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 of the princess as Desiree 's own mother could have been if she had known of it . Still , she could not help feeling that if the king and queen had listened to her advice the girl would by this time be safely in the walls of her new home . However , she loved Desiree too much to let her suffer more than could be helped , and it was she who guided Eglantine to the place where the white doe was standing , cropping the grass which was her dinner . At the sound of footsteps the pretty creature lifted her head , and when she saw her faithful companion approaching she bounded towards her , and rubbed her head on Eglantine 's shoulder . The maid of honour was surprised ; but she was fond of animals , and stroked the white doe tenderly , speaking gently to her all the while . Suddenly the beautiful creature lifted her head , and looked up into Eglantine 's face , with tears streaming from her eyes . A thought flashed through her mind , and quick as lightning the girl flung herself on her knees , and lifting the animal 's feet kissed them one by one . ` My princess ! O my dear princess ! ' cried she ; and again the white doe rubbed her head against her , for thought the spiteful fairy had taken away her power of speech , she had not deprived her of her reason !
All day long the two remained together , and when Eglantine grew hungry she was led by the white doe to a part of the forest where pears and peaches grew XXXXX abundance ; but , as night came on , the maid of honour was filled with the terrors of wild beasts which had beset the princess during her first night in the forest .
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