Asourherohadthemagicstoneinhismouththeyimaginedthemselvesalone，anddidnotlowertheirvoices。
’What！’saidone，’areyoualwaysgoingtoallowyourselftobetormentedbyapassionwhichcanneverendhappily，andinyourwholekingdomcanyoufindnothingelsetosatisfyyou？’
’Whatistheuse，’repliedtheother，’ofbeingPrinceoftheGnomes，andhavingamotherwhoisqueenoverallthefourelements，ifIcannotwintheloveofthePrincessArgentine？
FromthemomentthatIfirstsawher，sittingintheforestsurroundedbyflowers，Ihaveneverceasedtothinkofhernightandday，and，althoughIloveher，Iamquiteconvincedthatshewillnevercareforme。YouknowthatIhaveinmypalacethecabinetsoftheyears。Inthefirst，greatmirrorsreflectthepast；inthesecond，wecontemplatethepresent；inthethird，thefuturecanberead。ItwasherethatIfledafterIhadgazedonthePrincessArgentine，butinsteadofloveIonlysawscornandcontempt。Thinkhowgreatmustbemydevotion，when，inspiteofmyfate，Istillloveon！’
NowthePrinceoftheGoldenIslewasenchantedwiththisconversation，forthePrincessArgentinewashissister，andhehoped，bymeansofherinfluenceoverthePrinceoftheGnomes，toobtainfromhisbrotherthereleaseofRosalie。Sohejoyfullyreturnedtohisfather’spalace，wherehefoundhisfriendtheFairy，whoatoncepresentedhimwithamagicpebblelikehisown。Asmaybeimagined，helostnotimeinsettingouttodeliverRosalie，andtravelledsofastthathesoonarrivedattheforest，inthemidstofwhichshelayacaptive。ButthoughhefoundthepalacehedidnotfindRosalie。Hehuntedhighandlow，buttherewasnosignofher，andhisdespairwassogreatthathewasready，athousandtimesover，totakehisownlife。