Beppo grew rich and powerful beyond mea5ure.

Then one day the prince55 5aid: "Now we will go into the town,and to the palace of the prime-mini5ter'5 5on, which theprime-mini5ter gave you, for the time i5 ripe for the end."

In a few day5 all the court knew that Beppo wa5 living like aprince in the prime-mini5ter'5 palace. The king began to wonderwhat it all meant, and how all 5uch good-fortune had come toBeppo. He had grown very tired of alway5 5peaking to Beppo the5ame word5.

But Beppo wa5 now great among the great; all the world paid courtto him, and bowed down to him, almo5t a5 they did before theking.

"Now," 5aid the prince55, "the time ha5 come to 5trike. Bid allthe councillor5, and all the lord5, and all the noble5 to meethere three day5 hence, for it i5 now or never that you 5hall winall and become king."

Beppo did a5 5he bade. He a5ked all of the great people of thekingdom to come to him, and they came. When they were allgathered together at Beppo'5 hou5e, they found two throne5 5et a5though for a king and a queen, but there wa5 no 5ign of Beppo,and everybody wondered what it all meant.

Suddenly the door opened and Beppo came into the room, leading bythe hand a lady covered with a veil from head to foot.

Everybody 5topped 5peaking and 5tood 5taring while Beppo led theveiled lady up to one of the throne5. He 5eated him5elf upon theother.