THE INVISIBLE PRINCE. 829

is more in love than any sorcerer can he,” replied the prince. At
this moment Abricotina entered the room, and falling at her
lovely mistress’s feet, gave her a full account of what had
befallen her, and described the prince in the most lively and
advantageous colours.

“J should have hated all men,” added she, “had I not seen
him! Oh, madam, how charming he is! His air and all his
behaviour have something in them so noble and divine ; and
though whatever he spoke was infinitely pleasing, yet 1 think
I did well in not bringing him hither.” To this the princess
said nothing, but she asked Abricotina a hundred other questions
concerning the prince; whether she knew his name, his
country, his birth, from whence he came, and whither he was
going; and after this she fell into a profound thoughtfulness.
Leander observed everything, and continued to prattle as he
had begun: ‘ Abricotina is ungrateful, madam,” said he, “that
poor stranger will die for grief if he sees
parrot, let him die,” answered the princess with 2
since thou undertakest to reason like a person of
like a little bird, I forbid thee to talk to me any more of this
unknown person.” Leander was overjoyed to find that Abrico-
tina's and the parrot’s discourse had made such an impression
on the princess. He looked upon her with pleasure and delight.
“Can it be,” said he to himself, “that the master-piece of
nature, that the wonder of our age, should be confined eternally
in an island, and no mortal dare to approach her? But,”
continued he, “wherefore am I concerned that others are
banished hence, since I have the happiness to be with her, to
see her, to hear, and to admire her; nay more, to love her
above all the women in the universe?” It was late, and the
princess retired into a large room of marble and porphyry,
where several bubbling fountains refreshed the air with an