ious
than gold and jewels." Then he laughed. "Is that what you would have me
say?" said he.

"Yes, majesty," said Beppo, and he bowed low and withdrew.

But, lo and behold, what a change!

Suddenly he was transformed in the eyes of the whole world. The crowd
drew back to allow him to pass, and everybody bowed low as he went
along.

"Did you not see the king whisper to him," said one. "What could it be
that the king said?" said another. "This must be a new favorite," said a
third.

He had come into the palace Beppo the Foolish; he went forth Beppo the
Great Man, and all because of a few words the king had whispered in his
ear.

Three days passed, and then Beppo went again to the Goldsmith's with the
ring and a letter from the princess. This time Sebastian the Goldsmith
fitted him with a suit of splendid plum-colored silk and gave him a
dappled horse, and again Beppo and his two attendants rode away to the
palace. And this time every one knew him, and as he went up the steps
into the palace all present bowed to him. The king saw him as soon as he
appeared, and when he caught sight of him he burst out laughing.

"Aye," said he, "I was looking for thee today, and wondering how soon
thou wouldst come. Come hither till I whisper something in thine ear."

Then all the lords and nobles and courtiers and ministers drew back, and
Beppo went up to the king.

The king laughed and laughed. He laid his arm over Beppo's shoulder,
and again he whispered in his ear: "A word, a word, only a few words; if
they be spoken ill, they are ill; if they be spoken well, they are more
precious than gold and jewels."

Then he released Beppo, and Beppo withdrew.

So it continued for three months. Every three days Beppo went to the
palace, and the king whispered the words in his ear. Beppo said nothing
to any one, and always went away as soon as the king had whispered to
him.

Then at last the princess said to him: "Now the time is ripe for doing.
Listen! To-day when you go to the palace fix your eyes, when the
king speaks to you, upon the prime-minister, and shake your head. The
prime-minister will ask you what the king said. Say nothing to him but
this: Alas, my poor friend!'"

It was all just as the princess had said.

The king was walking in the garden, with his courtiers and ministers
about him. Beppo came to him, and the king, as he always did, laid his
hand upon Beppo's shoulder and whispered in his ear: "A word, a word,
on