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182 thorn; they gathered herbs, and applied them to her foot; and she retired, very uneasy, as may be imagined, about her dear Prince. "Alas!" said she, "I shall not be able to walk to-morrow; what will he think, if he does not see me? I made him understand they intended marrying me; he will think I have not been able to prevent it; who will feed him? However he may act, it will be death to him; if he come to seek me, he is lost; if I send one of the young Ogres to him, Ravagio will know of it." She burst into tears; she sighed; and would rise early in the morning; but it was impossible for her to walk; her wound was too painful; and Tourmentine, who saw her creeping out, stopped her, and said if she took another step she would eat her.

In the meantime the Prince, finding her usual hour for being with him was passed, became distressed and frightened; the faster the time flew, the more his fears increased; all the punishments in the world would have appeared less terrible to him than the anxieties to which his love consigned him. He constrained himself to have patience, but the longer he waited, the less hope he had. At length he determined to die, and rushed out resolved at all risks to seek his amiable princess. He walked on, he knew not whither; he followed a beaten path that he saw at the entrance of the wood; after walking for about an hour, he heard a noise, and perceived the cavern, from whence came a thick smoke; he expected he should obtain some information there. He entered; and he had scarcely taken a step when he saw Ravagio, who, instantly seizing him with immense strength, would have devoured him, had not the cries he uttered in defending himself reached the ears of his dear love. At the sound of that voice she felt nothing could stop her; she rushed out of the hole she slept in, and entered that part of the cavern where Ravagio was holding the poor Prince; she was pale and trembling as though he would have eaten her. She threw herself upon her knees before him, and entreated him to keep this fresh meat for the day of her marriage with the young Ogre, and she herself would eat him. At these words Ravagio was so satisfied to think the Princess would follow their customs, that he let go the Prince, and shut him up in the hole where the young Ogres slept. Aimée begged to be allowed to feed him, that he might not get thin, and that he might