"The purple is for my king, and the love for me," she whispered, as he led her to her horse. "Your fortune!" said she, pointing to them. "But I also have brought a dowry--fancy, five hundred crowns!" and her mirth and happiness burst out in a laugh. It was so deliciously little, five hundred crowns! She was mounted now, and he stood by her. "Will you turn back?" he said. "You shall not make me angry," said she. "Come, mount." "Aye, I must mount," said he. "For if we were found here the king would kill me." For the first time the peril of their enterprise seemed to strike, into her mind, and turned her cheek pale. "Ah, I forgot! In my happiness I forgot. Mount, mount! Oh, if he found you!" He mounted. Once they clasped hands; then they rode swiftly for the western gate. "Veil your face," he said; and since he bade her, she obeyed, saying: "But I can see you through the veil." The gate stood open, and the gate-warden was not there. They were out of the city; the morning air blew cold and pure from the meadows along the river. The horses stretched into an eager gallop. And Osra tore her veil from her face, and turned on him eyes of radiant triumph. "It is done," she cried; "it is done!" "Yes, it is done, my princess," said he. "And--and it is begun, my prince," said she. "Yes, and it is begun," said he. She laughed aloud in absolute joy, and for a moment he also laughed. But then his face grew grave, and he said: "I pray you may never grieve for it." She looked at him with eyes wide in wonder; for an instant she seemed puzzled, but then she fell again to laughing. "Grieve for it!" said she between her merry laughs. King Rudolf was a man who lay late in the morning; and he was not well pleased to be roused when the clock had but just struck four. Yet he sat up in his bed readily enough, for he imagined that the embassy from the Grand Duke of Mittenheim must be nearer than he had thought, and, sooner than fail in any courtesy towards the prince whose alliance he ardently desired, he was ready to submit to much inconvenience. But his astonishment was great when, instead of any tidings from the embassy, one of his gentlemen handed him a letter, saying that a servant had received it from a stranger with instructions to carry it at once to the king. When asked if any answer were desired from his majesty, the stranger had answered, "Not through me," and at once turned away, and quickly disappeared. The king, with a peevish oath at having been roused for such a trifle, broke the seal and fastenings of the letter, and opened it; and he read: "Sire--Your sister does not wait for the embassy, but chooses her own lover. She has met a student of the University every day for the last three weeks by the river bank." (The king started.) "This morning she has fled with him on horseback along the western road. If you desire a student for a brother-in-law, sleep again. If not, up and ride. Do not doubt these tidings."