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Rh day occupied by the thought of his beautiful princess. "How happy I am," said he, "to have found her!—How fascinating she is!—How deeply I appreciate the favour she shows me!" The tender lover counted up every moment of the time he was condemned to pass in the shape which prevented his marrying her, and never was the termination of a period desired more ardently. As he was anxious to pay Florine every attention in his power, he flew to the capital city of his own kingdom, alighted on his palace, entered his cabinet through a broken pane of glass in one of the windows, pounced on a pair of diamond ear-rings, so perfect and beautiful that none in the world could be compared to them, took them that evening to Florine, and begged her to wear them. "I would do so," she said, "if you visited me by daylight; but as I only see you at night, you must excuse me." The Bird promised he would contrive to come to the tower whenever she wished; upon which she put the ear-rings in her ears, and the night passed in tender conversation as the preceding had done.

The next day the Blue Bird returned to his kingdom, went to his palace, entered his cabinet by the broken window, and brought away the richest bracelets that had ever been seen. Each was made of a single emerald cut facet-wise, and hollowed in the middle so as to enable the wearer to pass her hands and arms through them. "Do you imagine," said the Princess to him, "that my affection for you can be measured by presents? Ah, how you misjudge me!" "No, Madam," replied he; "I do not believe that the trifles I offer you are necessary for the preservation of your love: but mine will not permit me to neglect the least opportunity of evincing my respect for you, and when I am absent these little trinkets will recal me to your mind." Florine said a thousand kind things to him on the subject, to which he replied by as many no less tender.

The following night the fond Bird brought to his fair one a moderate sized watch, which was encased in a single pearl, the workmanship of which surpassed even the material. "It is useless to present me with a watch," said the princess, sweetly. "When you are absent the hours seem endless to me, and when you are with me they pass like a dream, so that I cannot exactly measure them." "Alas, my Princess," exclaimed