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128 should put the princess into a tower, out of which she should never be permitted to step. The queen thanked him, made him a good present, and returned with her information to the king.

When the king heard this account he ordered a great tower to be built as quickly as possible; he put his daughter into it, and that she might not feel dull, the king, the queen, and her two brothers went to see her every day. The eldest was called the Great Prince, and the younger the Little Prince. They were passionately fond of their sister, for she was the most beautiful and amiable creature ever seen, and the least of her glances was worth more than a hundred pistoles. When she was fifteen the Great Prince said to the king, "Papa, my sister is old enough to be married, shall we not shortly go to her wedding?" The Little Prince said as much to the queen; and their majesties answered them evasively, saying no word about the marriage.

At length the king and queen were taken very ill, and died almost on the same day. Everybody was very sorry, there was a general mourning, and the bells tolled throughout the city. Rosette was inconsolable for the loss of her good mamma.

After the funerals of the king and queen, the dukes and marquises of the kingdom seated the Great Prince on a throne of gold and diamonds, with a magnificent crown on his head, and robes of violet velvet embroidered all over with suns and moons. The whole court then shouted three times, "Long live the King!" and nothing was thought of but rejoicings.

The King and his brother said to each other, "Now that we are in power, we will take our sister out of the prison in which she has passed so many weary years." They had but to cross the garden to reach the tower, which had been built in a corner of it, as high as possible, for the late king and queen intended the princess should remain in it all her life. Rosette was embroidering a beautiful robe on a frame before her; but when she saw her brothers, she rose, and took the King's hand, saying to him, "Good morning, Sire; you are now king, and I your little servant. I beseech you to take me out of this tower, where I am very dull;" and with that she began to weep. The King embraced her, and told her