Had it not been for a sister left
him who took care of him, the poor old gentleman would have been, indeed,
in a miserable plight. A single word spoken by John Durer would have
restored his ancient benefactor to court, and replaced him in the
Emperor's favor. But vanity is without a heart; and wounded pride never
forgives him who has wounded it.
IV.
One day the fine young lord took a fancy to go and visit all the spots in
which, once on a time, he had dreamed away so many anxious hours. But he
would go alone, not choosing that any should witness his meeting with
those old friends, the haunts which might reveal to a companion the
poverty of his early life. He set forth without attendants, mounted on a
magnificent courser. He rode here, he rode there, not feeling even
surprised to see everything so much as it was when he had quitted the
country. The day began to go down--it was evening--when at last he came
to the Valley of Bushes. There was a small bird singing there, just as
it sang on that evening long ago.
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