Year: 1871

er officer to see how the work was progress
ing, and if the piece of broadcloth would
soon be finished. But he Jared like the
other. He stared at the loom from every
side; but as there was nothing there, OF
course he could see only empty loom.


Does the stuff not please you as much
as it did the minister asked the men,
making the same gestures as before, and
talking of splendid colors and of colors
which did not exist.


Stupid | certainly am not, thought
the new commissioner then it must be
that | am not fitted for the lucrative Office.
That were a good joke! However, no one
dare even suspect such thing" And so
he began praising the stuff that he could
not see, and told the two swindlers how
pleased he was to behold such beautiful col
ors and such charming patterns. Indeed,
you Majesty" said he to the Emperor, on
his return, ''the stuff which the weaver S
are making is extraordinary fine


The magnificent brocade that the Empe
ror was having woven at his own expense
was the talk of the whole town.


The Emperor wished to see the costly
stuff while it was on the loom so, accom-
panied by chosen train of courtiers, among
whom were the two trusty men who had SO
admired the work, off he went to the two
cunning cheats. As soon as they heard of
the Emperor's approach. they bepan work
ing with all diligence, although as yet tLere
- ~ l.


is it not magnifcent?' said the two
officers of the crown "Will your Majesty
only look? What a charming pattern
What beautiful colors!" said they, point
ing to the empty frames, for they thought
the others could really see the stuff.


What's the meaning of this p said the
Emperor to himself Il see nothingl This
is terrible matter Am | simpletOn, or
am not fit to be Emperor? Why, that were
the worst that could happen to me. Oh,
charming the stuff is really charming,
said he then; Il approve it highly - And
he smiled graciously, aud examined the
empty looms minutely; for he would not
tor all the world say that he could not see





The whole suit strained their eyes to dis
cover something in the looms, but they
could see as little as the Others At the
same time, in order to please their master
the Emperor, they all cried out, '-Oh, how
beautiful and cou nseled His Majesty to
have new robes made out of this maguif
cent stuff, for the grand procession which
was about to take place. Excellent
Charmingi" was echoed from mouth to
mouth; and all were extremely pleased.
The Emperor was as satisfied as his cour-
tiers, and conferred on each Of the cheats
an order which they were to wear in their
buttonhole, and gave them the title of
knights of the most honorable order Of
the LOOM


The night preceding the day on which
the procession was to take place the two
men stayed up all night, and had sixteen
candles burning, so that everybody might
see how they worked to get the Enperor's 5
new dress done in proper time. They pre-
tended to unroll the stuff from the loom;
they cut in the air with their scissors, and
sewed with needles that had no thread.
Now, then" said they, THE Emperor
new suit is ready at last"


The Emperor then made his appearance
in the chamber of his two Knights of the
Loom, accompanied by his chamberlains of
the highest rank and the two cheats held
up their arms. as though they had some
thing in their hands and said: Here are
your Majesty's knee breeches, here is the
coat, and here the mantle. The whole suit
is as light as a cobweb; and when dressed
one would almost fancy he had nothing on
but that is Just the beauty of this stuff ~


''Of coursel' said all the courtiers, al
though not single one of them could see
anything of the clothes.


"Will your Imperial Maj ,sty most gra
ciously be pleased to undress? We will then
try on the new things before the glass


The Emperor allowed himself to be un-
dressed, and then the two cheats did exact
ly as if each one helped him on with an ar
ticle of dress


''How well the dress becomes your Ma
jesty and how well it fits What pattern
What colors! This is indeed dress wor-
thy of king -


The canopy which is to De borne above
your Majesty in the procession is in readi-
ness without, announced the Chief Master
of the ceremonies.


Il am quite ready" replied the Empe-
ror. DO my new things sit well?' asked
he, turning round once more before the
looking glass, III order that 1t might appear
that he examined the dress very miuutey.


The pages who were TO carry the Empe-
ror's train felt about on the ground as if
to lift up the end of the mantle, and did ex-
actly as if they were carrying something,
for they also did not wish to betray simplic-
ity or unitness for their post


And so the Emperor walked on under the
high canopy, through the street of the me
tropolis, and all the people in the streets
and at the windows cried out, "Oh, how
beautiful the Emperor's new dress is what
a splendid train and the mantle, how well
it sits -


In short, there was nobody but wished to