guessed the business of the ambassador.

'Well, he will be your husband in three months,' answered the queen,
ordering the prince's presents to be brought in. The princess was very
pleased with them, and admired them greatly, but the queen noticed that
all the while her eyes constantly strayed from the softest silks and
most brilliant jewels to the portrait of the prince.

The ambassador, finding that there was no hope of his being allowed to
see the princess, took his leave, and returned to his own court; but
here a new difficulty appeared. The prince, though transported with joy
at the thought that Desiree was indeed to be his bride, was bitterly
disappointed that she had not been allowed to return with Becasigue, as
he had foolishly expected; and never having been taught to deny himself
anything or to control his feelings, he fell as ill as he had done
before. He would eat nothing nor take pleasure in anything, but lay all
day on a heap of cushions, gazing at the picture of the princess.

'If I have to wait three months before I can marry the princess I shall
die!' was all this spoilt boy would say; and at length the king, in
despair, resolved to send a fresh embassy to Desiree's father to implore
him to permit the marriage to be celebrated at once. 'I would have
presented my prayer in person, he added in his letter, 'but my great age
and infirmities do not suffer me to travel; however my envoy has orders
to agree to any arrangement that you may propose.'

On his arrival at the palace Becasigue pleaded his young master's cause
as fervently as the king his father could have done, and entreated that
the princess might be consulted in the matter. The queen hastened to the
marble tower, and told her daughter of the sad state of the prince. Des
the prince without risking the doom pronounced over her by the wicked
fairy.

'I see!' she exclaimed joyfully at last. 'Let a carriage be built
through which no light can come, and let it be brought into my room. I
will then get into it, and we can travel swiftly during the night and
arrive before dawn at the palace of the prince. Once there, I can remain
in some underground chamber, where no light can come.'

'Ah, how clever you are,' cried the queen, clasping her in her arms. And
she hurried away to tell the king.

'What a wife our prince will have!' said Becasigue bowing low; 'but
I must hasten back with the tidings, and to prepare the underground
chamber for the prince