And he leaned so heavily on the envoy that Becasigue feared he was going to faint , and hastily laid him on the floor . For some minutes no one could attend to anybody but the prince ; but as soon as he revived the lady in waiting made herself heard . ` Oh , my lovely princess , why did we ever leave home ? ' cried she . ` But the king your father will avenge the insults that have been heaped on you when we tell him how you have been treated . ' ' I will tell him myself , ' replied the king in wrath ; ` he promised me a wonder of beauty , he has sent me a skeleton ! I am not surprised that he has kept her for fifteen years hidden away from the eyes of the world . Take them both away , ' he continued , turning to his guards , ` and lodge them in the state prison . There is something more I have to learn of this matter . ' His orders were obeyed , and the prince , loudly bewailing his sad fate , was led back to bed , where for many days he lay in a high fever . At length he slowly began to gain strength , but his sorrow was still so great that he could not bear the sight of a strange face , and shuddered at the notion of taking his proper part in the court ceremonies . Unknown to the king , or to anybody but Becasigue , he planned that , as soon as he was able , he would make his escape and pass the rest of his life alone in some solitary place . It was some weeks before he had regained his health sufficiently to carry out his design ; but finally , one beautiful starlight night , the two friends stole away , and when the king woke next morning he found a letter lying by his bed , saying that his son had gone , he knew not whither . He wept bitter tears at the news , for he loved the prince dearly ; but he felt that perhaps the young man had done wisely , and he trusted to time and Becasigue 's influence to bring the wanderer home . And while these things were happening , what had become of the white doe ? Though when she sprang from the carriage she was aware that some unkind fate had changed her into an animal , yet , till she saw herself in a stream , she had no idea what it was . ` Is it really , I , Desiree ? ' she said to herself , weeping . ` What wicked fairy can have treated me so ; and shall I never , never take my own shape again ? My only comfort that , in this great forest , full of lions and serpents , my life will be a short one . '
Now the fairy Tulip was as much grieved at the sad fate XXXXX the princess as Desiree 's own mother could have been if she had known of it .
Though as at before by for into of that to