Page:Legends of Rubezahl, and Other Tales (1845).djvu/241

 own. Renounce the rank in which you were born; ’tis your only chance of safety; your husband’s enemies would treat you with the utmost indignity were you to fall into their hands; nor can you escape doing so, forlorn and helpless as you are, unless you avail yourself of my protection in the way I propose.”

The poor lady’s hair stood on end at what she now heard. She was equally shocked at the barbarous order left by her husband, and at the temerity of her attendant, who had thus dared to avow his insolent love. But the reflection that she was quite at the mercy of this unworthy man restored her presence of mind. She saw that her only safe plan would be to affect to receive his declaration in good part. She therefore, after seeming to weigh his proposition for a minute or two, regarded him with a smiling aspect, and said: “Thou hast said well, Rupert; thy master has indeed forfeited all claim to my love, and I accept thy offer. Give me a few days to recover my agitated spirits, and then I will be thine.”

The amorous esquire, who had anticipated no such easy conquest, was transported with joy at his success. Having exhausted his entire stock of eloquence in thanks and acknowledgments, he prepared a bed of moss for his mistress in the interior of the cave, and himself lay down across its entrance to guard her repose, and, as soon