Page 23 - Doralice

vessel. The king, when he saw the beautiful
clothes-chest so finely carved, was taken with
a great longing to possess it, and grew so
impatient to call it his own that every hour
seemed like a thousand till he should be able
to claim it. He then asked the merchant the
price he asked for it, and was answered that
the price was a very heavy one. The king,

being now more taken than ever with the
beautiful handicraft, would not leave the ship
till he had arranged a price with the merchant,
and, having sent for money enough to pay the
price demanded, he took his leave, and
straightway ordered the cassone to be borne
to the palace and placed in his chamber.

Genese, being yet over-young to wive, found
his chief pleasure in going every day to the
chase. Now that the cassone was transported
into his bedroom, with the maiden Doralice
hidden inside, she heard, as was only natural,
all that went on in the king's chamber, and, in
pondering over her past misfortunes, hoped
that a happier future was in store for her. And
as soon as the king had departed for the chase

in the morning, and had left the room clear,
Doralice would issue from the clothes-chest,
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