noon
The butterfly flew away , and did not return to the garden . The hours passed very slowly , and would have seemed longer if his mind had not been agitated by various plans to recover the talisman . To do this , he must find its present possessor , and he reproached himself with having allowed the butterfly to escape by his awkwardness . At noon he returned to the palace , to the great astonishment of his servants , who were now accustomed not to see him all day . When he had eaten , he reposed a few hours on his couch , and , on his awaking , a messenger had come from the city with the news that the Princess was better since the morning . Thus the day concluded with more inward peace than heretofore : only one fear made him sad , that perhaps the butterfly had disappeared for ever from the garden , and then he could never recover his talisman . But the next morning , when he went into the garden , he found the butterfly perched on a poppy in the sunshine .