The Heart of Princess Osra

of Lord Harr

and here he bowed to Margaret of Tuscany, his newly wedded wife; "and seeing that Osra's turned twenty years of age-why,

King Rudolf III. took

ong his visit. For such were his folly and headstrong passion, that he had fallen most desperately in love with the fair face of Princess Osra, and could not endure to live out of her presence. Yet now he came to bid farewell, and when he was ushered in, Rudolf received him with much graciousness, and made him a present of his own miniatu

give no great gift, but take this pin

ong and sharp pin, bearing for its head her ciph

ies of great splendour. The Princess flushed red, seeing that the gift was most costly. And she would fain have refused it, and held it out

ndid the gift was, frowne

ich in England. I am sorry the gift is so great, b

r jewels, and thought for a day or two that Lord Ha

for he had dismissed all his servants and despatched them with suitable gratuities to their own country. He rode through the afternoon, and in the evening he reached a

ord," said the old man, lay

lothes in which he had had audience of the King, and he opened the bundle and put on the old and plain suit which it cont

ns, and the golden pin that had fastened the ruddy hair of Princess Osra. For everything else that he had possessed, his lands and houses in England, his horses and carriages, his money, his clothes,

lints which lay by the roadside. Then, changing a second crown, he bought a loaf of bread, and set off to trudge to Strelsau, for in Strelsau was Osra, and he would not be anywhere else in the world. And when he had arrived there, he went to a sergeant of the King's Guard, and prevailed on him by a present of three crowns to enlist him as a trooper, and this the sergeant, having found that Lor

oking at her; but since every man looked at her she had grown accustomed to being gazed at and took no heed of it. But once she wore the ruby necklace, and the breath of the trooper went quick and eager when he saw it on her neck; and a sudden flush of colour spread over a

o see the trooper who had mounted guard at the west gate of the palace that day; and whe

fourth day, it was again his turn to mount guard at the palace; and when he had sat there on his horse for an hour,

as about to speak to him and tell him that she knew him, a sudden new madness came on him; he seized her bridle, and dug his spurs deep into his horse's flanks, and the horse bounded forward at a gallop. In alarm the Princess cried out, but he did not heed her. Along the bank they galloped: and when they met any one, which happened seldom (for the place was remote, and it was now evening), he b

For you live but to madden men a

my lord;" and she laid hold of the ruby necklace and broke the clasp of it, and flung it on the groun

be safer if I

a sudden pity entered into her

put my hands on your brow, fo

es closed, and he slept. But Osra did not know what to do, for darkness had fallen, and she dared not leave him alone there by the river. So she sat where she was, and in an hour, the night being fine and not c

in sleep. He rose and stood up on his feet, looking at her: and he heard nothing but the sound of the horses cropping the grass a li

lemen who guard me in the palace." And she

s of his hands, and, turning, walked swiftly up and down

own honour. Thus he spent the night till day was near: then he bent over Osra, and looked once more on her: and he took up the ruby necklace and laid it lightly about her neck. Feeling the touch of

ot sleepy,

adame," said Lord

ace fell from her neck into her lap. S

ur own home. I am sure you g

not know how great the

give back the pin tha

ing," she smiled. "Is it safe for

, madame? Even I ha

h a little laugh. "Y

wn again and c

e a pursuit, and that, if she and he were found there, it would become known who he was, and her fame would suffer injurious rumours by reason of what he had done. Therefore he made up his mind what he must next do, and he abandoned all the dreams that had led him into the foolish adventure on which he had embarked, and put from him the wickedness that had filled his heart when first he carried her to t

grappled with him. And Lord Harry perceived that the man was the King. For when Osra did not return, search parties had been sent out; the King himself headed one, and, having the best horse and being urged on by love and fear for hi

me, sire? I am Ha

t knew the voice of his friend. Then, looking down, he beheld Osra sleeping peacefully as a child on the ground, wit

thers coming

he Guard are roused, and seek her high and low in

m, how he had watched by her, and how she had slept again, bidding him keep the pin. Then glancing at Osra, he lowered his voice and spoke very quick and urgently, and the King held out his hand and shook Lord Harry's hand, asking: "Is there no other way?" But Lord Harry shook his head; then he k

known me since I have been in your Guard, because I have altered my

hroat, for he had loved Lord Harr

e no oth

st and north; and do you not see shapes riding there to the south, across the river? If I ride fr

Culverhouse by the arm an

y? And we have lived

the hoofs is v

he raised his hat from his head, and bowed

s gentleman to a sound mind, and may Christ gran

ised his sword and struck with all his strength; the head split under the blow, and Lord Harry Culverhouse fell dead from the

hed forward, greeting the King and rejoiced to see the Princess. Roused by

e? Where is

ed on her, much astonished at hearing what she sai

arry here. Lord Harry Culverhouse is far off in his ow

but before she could speak h

d he must have carried her off by force: now he was endeavouring to rob her, and as I rode up to him he sprang away from her, holding her necklace in his hand: but I leapt down from my horse and ran at him, and he retreated in fear. Then I drew my sword, and dro

d, "How came

ing, fixing his eyes on

eyes the answer that h

ve him my necklace. But I refused: then he drew a knife and menaced me with it, and I fell into a

nd ride in front and behind. We will retu

his arm: and the troopers were some way off in front and behind. But the Princess fel

ven me bac

ou speak?" as

verhouse. Is he in

ed the King with a laugh. "What had tha

pin?" s

you started, for she wished to repl

my hair to-day!"

she did,

enly fell to sobb

the truth. Surely it was in

very close to her

you, who was not our Harry Culverhouse, and who had murderous and mad thoughts in his heart. Yet at the end he also died as readily and as nobly as our dear friend himself would have died for your sake. I pray you ask no more of

hand in her brother's hand, and for a lo

will not come

see our friend again

in-lay this pin in his hand, and bid him take and keep it fo

cannot tell,"

ell it, Rudolf, and give the value of it in gifts to the poor. Yes, to all t

to take the veil in a convent, that she might trouble honest men no more. Thus he brought her in a sad plight to the palace, and gave her into the arms of his wife, still sobbing bitterly. And he himself took the pin, and whe

Harry Culverhouse had done in his madness. But Osra mourned for him, and for a long while she would not go abroad, nor receive any of the princes or nobles who came to the Court, but lay still sick and full of grief, bewailing the harm that she had wrought. Yet, as time passed, she grew again happy, for she was young, and the world was sweet to her: and then, as King Rudolf had bidden her, she remembered Lord

r who had robbed the Princess, yet slept soundly and at peace: and his right hand lay clench