His young Duchess Helen was the loveliest woman on earth, and the sorceress offered her to Paris in return for the golden apple.

He was most ready to have her and wished for nothing better; but he asked how he was to gain possession of her." "Paris must have been a sorry knight," interrupted Sintram.

"Such things are easily settled.

The husband is challenged to a single combat, and he that is victorious carries off the wife." "But Duke Menelaus was the host of the young knight," said the narrator.
"Listen to me, little Master," cried Sintram; "he might have asked the sorceress for some other beautiful woman, and then have mounted his horse, or weighed anchor, and departed." "Yes, yes; it is very easy to say so," replied the old man.

"But if you only knew how bewitchingly lovely this Duchess Helen was, no room was left for change." And then he began a glowing description of the charms of this wondrously beautiful woman, but likening the image to Gabrielle so closely, feature for feature, that Sintram, tottering, was forced to lean against a tree.