Page:Hans Andersen's fairy tales (Robinson).djvu/276

 HANS ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES So the two pretended weavers set up two looms, and affected to work very busily, though in reality they did nothing at all. They asked for the most delicate silk and the purest gold thread, put both into their own knapsacks, and then continued their pretended work at the empty looms until late at night.

'I should like to know how the weavers are getting on with my cloth,' said the Emperor to himself, after some little time had elapsed; he was, however, rather embarrassed, when he remembered that a simpleton, or one unfit for his office, would be unable to see the manufacture. 'To be sure,' he thought, 'he had nothing to risk in his own person; but yet, he would prefer sending somebody else, to bring him intelligence about the weavers, and their work, before he troubled himself in the affair.' All the people throughout the city had heard of the wonderful property the cloth was to possess; and all were anxious to learn how wise, or how ignorant, their neighbours might prove to be.

'I will send my faithful old minister to the weavers,' said the Emperor at last, after some deliberation, ' he will be best able to see how the cloth looks; for he is a man of sense, and no one can be more suitable for his office than he is.'

So the faithful old minister went into the hall, where the knaves were working with all their might at their empty looms. 'What can be the meaning of this? ' thought the old man, opening his eyes very wide. 'I cannot discover the least bit of thread on the looms!' However, he did not express his thoughts aloud.

The impostors requested him very courteously to be so good as to come nearer their looms; and then asked him whether the design pleased him, and whether the colours were not very beautiful, at the same time pointing to the empty 230