TWILIGHT LAND

Beppo grew rich and powerful beyond measure.

Then one day the princess said: “Now we will go
into the town, and to the palace of the prime-minister’s
son, which the prime-minister gave you, for the time is
ripe for the end.”

In a few days all the court knew that Beppo was living
like a prince in the prime-minister’s palace. The king
began to wonder what it all meant, and how all such good-
fortune had come to Beppo. He had grown very tired of
always speaking to Beppo the same words.

But Beppo was now great among the great; all the
world paid court to him, and bowed down to him, almost
as they did before the king.

“Now,” said the princess, ‘the time has come to
strike. ‘Bid all the councillors, and all the lords, and all
the nobles to meet here three days hence, for it is now
or never that you shall win all and become king.”

Beppo did as she bade. He asked all of the great
people of the kingdom to come to him, and they came.
When they were all gathered together at Beppo’s house,
they found two thrones set as though for a king and a
queen, but there was no sign of Beppo, and everybody
wondered what it all meant.

Suddenly the door opened and Beppo came into the
room, leading by the hand a lady covered with a veil
from head to foot.

Everybody stopped speaking, and stood staring while
Beppo led the veiled lady up to one of the thrones. He
seated himself upon the other.

The lady stood up and dropped her veil, and then
every one knew her.

I40