Page 350 - Child's own book

mind ; so that she arose before the sun, and in her morning dress
went down into this lower apartment; but how strangely was she
surprised to find Leander asleep upon the bed ! However, she
had then leisure enough to take a full view of him without being
perceived, and to convince herself that he was the person whoso
picture she had in her diamond box* “ It is impossible," said
she, t( iluit this should be a spirit, for can spirits sleep? Is this
a body composed of air and fire, without sub&tanee, as Ahrico-
tiim told me?*' She softly touched his Imir* and heard him
breathe, and the sight of him raised alternate fear and pleasure
in lier breast. But while she was thus attentively surveying
him, her mother, the fairy, entered with such a dreadful noise,
that Leafier started out of his sleep. But how strangely was
lie surprised, how deeply afflicted, to behold his beloved prin­
cess in the most ijleploraldc conditip|t!—her mother dragged her
by the hair* and loaded li^r with a thousand bitter reproaches.
In what grit f and consternation were the two young lovers, who
flaw themselves now npon the point of being separated fur ever !
The princess durst (ml open her lips to the incensed fairy, but
cast her eyes upon Leander, as it were to beg his assistance.
He judged rightly, that he ought not to deal by rugcod means
with a power superior to his, and therefore he sought by his
eloquence and sub mission to move the incensed mother. He
rail to her, threw him self at her feet, and besought her to have
pity upon a young prince, who would never change hisatfeetion
tor her daughter, but would make it his sovereign felicity to
render her happy. Tile princess, encouraged by his example,
also embraced her mother’s knees, and told her, that without
ihe king she should never he happy, and that she was greatly
obliged to him. 4-4 You know not the misfortunes of love,"
cried the fairy, “ nor the treacheries of which lovers are
capable; they bewitch us only to poison the happiness of our
lives; 1 have known it by experience : and why will you suffer the