The two former reigned over neighbouring states, but Prince Caspar, I
have heard, came from the north, beyond the Alps.
"A day, then, was fixed for these three to learn their fate, and they
met at the foot of the avenue, at the far end of which, on her palace
steps, stood the Grand Duchess to make her choice. Now, when Prince
Melchior came to the golden road, he thought it would be a sin and a
shame were his horse to set hoof on it and scratch it and perchance
break off a plate of it; so he turned aside and rode up along the
right of it under the chestnuts. Likewise and for the same reason
Prince Otto turned aside and rode on the left. But Prince Caspar
thought of the lady so devoutly and wished so much to be with her
that he never noticed the golden pavement at all, but rode straight
up the middle of it at a gallop.
"When the three arrived, Sophia felt that she liked Prince Caspar best
for his impetuosity; but, on the other hand, she was terribly annoyed
with him for having dented her precious avenue with hoof-marks.
She temporized, therefore, professing herself unable to decide, and
dismissed them for three years with a promise to marry the one who in
that time should prove himself the noblest knight.
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