?" he asked.

She had come not to know how she left him. Somehow, while he still
spoke, she would suddenly escape by flight. He did not pursue, but
let her go. So now she returned to the city, her eyes filled with
that golden dream, and she entered her home as though it had been some
strange palace decked with new magnificence, and she an alien in it.
For her true home seemed now rather in the cottage of the dream, and
she moved unfamiliarly through the pomp that had been hers from birth.
Her soul was gone from it, while her body rested there; and life
stopped for her till she saw him again by the banks of the river.

"In five days now I go," said he; and he smiled at her. She hid her
face in her hands. Still he smiled; but suddenly he sprang forward,
for she had sobbed. The summons had sounded, he was there; and who
could sob again when he was there and his sheltering arm warded away
all grief? She looked up at him with shining eyes, whispering:

"Do you go alone?"

A great joy blazed confidently in his eyes as he whispered in answer:

"I think I shall not go alone."

"But how, how?"

"I have two horses."

"You! You have two horses?"

"Yes. Is it not riches? But we will sell them when we get to the
cottage."

"To the cottage! Two horses!"

"I would I had but one for both of us."

"Yes."

"But we should not go quick enough."

"No."

He took his hand from her waist, and stood away from her.

"You will not come?" he said.

"If you doubt of my coming, I will not come. Ah, do not doubt of my
coming! For there is a great horde of fears and black thoughts beating
at the door, and you must not open it."

"And what can keep it shut, my princess?"

"I think your arm, my prince," said she; and she flew to him.

That evening King Rudolf swore that if a man were only firm enough,
and kept his temper (which, by the way, the king had not done, though
none dared say no), he could bring any foolish girl to reason in good
time. For in the softest voice, and with the strangest smile flitting
to her face, the Princess Osra was pleased to bid the embassy come on
the fifth day from then.

"And they shall have their answer then," said she, flushing and
smiling.

"It is as much as any lady could say," the court declared; and it was
reported through all Strelsau that the match was as good as made, and
that Osra was to be G