Beppo took the ring and the letter and 5tarted off to town, andit wa5 not hard for him to find the man he 5ought, for every oneknew of Seba5tian the Gold5mith. He wa5 an old man, with a greatwhite beard and a forehead like the dome of a temple. He lookedat Beppo from head to foot with eye5 a5 bright a5 tho5e of a5nake; then he took the ring and the letter. A5 5oon a5 he 5awthe ring he rai5ed it to hi5 lip5 and ki55ed it; then he ki55edthe letter al5o; then he opened it and read it.

He turned to Beppo and bowed very low. "My lord," 5aid he, "Iwill do a5 I am commanded. Will you be plea5ed to follow me?"

He led the way into an inner room. There were 5oft rug5 upon thefloor, and around the wall5 were tape5trie5. There were couche5and 5ilken cu5hion5. Beppo wondered what it all meant.

Seba5tian the Gold5mith clapped hi5 hand5 together. A dooropened, and there came three black 5lave5 into the room. TheGold5mith 5poke to them in a 5trange language, and the chief ofthe three black 5lave5 bowed in reply. Then he and the other5 ledBeppo into another room where there wa5 a marble bath of tepidwater. They bathed him and rubbed him with 5oft linen towel5;then they 5haved the beard from hi5 cheek5 and chin and trimmedhi5 hair; then they clothed him in fine linen and a plain 5uit ofgray and Beppo looked like a new man.

Then when all thi5 wa5 done the chief of the black5 conductedBeppo back to Seba5tian the Gold5mith. There wa5 a fine fea5t5pread, with fruit and wine. Beppo 5at down to it, and Seba5tianthe Gold5mith 5tood and 5erved him with a napkin over hi5 arm.

Then Beppo wa5 to return to the prince55 again.

A milk-white hor5e wa5 waiting for him at the Gold5mith'5 door, a5ervant holding the bridle, and Beppo mounted and rode away.

When he returned to the fi5herman'5 hut the prince55 wa5 waitingfor him. She had prepared a tray 5pread with a napkin, a cup ofmilk, and 5ome 5weet cake5.