Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/181

Rh the lovely portrait;—he stood transfixed with admiration. He forgot for the moment where he was, who he was, and everything else, knowing only that he had fallen desperately in love with that beautiful face. He had never seen his friend's sister in his life, but had only heard of her; so when he saw this picture he did not know that it was hers, but thought it must be Prince Demitrius' bride; feeling angry and jealous he rushed up to the sofa and drew his sword, intending to kill the young prince; but fortunately just at that very moment Prince Demitrius woke, and on seeing his friend standing over him with his drawn sword, he sprang up, exclaiming,—

"You here, Ignatius, and what in the name of all that is wonderful are you going to do?"

"To kill you!"

"Kill me! My dear friend, what for?"

"Because, Demitrius, that portrait is that of your bride, and I felt jealous of you, for I have fallen in love with that face."

"No; it is a portrait of Princess Marie, my much beloved sister."

"But why, my friend, did you never tell me more about her, and of her great beauty? I feel as though I could not live without her now."

"Well, marry her, Ignatius, and then we shall be brothers."

"Where is she? Let me see her at once!"

"She is away from home, staying with the princess at the kingdom opposite the World's End, but the moment she returns, I will tell her that you wish to marry her."