regrets. At last she arose to lead her sheep to feed; but instead of going near the river, she plunged into the wood, where, lying down upon some moss, she leaned her head upon her hand and fell into a deep reverie. The Prince, who could not rest without her, ran to seek her, and suddenly stood before her. At sight of him she uttered a loud shriek, as if taken by surprise, and rising hastily rushed from him without looking at him; he remained for a moment motionless at so unusual a proceeding, then following and stopping her, said, "How, shepherdess! after giving me my death-blow, would you deprive yourself of the pleasure of seeing me die? You have already changed towards your shepherd; do you no longer remember what you promised him yesterday?" "Alas," said she, looking mournfully at him, "alas, what crime do you accuse me of! I am wretched. Commands have been laid upon me which it will be impossible to evade. Pity me! and do not approach me wherever I may be. It must be so." "It must be so," cried he, folding his arms in despair. "Must I fly from you, divine Princess? Can so cruel and so unjust an order be pronounced by you to me? Would you drive me mad? And this flattering hope, to which you allowed me to abandon myself, can it be extinguished while I live?" Carpillon, as heart-stricken as her lover, sank on the ground speechless and motionless; at this sight he was agitated by a thousand different thoughts. The state in which he saw his mistress sufficiently proved the compulsion under which she acted, and this certainly in a great measure diminished his grief.
He lost not a moment in endeavouring to revive her; a spring that flowed gently amongst the grass provided him with water to sprinkle on the face of his shepherdess, and some Cupids who were hidden behind a bush, have asserted to their companions, that he dared to steal a kiss. However that might be, she soon opened her eyes, then repulsing her amiable shepherd, "Fly! Avoid me!" said she; "if my mother should come, would she not have cause to be angry?" "Should I then have left you to be devoured by bears and wolves," said he; "or during a long swoon, alone in these solitary places, to be stung by some asp, or serpent?" "I must risk everything," she said, "rather than displease the Queen."
