第35章 The Clever Cat(2)

'I want a palace of ice that can be warmed with fires and filled with the rarest singing-birds!'

'Shut your eyes, then,' said the stone; and he shut them, and when he opened them again there was the palace, more beautiful than anything he could have imagined, the fires throwing a soft pink glow over the ice.

'It is fit even for the princess,' thought he to himself.

As soon as the king awoke next morning he ran to the window, and there across the plain he beheld the palace.

'That young man must be a great wizard; he may be useful to me.' And when the mother came again to tell him that his orders had been fulfilled he received her with great honour, and bade her tell her son that the wedding was fixed for the following day.

The princess was delighted with her new home, and with her husband also; and several days slipped happily by, spent in turning over all the beautiful things that the palace contained.But at length the young man grew tired of always staying inside walls, and he told his wife that the next day he must leave her for a few hours, and go out hunting.'You will not mind?' he asked.And she answered as became a good wife:

'Yes, of course I shall mind; but I will spend the day in planning out some new dresses; and then it will be so delightful when you come back, you know!'

So the husband went off to hunt, with the falcon on his wrist, and the greyhound and the cat behind him--for the palace was so warm that even the cat did not mind living in it.

No sooner had he gone, than the ogre who had been watching his chance for many days, knocked at the door of the palace.

'I have just returned from a far country,' he said, 'and I have some of the largest and most brilliant stones in the world with me.The princess is known to love beautiful things, perhaps she might like to buy some?'

Now the princess had been wondering for many days what trimming she should put on her dresses, so that they should outshine the dresses of the other ladies at the court balls.Nothing that she thought of seemed good enough, so, when the message was brought that the ogre and his wares were below, she at once ordered that he should be brought to her chamber.

Oh! what beautiful stones he laid before her; what lovely rubies, and what rare pearls! No other lady would have jewels like those--of that the princess was quite sure; but she cast down her eyes so that the ogre might not see how much she longed for them.

'I fear they are too costly for me,' she said carelessly; 'and besides, I have hardly need of any more jewels just now.'

'I have no particular wish to sell them myself,' answered the ogre, with equal indifference.'But I have a necklace of shining stones which was left me by father, and one, the largest engraven with weird characters, is missing.I have heard that it is in your husband's possession, and if you can get me that stone you shall have any of these jewels that you choose.But you will have to pretend that you want it for yourself; and, above all, do not mention me, for he sets great store by it, and would never part with it to a stranger!

To-morrow I will return with some jewels yet finer than those I have with me to-day.So, madam, farewell!'

Left alone, the princess began to think of many things, but chiefly as to whether she would persuade her husband to give her the stone or not.

At one moment she felt he had already bestowed so much upon her that it was a shame to ask for the only object he had kept back.No, it would be mean; she could not do it! But then, those diamonds, and those string of pearls! After all, they had only been married a week, and the pleasure of giving it to her ought to be far greater than the pleasure of keeping it for himself.And she was sure it would be!

Well, that evening, when the young man had supped off his favourite dishes which the princess took care to have specially prepared for him, she sat down close beside him, and began stroking his head.For some time she did not speak, but listened attentively to all the adventures that had befallen him that day.

'But I was thinking of you all the time,' said he at the end, 'and wishing that I could bring you back something you would like.But, alas! what is there that you do not possess already?'

'How good of you not to forget me when you are in the midst of such dangers and hardships,' answered she.'Yes, it is true I have many beautiful things; but if you want to give me a present--and to-morrow is my birthday--there IS one thing that I wish for very much.'

'And what is that? Of course you shall have it directly!' he asked eagerly.

'It is that bright stone which fell out of the folds of your turban a few days ago,' she answered, playing with his finger; 'the little stone with all those funny marks upon it.I never saw any stone like it before.'

The young man did not answer at first; then he said, slowly:

'I have promised, and therefore I must perform.But will you swear never to part from it, and to keep it safely about you always? More Icannot tell you, but I beg you earnestly to take heed to this.'

The princess was a little startled by his manner, and began to be sorry that she had every listened to the ogre.But she did not like to draw back, and pretended to be immensely delighted at her new toy, and kissed and thanked her husband for it.

'After all I needn't give it to the ogre,' thought she as she dropped off to sleep.

Unluckily the next morning the young man went hunting again, and the ogre, who was watching, knew this, and did not come till much later than before.At the moment that he knocked at the door of the palace the princess had tired of all her employments, and her attendants were at their wits' end how to amuse her, when a tall negro dressed in scarlet came to announce that the ogre was below, and desired to know if the princess would speak to him.

'Bring him hither at once!' cried she, springing up from her cushions, and forgetting all her resolves of the previous night.In another moment she was bending with rapture over the glittering gems.