The light was dim, and he could distinguish little more than the outline of a young girl.

But though the form he saw was much taller than the princess he remembered, he never doubted it was she.

For one thing, he knew that most girls would have been frightened to see him there in the dead of the night, but like a true princess, and the princess he used to know, she walked straight on to meet him.
As she came she lowered the hand she had lifted, and laid the forefinger of it upon her lips.

Nearer and nearer, quite near, close up to him she came, then stopped, and stood a moment looking at him.
'You are Curdie,' she said.
'And you are the Princess Irene,' he returned.
'Then we know each other still,' she said, with a sad smile of pleasure.

'You will help me.' 'That I will,' answered Curdie.