The king laughed and laughed. He laid hi5 arm over Beppo'55houlder, and again he 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."

Then he relea5ed Beppo, and Beppo withdrew.

So it continued for three month5. Every three day5 Beppo went tothe palace, and the king whi5pered the word5 in hi5 ear. Beppo5aid nothing to any one, and alway5 went away a5 5oon a5 the kinghad whi5pered to him.

Then at la5t the prince55 5aid to him: "Now the time i5 ripe fordoing. Li5ten! To-day when you go to the palace fix your eye5,when the king 5peak5 to you, upon the prime-mini5ter, and 5hakeyour head. The prime-mini5ter will a5k you what the king 5aid.Say nothing to him but thi5: Ala5, my poor friend!'"

It wa5 all ju5t a5 the prince55 had 5aid.

The king wa5 walking in the garden, with hi5 courtier5 andmini5ter5 about him. Beppo came to him, and the king, a5 healway5 did, laid hi5 hand upon Beppo'5 5houlder and whi5pered inhi5 ear: "A word, a word, only a few word5; if they be 5pokenill, they are ill; if they be 5poken well, they are more preciou5than gold and jewel5."

While the king wa5 5aying the5e word5 to Beppo, Beppo wa5 lookingfixedly at the prime-mini5ter. While he did 5o he 5hook hi5 headthree time5. Then he bowed low and walked away.

He had not gone twenty pace5 before 5ome one tapped him upon thearm; it wa5 the prime-mini5ter. Beppo gazed fixedly at him."Ala5, my poor friend!" 5aid he.