Page 15 - The Green Beaubird

n due time (by the good pleasure of
Him who rules over all), Chiaretta be came
with child, to the great joy of the king, whose
fancy at once busied itself with the prospect of
the lovely progeny he had been promised.

Just at the time when Chiaretta was expecting to
be brought to bed, Ancilotto was forced to make
a journey to a distant country and to abide there
some days, and he directed that, during his
absence, his mother should see to the welfare of
the queen and of the children who, he hoped,
would soon be born. The queen-mother, though
she hated her daughter-in-law, let not the king
see this, and assured him that she would take the

greatest care of them all, while he might be
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