m the carriage, crossed
the bars of the grating and commenced to gather the flowers.

At this moment Gourmandinet shuddered and was overwhelmed with remorse.
He wished to repair his fault by calling Blondine but although she was
only ten steps from him,--although he saw her perfectly--she could not
hear his voice, and in a short time she was lost to view in the
enchanted forest.

For a long time Gourmandinet wept over his crime, cursed his gluttony
and despised the wicked queen Fourbette.

At last he recalled to himself that the hour approached at which
Blondine would be expected at the palace. He returned to the stables
through the back entrance and ran at once to the queen, who was
anxiously expecting him.

On seeing him so deadly pale and his eyes inflamed from the tears of
awful remorse, she knew that Blondine had perished.

"Is it done?" said she.

Gourmandinet bowed his head. He had not the strength to speak.

"Come," said she, "behold your reward!"

She pointed to a large box full of delicious bonbons of every variety.
She commanded a valet to raise the box and place it upon one of the
mules which had brought her jewelry.

"I confide this box to Gourmandinet, in order that he may take it to my
father," she said. "Go, boy, and return in a month for another." She
placed in his hand at the same time a purse full of gold.

Gourmandinet mounted the mule in perfect silence and set off in full
gallop. The mule was obstinate and wilful and soon grew restive under
the weight of the box and began to prance and kick. He did this so
effectually that he threw Gourmandinet and his precious box of bonbons
upon the ground.

Gourmandinet, who had never ridden upon a horse or mule, fell heavily
with his head upon the stones and died instantly.

Thus he did not receive from his crime the profit which he had hoped,
for he had not even tasted of the bonbons which the queen had given him.

No one regretted him. No one but the poor Blondine had ever loved him.

THE FOREST OF LILACS

When Blondine entered the forest she commenced gathering the beautiful
branches of lilacs. She rejoiced in their profusion and delighted in
their fragrance.

As she made her selection, it seemed to her that those which were more
distant were still more beautiful so she emptied her apron and her hat,
which were both full and filled them again and again.

Blondine had been thus busily occupied for about an hour. She began to
suff