THE CURSE—THE WAY OUT 149

Fortunately, however, for the Prince, his
appearance and conversation had produced
an effect upon her which was most favour-
able to the success of his plans. The
Princess had been so much shut up in the
palace, and had enjoyed so few opportunities
of seeing any person-of the other sex save
those who were hump-backed and dwarfed
to boot, that she was insensibly disposed to
like any one who, although possessed of one
of these defects, was in all other respects
pleasant to look upon. Moreover, strange
to say, her heart was touched by the evident
admiration of the Prince—his story had
filled her with deep interest, and after they
had exchanged confidences and talked to-
gether over their respective fates, a mutual
sympathy seemed to spring up between them,
and it was difficult to say which of the two
was the better satisfied with the other. The
Prince vowed that he had never met any one
to whom his heart went out with such un-
controllable affection : the Princess, in terms
somewhat less outspoken, and with all the
gentle diffidence so becoming to a young
maiden, acknowledged the deep impression
which had been made upon her by her