 to give any
due attention to what she should say, told her that she would defer the
relation of her own life (which was worth her observation) till she had
obtained a respite from her own sorrows; and in the meantime, by all
manner of obliging ways, she endeavoured to divert and amuse her.

The queen, after a short interval of calmness of mind, occasioned only
by her so sudden escape from the terrors of pursuit, returned to her
former dejection, and for some time incessantly wept at the dismal
thought, that the princess seemed now, by this reverse of fate, to be
for ever excluded all hopes of being seated on her father's throne;
and, by a strange perverse way of adding to her own grief, she afflicted
herself the more, because the little princess was ignorant of her
misfortune; and whenever she saw her diverting herself with little
childish plays, instead of being pleased with such her innocent
amusement, it added to her sorrow, and made her tears gush forth in a
larger stream than usual. She could not divert her thoughts from the
palace from which she had been driven, to fix them on any other object;
nor would her grief suffer her to reflect, that it was possible for the
princess to be happy without a crown.

At length time, the great cure of all ills, in some measure abated her
Sorrows; her grief began to subside; in spite of herself, the reflection
that her misery was only in her own fancy, would sometimes force itself
on her mind. She could not avoid seeing, that her little hostess enjoyed
as perfect a state of happiness as is possible to attain in this world;
that she was free from anxious cares, undisturbed by restless passions,
and mistress of all things that could be of any use to make life easy or
agreeable. The oftener this reflection presented itself to her thoughts,
the more strength it gained; and, at last, she could even bear to think,
that her beloved child might be as happy in such a situation, as was her
amiable hostess. Her countenance now grew more cheerful; she could take
the Princess Hebe in her arms, and thinking the jewels she had preserved
would secure her from any fear of want, look on her with delight; and
began even to imagine, that her future life might be spent in calm
content and pleasure.

As soon as the voice of reason had gained this power over the queen,
Sybella told her, that now her bosom was so free from passion, she would
relate the history of her life. The
