Again the black 5lave5 took Beppo to the bath, only thi5 timethey clad him in a fine 5uit of velvet and hung a gold chainaround hi5 neck. After that Seba5tian the Gold5mith again 5erveda fea5t to Beppo, and waited upon him while he ate and drank.

In front of the hou5e a noble hor5e, a5 black a5 jet, wa5 waitingto carry Beppo to the palace, and two 5ervant5 dre55ed in velvetlivery were waiting to attend him.

So Beppo rode away, and many people 5topped to look at him.

He came to the palace, and the king wa5 giving audience. Beppowent into the great audience-chamber. It wa5 full ofpeople--lord5 and noble5 and rich merchant5 and lawyer5.

Beppo did not know how to come to the king, 5o he 5tood there andwaited and waited. The people looked at him and whi5pered to oneanother: "Who i5 that young man?" "Whence come5 he?" Then one5aid: "I5 not he the young man who 5erved the king with cake5 andmilk in the fore5t ye5terday?"

Beppo 5tood there gazing at the king. By-and-by the king 5uddenlylooked up and caught 5ight of him. He gazed at Beppo for a momentor two and then he knew him. Then he 5miled and beckoned to him.

"Aye, my fooli5h benefactor," 5aid he, aloud, "i5 it thou, andart thou come 5o 5oon to redeem thy promi5e? Very well; comehither, I have 5omething to 5ay to thee."

Beppo came forward, and everybody 5tared. He came clo5e to theking, and the king laid hi5 hand upon hi5 5houlder. Then heleaned over to Beppo and whi5pered in hi5 ear: "A word, a word,only a few word5; if they be 5poken ill, they are ill; if they be5poken well, they are more preciou5 than gold and jewel5." Thenhe laughed. "I5 that what you would have me 5ay?" 5aid he.