Page 27 - Doralice

clear up the mystery, and the next morning
gave out that he was going to hunt at a village
ten leagues distant; but, in lieu of going forth,
he quietly hid himself in the room, keeping his
eyes steadily fixed on the door, and waiting to
see what might occur. He had not been long
on the watch before Doralice, looking more
beautiful than the sun, came out of the cassone

and began to sweep the room, and to
straighten the carpets, and to deck the bed,
and diligently to set everything in order, as
was her wont. The beautiful maiden had no
sooner done her kindly and considerate office,
than she made as if she would go back to her
hiding-place; but the king, ho had keenly taken

note of everything, suddenly caught her by the
hand, and, seeing that she was very fair, and
fresh as a lily, asked her who she was;
whereupon the trembling girl confessed that
she was the daughter of a prince. She declared,
however, that she had forgotten what was his
name, on account of her long imprisonment in
the cassone, and she would say nothing as to
the reason why she had been shut therein. The

king, after he had heard her story, fell
violently in love with her, and, with ___

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