When he returned , the white doe was gone . That night Desiree confessed to Eglantine that her pursuer was no other than the prince , and that far from flattering him , the portrait had never done him justice . ` Is it not hard to meet him in this shape , ' wept she , ` when we both love each other so much ? ' But Eglantine comforted her , and reminded her that in a short time all would be well . The prince was very angry at the flight of the white doe , for whom he had taken so much trouble , and returning to the cottage he poured out his adventures and his wrath to Becasigue , who could not help smiling . ` She shall not escape me again , ' cried the prince . ` If I hunt her every day for a year , I will have her at last . ' And in this frame of mind he went to bed . When the white doe entered the forest next morning , she had not made up her mind whether she would go and meet the prince , or whether she would shun him , and hide in thickets of which he knew nothing . She decided that the last plan was the best ; and so it would have been if the prince had not taken the very same direction in search of her . Quite by accident he caught sight of her white skin shining through the bushes , and at the same instant she heard a twig snap under his feet . In a moment she was up and away , but the prince , not knowing how else to capture her , aimed an arrow at her leg , which brought her to the ground . The young man felt like a murderer as he ran hastily up to where the white doe lay , and did his best to soothe the pain she felt , which , in reality , was the last part of the punishment sent by the Fairy of the Fountain . First he brought her some water , and then he fetched some healing herbs , and having crushed them in his hand , laid them on the wound . ` Ah ! what a wretch I was to have hurt you , ' cried he , resting her head upon his knees ; ` and now you will hate me and fly from me for ever ! ' For some time the doe lay quietly where she was , but , as before , she remembered that the hour of her transformation was near . She struggled to her feet , but the prince would not hear of her walking , and thinking the old woman might be able to dress her wound better than he could , he took her in his arms to carry her back to the hut . But , small as she was , she made herself so heavy that , after staggering a few steps under her weight , he laid her down , and tied her fast to a tree with some of the ribbons of his hat . This done he went away to get help .
Meanwhile Eglantine had grown very uneasy at the long absence XXXXX her mistress , and had come out to look for her .
For at from in like of on through to whether