"Do the stars exist, my good lord, or the sun or the roses?"
"The roses wither, sweet lady, even here, in paradise."
"But friendship, good my lord, is a deathless rose; its leaves are immortal."
II.
At last Prince Ulric was happy. The days passed freighted with golden hours. He roamed with Christabel among the Rose Islands, and showed her the wonders thereof. Every day they inspected the progress made in the building of the ship which was to carry Prince Winfred to their shores. At length the vessel was finished, and she sailed away, the two companions watching her from the beach until her rosy flag and glittering figure-head were but specks in the distance. Then the Prince handed Christabel into a boat that spread its silken sails to the breeze, and they sailed along the coast.
"Art thou quite happy now, my gracious lord?" asked Christabel.