Page 11 - Doralice

it on her finger and cried out, 'See, my father,
how well my mother's ring fits me!' and the
prince, when he saw what she had done,
assented.
But not long after this the soul of Tebaldo was
assailed by a strange and diabolical temptation
to take to wife his daughter Doralice, and for
many days he lived tossed about between yea

and nay. At last, overcome by the strength of
this devilish intent, and fired by the beauty of
the maiden, he one day called her to him and
said, 'Doralice, my daughter, while your
mother was yet alive, but fast nearing the end
of her days, she besought me never to take to
wife any woman whose finger would not fit

the ring she herself always wore in her
lifetime, and I swore by my head that I would
observe this last request of hers. Wherefore,
when I felt the time was come for me to wed
anew, I made trial of many maidens, but not
one could I find who could wear your
mother's ring, except yourself. Therefore I
have decided to take you for my wife, for thus
I shall satisfy my own desire without violating

the promise I made to your mother.' Doralice,
who was as pure as she was beautiful, when
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