Of course you shall have it directly ! ' he asked eagerly . ` It is that bright stone which fell out of the folds of your turban a few days ago , ' she answered , playing with his finger ; ` the little stone with all those funny marks upon it . I never saw any stone like it before . ' The young man did not answer at first ; then he said , slowly : ' I have promised , and therefore I must perform . But will you swear never to part from it , and to keep it safely about you always ? More I can not tell you , but I beg you earnestly to take heed to this . ' The princess was a little startled by his manner , and began to be sorry that she had every listened to the ogre . But she did not like to draw back , and pretended to be immensely delighted at her new toy , and kissed and thanked her husband for it . ` After all I need n't give it to the ogre , ' thought she as she dropped off to sleep . Unluckily the next morning the young man went hunting again , and the ogre , who was watching , knew this , and did not come till much later than before . At the moment that he knocked at the door of the palace the princess had tired of all her employments , and her attendants were at their wits ' end how to amuse her , when a tall negro dressed in scarlet came to announce that the ogre was below , and desired to know if the princess would speak to him . ` Bring him hither at once ! ' cried she , springing up from her cushions , and forgetting all her resolves of the previous night . In another moment she was bending with rapture over the glittering gems . ` Have you got it ? ' asked the ogre in a whisper , for the princess 's ladies were standing as near as they dared to catch a glimpse of the beautiful jewels . ` Yes , here , ' she answered , slipping the stone from her sash and placing it among the rest . Then she raised her voice , and began to talk quickly of the prices of the chains and necklaces , and after some bargaining , to deceive the attendants , she declared that she liked one string of pearls better than all the rest , and that the ogre might take away the other things , which were not half as valuable as he supposed . ` As you please , madam , ' said he , bowing himself out of the palace .
Soon XXXXX he had gone a curious thing happened .
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