, 1882-06-09

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lis it not indeed magniticent?' -
said the two honest functionaries.
The design and color are worthy of
your Highness," And they pointed
to the empty looms, believing the
others might perceive something.
What the deuce!" thought the
Grand Duke, | can see nothing.
This is terrible Am incapable of
governing? No greater misfortune
could occur" Then he cried sud
denly: 1T is magnificent! And l
here publicly announce my entire
satisfaction" He wagged his head
with contented air, and looked at
the looms, not daring to tell the truth.
His suite did the same, one after the
other, but without seeing anything,
and repeated. like him: 1t is mag
nifcent!" They even advised him
to wear garments of this new cloth
at the first grand procession, 1T is
magnificent! it is charming!is admir-
able!" exclaimed every mouth; and
the satisfaction was general.
The two imposters were decorated
and received the title Of Gentlemen
Weavers.
The whole night preceding the
day of the procession they sat up and
worked by the light of numerous
tapers. The labor they imposed on
themselves was visible to every one,
At length they pretended to take the
cloth from off the looms, cut through
emptiness with large scissors, stitched
with threadless needles, after which
they pronounced the raiment to be
finished.
The Grand Duke, followed by his
aides -de-camp, went to examine it,
and the sharpers raising their arms
as though lifting something, said;
Here are the breeches, here is the
doublet, here is the mantle. They
are as light as spiders web. There
is no fear of the body being oppressed
by their weight; and in this, above
all, lies the virtue of the cloth"
Certainly" replied the aides, de-
camp; but they saw nothing, since
there was nothing to see.
eff his Grand Ducal Highness will
condescend to undress," said the
rogues, "we will try on him the gar
ments before the pier glass"
His Highness undressed, and the
rogues made believe to hand him
different portions of the attire. They
placed their hands on his shoulder as
though in the act of fastening some
thing; it was the train. The mon
arch turned and turned before the
glass.
Jupiter! how we'll it fits! What
an elegant make!" cried all the
courriers. "What a design! What
colors! What a precious costume!"
The Grand Master of the ceremo-
MES entered.
"The canopy beneath which your
Highness is to take part in the pro-
cession awaits you," said he.
"Very well, l am ready" replied
the Grand Duke. 1T seems to me
that l have not a bad appearance!"
And he gave one more turn before
the glass, and cast another admiring
look on the supposed splendor of his
raiment
The chamberlains, whose duty it
was to bear the train, went through
the performance of raising something
from off the floor, then lifted their
hands level with their breasts, not
wishing it to be thought they saw
nothing.
While the monarch proudly headed
theprocession beneath his magnificent
canopy everybody in the street and at
the windows cried aloud: "What a
superb costume What a graceful
train! What a perfect make!" No
person would have it known that he
saw nothing; had he done so he
would have been declared incapable
Of holding Office. Never before had
his grand ducal clothes excited such
an amount of admiration.
But l don't see that he has any
clothes ON at ALL" observed a little
child.
"Holy Father! only listen to the
innocentp said the parent; and the
crowd soon whispered among them
selves the child's remark.
"There is a little child who says
the Grand Duke has no clothes on at
ALL"
"He has no clothes on at ALL"
finally shouted the crowd; and the
Grand Duke was extremely vexed,
for it seemed to him that they were
right. He, however, was resolved
on the course to follow.
"Under any circumstances I must
go through with it to the end"
thought he
Then he drew himself up more
proudly than ever, and the chamber
lains continued respectfully to bear
the train which did not exist.