“Oh, my lord! pardon me—the ring,” ejaculated Subtilia.
“Ah! the ring—what of the ring?”
“It is gone, my lord—stolen.”
“Gone! how gone, woman?” rejoined Jonathan, in anger.
“Ah, my good lord; this morning I went to my jewel-box to take out such ornaments as might best please my lord, and lo, the ring was not there; and now where it is I know not.”
“Farewell, Subtilia—I am ruined.”
With these words Jonathan left the lady. It was all in vain that he searched everywhere for the ring; it was of but a common form, and he dared not to reveal its secret, as once known no one would dream of resigning such a treasure. In his distress he returned to his mother, and told her all his misfortunes.
“My son,” said his lady mother, “did I not warn thee of this very danger? by the subtlety of this woman thou hast lost thy charmed jewel. Receive now thy father’s second bequest—this necklace; so long as you wear this on your breast, every wish of yours shall be fulfilled; go in peace, and, once more, beware of female subtlety.”
Overjoyed with his new acquisition, and unable to believe that Subtilia had deceived him about the loss of the ring, Jonathan returned to the city, and to the society of that fair but deceitful lady. For a time his secret remained within his own breast; at length, however, he yielded to the blandishments of his lady-love, and disclosed to her the source of his prosperity. Long and subtle were the means by which Subtilia gained the knowledge of the secret of the necklace, and longer and more subtle the plans by which she at last gained it to her own possession. This too was lost, as the ring; and Jonathan returned a second time to his mother.
“My son,” said she, “these two times you have fallen a victim to female subtlety, the ring and the necklace are not lost; Subtilia has them both, and if you would succeed, you must regain them from her. Receive this, the third and last bequest of your royal father; seated on this carpet, you have but to wish to find yourself forthwith in whatever place you desire; go in peace, my son—for the third time, beware of female subtlety.”