our own will you come he extended his hand courteously to assist her across the of the vessel and in a few minutes the royal party were landed and the was left to the and servants who soon had all hands at work preparing the dinner which was to be served during the return sail chapter xi � in the king and queen followed by their and their guests walked leisurely off the pier and down a well made road sparkling with crushed sea shells and powdered coral towards a group of tall trees and green grass which they perceived a little way ahead of them there was a soothing everywhere � save for the singing of birds and the soft ripple of the waves on the sandy shore it was a silent land in which it seemed always afternoon � all round the coast the languid air did � breathing like one that hath a weary dream the queen paused once or twice to look around her she was vaguely touched and charmed by the still beauty of the scene it is very lovely she said more to herself than to any of her companions the world must have looked something like this in the first days of creation � so and fresh and simple the walking with sir walter glanced at her and smiled it is she said � a sort of without or do all the inhabitants go to sleep or disappear in the i wonder not all i imagine replied sir walter for here comes one though judging from the of his walk he is in no haste to welcome his king the personage he spoke of was indeed approaching and all the members of the royal party watched his advance with considerable curiosity he was tall and upright in bearing but as he came nearer he was seen to be a man of great age with a countenance on which sorrow and suffering had left their traces there were power on that face which tears had out f z their flowing and the high intellectual brow bo lines and wrinkles of anxiety and pain which were soul s pen marks of a tragic history he was attired simple s garb of rough blue when he was within a few paces of the king he raised his cap from his curly silver hair with an old world ce and courtesy sir de went fc to meet him and to explain the situation his majesty the king he said has wished to a surprise visit to his people of the islands � and he is here in person with the queen can you oblige him with an escort to the principal places of interest the old man looked at him with a touch of amusement and derision there are no places here of interest to a king he said unless a poor man s house may serve for his curious comment i am not his majesty s subject � but i live under his protection and his laws � and i am willing to offer him a welcome since there is no one else to do so he spoke with a refined and accent and in his look and bearing evinced the breeding of a gentleman and your name asked sir courteously my name is he replied i was on this coast years ago finding myself cast here by the will of god here i have remained as he said this sir remembered what he had casually heard at times about the life philosopher who had built for himself a dwelling on the islands out of the of wrecked vessels this must surely be the man delighted at having thus come upon the very person most likely to provide some sort of diversion for their and to wait at a distance for a moment he hastened back to the king and explained the position whereupon the monarch at once advanced with alacrity and as he approached the venerable personage who had him the only hospitality he was likely to receive in this part of his realm he extended his hand with a frank and kindly cordiality accepted it with a slight but not over salutation we owe you our thanks said the king for � in ing us thus readily and without notice which is surely the truest form of hospitable kindness that we are strangers here is entirely our own fault due to our own neglect of our island subjects and it is for this that we have sought to know something of the place privately before visiting it with such public and state as it deserves we shall be indebted to you greatly if you will lend us your aid in this intention your majesty is welcome to my service in whatever way it can be of use to you replied slowly as you see i am an old man and poor � i have lived here for well nigh thirty years making as little demand as possible upon the resources of either rough nature or smooth civilization to provide me with there is poor attraction for a king in such a simple home as mine more than all men living a king has cause to love simplicity returned the monarch as with his swift and keen glance he noted the old man s proud figure fine worn features and clear though deeply sunken eyes � for the glittering shows of ceremony are chiefly irksome to those who have to suffer their daily monotony let e present you to the queen � she will thank you as i for your kindly consent to play the part of host to us may nay � murmured � no thanks � no thanks f then as the king said a few words to his fair and she received the old man s respectful salutation in the cold grave way which was her custom he raised his eyes to 