I was just coming after you to see if I could help you . ' ` Here is a young man , ' replied the old woman , ` who will be quite ready to give you up the bundle . You see he does not look as if he enjoyed carrying it . ' ` Will you let me take it , sir ? ' she asked . But the king felt ashamed of himself , and held on to it tightly , while the presence of the princess put him in a better temper . So they all travelled together till they arrived at a very ordinary-looking house , which Aveline pointed out as the castle of the White Demon , and told the king that he might put down his bundle in the courtyard . The young man was terribly afraid of being recognised by someone in this strange position , and would have turned on his heel and gone away had it not been for the thought of Minon-Minette . Still , he felt very awkward and lonely , for both the princess and the old woman had entered the castle without taking the slightest notice of the young man , who remained where he was for some time , not quite knowing what he had better do . At length a servant arrived and led him up into a beautiful room filled with people , who were either playing on musical instruments or talking in a lively manner , which astonished the king , who stood silently listening , and not at all pleased at the want of attention paid him . Matters went on this way for some time . Every day the king fell more and more in love with Minon-Minette , and every day the princess seemed more and more taken up with other people . At last , in despair , the prince sought out the old woman , to try to get some advice from her as to his conduct , or , anyway , to have the pleasure of talking about Minon-Minette . He found her spinning in an underground chamber , but quite ready to tell him all he wanted to know . In answer to his questions he learned that in order to win the hand of the princess it was not enough to be born a prince , for she would marry nobody who had not proved himself faithful , and had , besides , all those talents and accomplishments which help to make people happy . For a moment Souci was very much cast down on hearing this , but then he plucked up . ` Tell me what I must do in order to win the heart of the princess , and no matter how hard it is I will do it . And show me how I can repay you for your kindness , and you shall have anything I can give you . Shall I bring in your bundle of faggots every day ? ' ` It is enough that you should have made the offer , ' replied the old woman ; and she added , holding out a skein of thread , ` Take this ; one day you will be thankful for it , and when it becomes useless your difficulties will be past . '
` Is it the skein XXXXX my life ? '
At For after in into of that up with without