in the days of his earliest youth, though it was only during the past
seven years that it had caused him pain,--and yet, in truth, not pain,
but so pleasing a sickness that its cure would be his death.

"Since you have displayed such lengthened steadfastness," said the
Queen, "I must not show more haste in believing you, than you have shown
in telling me of your affection. If, therefore, it be as you say, I will
so test your sincerity that I shall never afterwards be able to doubt
it; and having proved your pain, I will hold you to be towards me such
as you yourself swear you are; and on my knowing you to be what you say,
you, for your part, shall find me to be what you desire."

Elisor begged her to test him in any way she pleased, there being
nothing, he said, so difficult that it would not appear very easy
to him, if he might have the honour of proving his love to her; and
accordingly he begged her once more to command him as to what she would
to have him do.

"Elisor," she replied, "if you love me as much as you say, I am sure
that you will deem nothing hard of accomplishment if only it may bring
you my favour. I therefore command you, by your desire of winning it and
your fear of losing it, to depart hence to-morrow morning without seeing
me again, and to repair to some place where, until this day seven years,
you shall hear nothing of me nor I anything of you. You, who have had
seven years' experience of this love, know that you do indeed love me;
and when I have had a like experience, I too shall know and believe what
your words cannot now make me either believe or understand."

When Elisor heard this cruel command, he on the one hand suspected that
she desired to remove him from her presence, yet, on the other, he hoped
that this proof would plead more eloquently for him than any words he
could utter. He therefore submitted to her command, and said--

"For seven years I have lived hopeless, bearing in my breast a hidden
flame; now, however, that this is known to you, I shall spend these
other seven years in patience and trust. But, madam, while I obey your
command, which robs me of all the happiness that I have heretofore had
in the world, what hope will you give me that at the end of the seven
years you will accept me as your faithful and devoted lover?"

"Here is a ring," said the Queen, drawing one from her finger, "which we
will cut in two. I will keep one half, and you shall keep the other, (3)
so th