iwashenighbeforehedayfixedforhiscoronaion,andheyoungkingwassiingaloneinhisbeauifulchamberhiscouriershadallakenheirleaveofhim,bowingheirheadsoheground,accordingoheceremonioususageofheday,andhadreiredohegreahallofhepace,oreceiveafewslessonsfromheprofessorofeiquee;herebeingsomeofhemwhohadsillquienauralma

ers,whichinacourieris,ineedhardlysay,averygraveoffence

hed—forhewasonlyad,beingbusixeenyearsofage—wasnosorryaheirdeparure,andhadflunghimselfbackwihadeepsighofreliefonhesofcushionsofhisembroideredcouch,lyinghere,wildeyedandopenmouhed,likeabrownwoodndfaun,orsomeyounganimalofheforesnewlysnaredbyhehuners

and,indeed,iwashehunerswhohadfoundhim,cominguponhimalmosbychanceas,barelimbedandpipeinhand,hewasfollowingheflockofhepoorgoaherdwhohadbroughhimup,andwhosesonhehadalwaysfanciedhimselfobehechildofheoldking’sonlydaugherbyasecremarriagewihonemuchbeneahherinsaion—asranger,somesaid,who,byhewonderfulmagicofhisluepying,hadmadeheyoungprincesslovehim;whileohersspokeofanarisfromrimini,owhomheprincesshadshownmuch,perhapsoomuchhonour,andwhohadsuddenlydisappearedfromheciy,leavinghisworkinhecahedralunfinished—hehadbeen,whenbuaweekold,solenawayfromhismoher’sside,assheslep,andgiveninohechargeofacommonpeasanandhiswife,whowerewihouchildrenofheirown,andlivedinaremoeparofhefores,morehanaday’sridefromheowngrief,orhepgue,ashecourphysiciansaed,or,assomesuggesed,aswifialianpoisonadminiseredinacupofspicedwine,slew,wihinanhourofherwakening,hewhiegirlwhohadgivenhimbirh,andasherusymessengerwhobarehechildacrosshissaddlebowsoopedfromhiswearyhorseandknockedaherudedoorofhegoaherd‘shu,hebodyofheprincesswasbeingloweredinoanopengravehahadbeenduginadeseredchurchyard,beyondheciygaes,agravewhereiwassaidhaanoherbodywasalsolying,haofayoungmanofmarvellousandforeignbeauy,whosehandswereiedbehindhimwihaknoedcord,andwhosebreaswassabbedwihmanyredwounds

such,aleas,washesoryhamenwhisperedoeachohercerainiwashaheoldking,whenonhisdeahbed,whehermovedbyremorseforhisgreasin,ormerelydesiringhahekingdomshouldnopassawayfromhisline,hadhadhedsenfor,and,inhepresenceofhecouncil,hadacknowledgedhimashisheir

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