speak, gentlemen,
lest you should praise her too much."

But the courtiers were still silent. "Sir," at last said one of the
boldest of them, "you had better go and see the princess yourself."

The prince, much surprised, would have thrown himself out of his
litter; but he was too feeble, and his father went instead. When the
king beheld the false princess, he involuntarily drew back; but the
lady-of-honour advancing boldly, said:

"Sire, this is the Princess Desiree;--I bear letters from the king and
queen her parents, and also a casket of priceless jewels, which they
charged me to place in your hands."

The king kept a mournful silence, and regarded his son, who now
approached, leaning on one of the courtiers. When he looked at the
girl, he recoiled with disgust; for she was so gaunt and tall that the
clothes of Desiree scarcely covered her knees, and her extreme
thinness, her red, hooked nose, her black and ill-shaped teeth, made
her as ugly as Desiree was beautiful. Prince Warrior, who for months
had thought of nothing but his lovely bride, stood petrified. "King,"
said he to his father, "I am betrayed! this is not the lady whose
portrait was sent me, and to whom I have plighted my faith; I have
been deceived, and the deception will cost me my life."

"What do I hear?" replied Longthorn, haughtily. "Prince, who has
deceived you? you will be no victim in marrying me."

"Ah! my beautiful princess," exclaimed the lady-of-honour, "it is we
who are victims. What a reception for one of your rank! what
inconstancy--what falsehood! But the king your father shall make them
hear reason."

"We will make him hear reason!" cried the other king, indignantly. "He
promised us a beautiful princess, and he has sent us a skeleton, a
fright. I do not wonder he has kept it shut up for fifteen years, and
now he wishes to foist it upon us."

And without taking any more notice of Longthorn, he and his son
remounted each into his litter, and departed.

Prince Warrior was so overcome by this unexpected affliction, that for
a long time he did not speak a word. Then he resolved, as soon as his
health allowed, to depart secretly from the capital, and seek some
solitary place where he might pass the remainder of his sad life. He
communicated this design to no one but the faithful Becafico, who
insisted upon following his fortunes wherever he went. So, one day,
the prince left a letter for his father, assuring him, that as soon as
hi