Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/46

22 pulled the silken string, and rung the little bell; but ring as he would, it was all lost time ; he might sound the tocsin, and ring till he was tired, for the fairy gave no heed. So he went straight to the chamber, and not having patience to call the chamberlain and ask for the key, he gave the lock a kick, burst open the door, went in, opened the window, and seeing the myrtle stript of its leaves, he fell to making a most doleful lamentation, crying, shouting and bawling, "O wretched me! unhappy me! O miserable me! who has played me this trick ? and who has thus trumped my card? O ruined, banished and undone prince! O my leafless myrtle! my lost fairy! O my wretched life! my joys vanished into smoke! my pleasures turned to vinegar! What will you do, unhappy Cola Marchione ? Leap quickly over this ditch! you have fallen from all happiness, and will you not cut your throat? you are robbed of every treasure, and will you not open a vein? you are expelled from life, and do you not go mad? Where are you? where are you, my myrtle? and what soul more hard than marble has destroyed this beautiful flowerpot? O cursed chase, that has chased me from all happiness!