ration; "he will be best able to see
how the cloth looks; for he is a man of sense, and no one can be more
suitable for his office than he is."

So the honest old minister went into the hall, where the knaves were
working with all their might at their empty looms. "What can be the
meaning of this?" thought the old man, opening his eyes very wide; "I
can not discover the least bit of thread on the looms!" However, he
did not express his thoughts aloud.

The impostors requested him very courteously to be so good as to come
nearer their looms; and then asked him whether the design pleased him,
and whether the colors were not very beautiful; at same time pointing
to the empty frames. The poor old minister looked and looked; he could
not discover anything on the looms, for a very good reason, viz.,
there was nothing there. "What!" thought he again, "is it possible
that I am a simpleton? I have never thought so myself; and, at any
rate, if I am so, no one must know it. Can it be that I am unfit for
my office? No, that must not be said either. I will never confess that
I could not see the stuff."

"Well, Sir Minister!" said one of the knaves, still pretending to
work, "you do not say whether the stuff pleases you."

"Oh, it is admirable!" replied the old minister, looking at the loom
through his spectacles. "This pattern, and the colors--yes, I will
tell the Emperor without delay how very beautiful I think them."

"We shall be much obliged to you," said the impostors, and then they
named the different colors and described the patterns of the pretended
stuff. The old minister listened attentively to their words, in order
that he might repeat them to the Emperor; and then the knaves asked
for more silk and gold, saying that it was necessary to complete what
they had begun. However, they put all that was given them into their
knapsacks, and continued to work with as much apparent diligence as
before at their empty looms.

The Emperor now sent another officer of his court to see how the men
were getting on, and to ascertain whether the cloth would soon be
ready. It was just the same with this gentleman as with the minister;
he surveyed the looms on all sides, but could see nothing at all but
the empty frames.

"Does not the stuff appear as beautiful to you as it did to my lord
the minister?" asked the impostors of the Emperor's second ambassador;
at the same time making the same gestures as before, and talking of
the desi