1896. 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



101 



•Uut my eyes" — 



"Tliey aio a i-uit of dirty gray. But 

 tliat wuuld bo uothiug if you had not 

 such an outrageous squint I" 



"My couipJexion" — 



"It looks as if you had rubbed coal 

 dust on your forehead and cheeks." 



"My month" — 



"It is pale and withered, like a faded 

 flower. ' ' 



"My teeth"— 



"If the beauty of teeth is to be large 

 and yellow, I never saw any so beauti- 

 ful as yours." 



"But, at least, my ears"— 



"They are so big, so red and so mis- 

 shapen under your coarse elf locks that 

 they are revolting. I am not pretty my- 

 self, but I should die of shame if mine 

 were like them. "' After this last blow 

 the old witch, having repeated what the 

 queen had J aught her, hobbled off, with 

 a harsh croak of laughter, leaving poor 

 Jacinta disstjlved in tears, prone on the 

 ground beneath the apple trees. 



Nothing could divert her mind from 

 her grief. "I am ugly — I am ugly 1" she 

 repeated constantly. It was in vain that 

 Valentin assured and reassured her with 

 the most solemn oaths. 



"Let me alone! You are lying out of 

 pity. I understand it all now. You nev- 

 er loved me. You are only sorry for me. 

 The beggar woman had no interest in 

 deceiving me. It is only too true — I am 

 ugly. I do not see how you can endure 

 the sight of me. " 



To undeceive her he brought people 

 from far and near. Every man declared 

 that Jacinta was created to delight the 

 eyes. Even the women said as much, 

 though they were less enthusiastic. But 

 the Eoor child persisted in her conviction 

 TOTTT pnc wn» a rriiuT've object, and 

 when Valentin pressed her to name their 

 wedding day, "I, yourwife!" cried she. 

 "Never ! I love you too dearly to burden 

 you with a being so hideous as I am." 

 You can fancy the despair of the poor 

 fellow so sincerely in love. He threw 

 himself on his knees, he prayed, he sup- 

 plicated ; she answered still that she 

 was too ugly to marry him. 



What was he to do? The only way to 

 give the lie to the old woman and prove 

 the truth to Jacinta was to put a mirror 

 before her. But there was no such thing 

 iii.the kingdom, aud so great was the 



terror inspired by (Le ueen that no 

 workujau dared maku oi;h. 



"Well, I shall go to court," said the 

 lover in despair. "Harsh as our mis- 

 tress is, she cannot fail to be moved by 

 the tears and the beauty of Jacinta. She 

 will retract, for a few hours at least, 

 this cruel edict which has caused our 

 trouble. ' ' 



It was not without difficulty that he 

 persuaded the young girl to let him take 

 her to the palace. She did not like to 

 show herself and asked of what use 

 would be a mirror, only to impress her 

 more deeply with her misfortune. But 

 when he wept her heart was moved, and 

 she consented to please him. 



"What is all thisV" said the wicked 

 queen. "Who are these people? And 

 what do they want?" 



"Your majesty, you have before yon 

 the most unfortunate lover on the face 

 of the earth." 



"Do you consider that a good reason 

 for coming here to annoy me?" 



"Have pity on me." 



"What have I to do with your love 

 affairs?" 



"If you would permit a mirror" — 



The queen rose to her feet, trembling 

 with rage. "Who dares to speak to me 

 of a mirror?" she said, grinding her 

 teeth. 



"Do not be angry, your majesty, I 

 beg of you, and deign to hear me. This 

 young girl whom you see before you, so 

 fresh and pretty, is the victim of a 

 strange delusion. She imagines that she 

 is ugly. " 



"Well," said the queen, with a ma- 

 licious grin, "she is right. I never saw 

 a more hideous object." 



Jacinta, at these cruel words, thought 

 she would die of mortification. Doubt 

 was no longer possible ; she must be 

 ugly. Her eyes closed; she fell on the 

 steps of the throne in a deadly swoon. 



But Valentin was affected very differ- 

 ently. He cried out loudly that her maj- 

 esty must be mad to tell such a lie. He 

 had no time to say more. The guards 

 seized him, and at a sign from the queen 

 the headsman came forward. He was al- 

 \7ay8 beside the throne, for she might 

 need his services at any moment. 



"Do your duty," said the queen, 

 pointing out the man who had insulted 

 her. The executioner raised his gjeam- 



