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cried the amorous King in a rage. "Alas!" ⟨replied⟩ the Princess, "the thoughts of that is the most ⟨terrible⟩ of them all." "Nothing shocks me so much," ⟨answered⟩ the King, "as that you should become a victim to ⟨this⟩ monster." "Then," said the Princess, "let us ⟨die⟩ together." "No, my Princess," said tho King, "let ⟨me⟩ have the satisfaction of dying for you." "I ⟨would⟩ sooner," said she, "consent to the Dwarfs desires." "Oh! cruel Princess!" interrupted the King, "⟨should⟩ you marry him before my face, my life would ever ⟨after⟩ be odious to me." "No, it shall not be before thy face, replied the Dwarf, "for a beloved rival I cannot bear; and at thoso words he stabbed the King to the ⟨heart.⟩ The disconsolate Princess, aggravated to the last ⟨degree⟩ at such barbarity, thus vented her grief—"Thou ⟨hideous⟩ creature! since ontreaties could not avail thee, ⟨perhaps⟩
thou now reliest upon force: but thou shalt be disappointed, and thy brutal soul shall know ⟨perpetual⟩ mortification from the moment I tell thee I die for ⟨the⟩ love I have for the King of the Golden Minos!" Aud so saying, she sunk down upon his body, and ⟨expired⟩ without a sigh.
Thus ended the fate ef these two faithful lovers, which the Mermaid very much regrotted; but, all her power lying in the sword, she could only change them into two palm-trees, which, preserving a constant mutual affection for each other, caress and unite their branches together.
