"Yet, for all that," said the princess, "I could wish my picture were
in the hands of this same stranger."
"Oh, madam," answered Abricotina, "is not his desire to see you
violent enough already; would you augment it?"
"Yes," cried the princess; "a certain impulse of vanity, which I was
never sensible of till now, has bred this foolish fancy in me."
Leander heard all this discourse, and lost not a tittle of what she
said; some of her expressions gave him hope, others absolutely
destroyed it. The princess presently asked Abricotina whether she had
seen anything extraordinary during her short travels?
"Madam," said she, "I passed through one forest where I saw certain
creatures that resembled little children: they skip and dance upon the
trees like squirrels; they are very ugly, but have wonderful agility
and address."
"I wish I had one of them," said the princess; "but if they are so
nimble as you say they are, it is impossible to catch one."
Leander, who passed through the same forest, knew what Abricotina
meant, and presently wished himself in the place. He caught a dozen of
little monkeys, some bigger, some less, and all of different colours,
and with much ado put them into a large sack; then, wishing himself at
Paris, where, he had heard, a man might have everything for money, he
went and bought a little gold chariot.
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