TWILIGHT LAND

day you shall go and claim the king’s promise of him.
Take this ring and this letter again to Sebastian the
Goldsmith. He will fit you with clothes in which to
appear before the king. Then go to the king’s palace that
he may whisper those words he has to say into your ear.”

Once more Beppo went to Sebastian the Goldsmith,
and the Goldsmith kissed the princess’s ring and letter,
and then read what she had written.

Again the black slaves took Beppo to the bath, only
this time they clad him in a fine suit of velvet and hung
a gold chain about his neck. After that Sebastian the
Goldsmith again served a feast to Beppo, and waited upon
him while he ate and drank.

In front of the house a noble horse, as black as jet, was
waiting to carry Beppo to the palace, and two servants
dressed in velvet livery were waiting to attend him.

So Beppo rode away, and many people stopped to look
at him. :

He came to the palace, and the king was giving
audience. Beppo went into the great audience-chamber.
It was full of people—lords and nobles and rich merchants
and lawyers.

Beppo did not know how to come to the king, so he
stood there and waited and waited. The people looked
at him and whispered to one another: ‘Who is that
young man?” ‘‘Whence comes he?” Then one said:
“Is not he the young man who served the king with
cakes and milk in the forest yesterday ?”

Beppo stood there gazing at the king. By-and-by the
king suddenly looked up and caught sight of him. He
gazed at Beppo for a moment or two and then he knew
him. Then he smiled and beckoned to him.

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