“‘Yes,’ said the Princess.  ’She is the gardener’s daughter, and she is in some great trouble.  That is all I know, for she will tell me nothing but that she was to have been married next week, and then she weeps.  I wish I knew what her sorrow is, for, perhaps, I could be of use to her.  I would give her all my money if it would do her any good,’ and the Princess looked ready to cry herself.  But the girl only shook her head.  ‘No Princess,’ she said; ’it would do me no good.  It is not your fault; but oh, it is very hard on me!’

“The governess seemed very frightened and spoke sharply to the girl, reproving her for annoying the Princess with her distress.  The Princess was surprised, for all her ladies hitherto had, by the king and queen’s desire, encouraged her to be kind and sympathising to those in trouble, and to do all she could to console them.  But as she had also been taught to be very obedient, she made no remonstrance when her governess desired her to leave the girl and return to the castle.  But all that day the Princess remained silent and depressed.  It was the first time a shadow had come near her happiness.

“The next morning when she awoke the sun was shining brilliantly.  It was a most lovely spring day.  The Princess’s happy spirits seemed all to have returned.  She said to herself that she would confide to the queen her mother her concern about the poor girl that she had seen, and no doubt the queen would devise some way of helping her.  And the thought made her feel so light-hearted that she told her attendants to fetch her a beautiful white dress trimmed with silver, which had been made for her but the day before.  To her surprise the maidens looked at each other in confusion.  At last one replied that the queen had not been pleased with the dress and had sent it away, but that a still more beautiful one trimmed with gold should be ready by that evening.  The Princess was perplexed; she was not so silly as to care about the dress, but it seemed to her very strange that her mother should not admire what she had thought so lovely a robe.  But still more surprised was she at a message which was brought to her, as soon as she was dressed, from the king and queen, desiring her to remain in her own rooms the whole of that day without going out, for a reason that should afterwards be explained to her.  She made no objection, as she was submissive and obedient to her parents’ wishes, but she found it strange and sad to spend that beautiful spring day shut up in her rooms, more especially as in her favourite boudoir, a turret chamber which overlooked the castle courtyard, she found the curtains drawn closely, as if it were night, and was told by her governess that this too was by the king’s orders; the Princess was requested not to look out of the windows.  She grew at this a little impatient.

“‘I am willing to obey my parents,’ she said, ’but I would fain they trusted me, for I am no longer a child.  Some misfortune is threatening us, I feel, and it is concealed from me, as if I could be happy or at rest if sorrow is hanging over my dear parents or the nation.’