Page:Fairytales00auln.djvu/421

Rh terrible a blow, that he fell from his horse, with a dreadful wound in the head.

Carpillon fell with him; the Prince was already near her, trying to defend her against her ravishers; but all his resistance was in vain; they seized him, and would have strangled him upon the spot, if Prince Bossu—for it was he—had not made signs to spare him: "For," said he, "he shall be put to death with every variety of torture." They contented themselves, therefore, with binding his arms with thick cords; and the same cords served to secure the Princess, so that they were enabled to talk to each other.

At the same time they made a sort of litter to carry the wicked humpback upon. As soon as it was finished, they all departed, without any of the shepherds being aware of the misfortune that had happened to our young lovers, and so giving information to Sublime. It is easy to imagine his uneasiness when night came and they did not return. The Queen was equally alarmed, and they passed several days in company with all the shepherds of the country in seeking and deploring them in vain.

You must know that Prince Bossu had never forgotten the Princess Carpillon, but time had weakened his passion; and when he was not amusing himself by committing a few murders, and cutting without distinction the throats of all those who displeased him, he went hunting, and it was sometimes seven or eight days before he returned. He was out on one of these long hunting expeditions, when he suddenly caught sight of the Princess crossing a path. Her grief was so acute, and she cared so little what might happen to her, that she had not taken with her her bouquet of gillyflowers, consequently he knew her the moment he saw her.

"Oh, of all the misfortunes this is the greatest!" said the shepherd, in a low voice, to his shepherdess. "Alas! we were just upon the eve of being united for ever." He then related what had passed between Sublime and himself. It is easy to comprehend Carpillon's regret. "I have then cost you your life," said she, bursting into tears. "I lead you myself to death, you for whom I would shed my last drop of blood. I am the cause of the misfortune that overwhelms you, and through my own imprudence I have again fallen into the barbarous hands of my most cruel persecutor!"