dogs again upon the trail of the deer but what was his surprise to see a

lovely young girl asleep in this lonely forest! He looked carefully

around but saw no one else. She was indeed alone--abandoned. On

examining her more closely, he saw traces of tears upon her cheeks and

indeed they were still escaping slowly from her closed eyelids.



Rosalie was simply clothed but the richness of her silk dress denoted

wealth. Her fine white hands, her rosy nails, her beautiful chestnut

locks, carefully and tastefully arranged with a gold comb, her elegant

boots and necklace of pure pearls indicated elevated rank.



Rosalie did not awake, notwithstanding the stamping of the horses, the

baying of the dogs and the noisy tumult made by a crowd of sportsmen.



The prince was stupefied and stood gazing steadily at Rosalie. No one

present recognized her. Anxious and disquieted by this profound sleep,

Prince Gracious took her hand softly. Rosalie still slept. The prince

pressed her hand lightly in his but even this did not awaken her.



Turning to his officers, he said: "I cannot thus abandon this

unfortunate child, who has perhaps been led astray by some design, the

victim of some cruel wickedness."



"But how can she be removed while she is asleep, prince," said Hubert,

his principal gamekeeper, "can we not make a litter of branches and thus

remove her to some hostel in the neighborhood while your highness

continues the chase?"



"Your idea is good, Hubert. Make the litter and we will immediately

place her upon it, only you will not carry her to a hostel, but to my

palace. This young maiden is assuredly of high birth, and she is

beautiful as an angel. I will watch over her myself, so that she may

receive the care and attention to which she is entitled."



Hubert, with the assistance of his men, soon arranged the litter upon

which Prince Gracious spread his mantle; then approaching Rosalie, who

was still sleeping softly, he raised her gently in his arms and laid her

upon the cloak. At this moment Rosalie seemed to be dreaming. She smiled

and murmured, in low tones:--



"My father! my father! saved for ever! The Queen of the Fairies! The

Prince Gracious! I see him; he is charming!"



The prince, surprised to hear his name pronounced, did not doubt that

Rosalie was a princess under some cruel enchantment. He commanded his

gamekeepers to walk very softly so as not to wake her and he walked by

the side of the litter.



On arriving at the palace, Prince Gracious ordered that the queen's

apartment should be prepared for Rosalie. He suffered no one to touch

her but carried her himself to her chamber and laid her gently upon the

bed, ordering the women who were to wait upon and watch over her to

apprise him as soon as she awaked. Then, casting a farewell look upon

the sad, sweet face of the sleeper, he strode from the room.



Rosalie slept tranquilly until morning. The sun was shining brightly

when she awoke. She looked about her with great surprise. The wicked

mouse was not near her to terrify her--it had happily disappeared.



"Am I delivered from this wicked fairy Detestable?" said she, joyfully.

"Am I in the hands of a fairy more powerful than herself?"



Rosalie now stepped to the window and saw many armed men and many

officers, dressed in brilliant uniforms. More and more surprised, she

was about to call one of the men, whom she believed to be either genii

or enchanters, when she heard footsteps approaching. She turned and saw

the prince Gracious, clothed in an elegant and rich hunting-dress,

standing before her and regarding her with admiration. Rosalie

immediately recognized the prince of her dream and cried out

involuntarily:--



"The prince Gracious!"



"You know me then?" said the prince, in amazement. "How, if you have

ever known me, could I have forgotten your name and features?"



"I have only seen you in my dreams, prince," said Rosalie, blushing. "As

to my name, you could not possibly know it, since I myself did not know

my father's name until yesterday."



"And what is the name, may I ask, which has been concealed from you so

long?"



Rosalie then told him all that she had heard from her father. She

frankly confessed her culpable curiosity and its terrible consequences.



"Judge of my grief, prince, when I was compelled to leave my father in

order to escape from the flames which the wicked fairy had lighted;

when, rejected everywhere because of the wicked mouse, I found myself

exposed to death from hunger and thirst! Soon, however, a heavy sleep

took possession of me, during which I had many strange dreams. I do not

know how I came here or whether it is in your palace that I find

myself."



Gracious then related to Rosalie how he had found her asleep in the

forest and the words which he had heard her utter in her dream. He then

added:--



"There is one thing your father did not tell you, Rosalie; that is, that

the queen of the fairies, who is our relation, had decided that we

should be married when you were fifteen years of age. It was no doubt

the queen of the fairies who inspired me with the desire to go hunting

by torchlight, in order that I might find you in the forest where you

had wandered. Since you will be fifteen in a few days, Rosalie, deign to

consider my palace as your own and command here in advance, as my queen.

Your father will soon be restored to you and we will celebrate our happy

marriage."



Rosalie thanked her young and handsome cousin heartily and then returned

to her chamber, where she found her maids awaiting her with a wonderful

selection of rich and splendid robes and head-dresses. Rosalie, who had

never given much attention to her toilet, took the first dress that was

presented to her. It was of rose-colored gauze, ornamented with fine

lace with a head-dress of lace and moss rosebuds. Her beautiful chestnut

hair was arranged in bands, forming a crown. When her toilet was

completed, the prince came to conduct her to breakfast.



Rosalie ate like a person who had not dined the day before. After the

repast, the prince led her to the garden and conducted her to the

green-houses, which were very magnificent. At the end of one of the

hot-houses there was a little rotunda, ornamented with choice flowers;

in the centre of this rotunda there was a large case which seemed to

contain a tree but a thick heavy cloth was thrown over it and tightly

sewed together. Through the cloth however could be seen a number of

points of extraordinary brilliancy.