Page:Hans Andersen's fairy tales (Robinson).djvu/278

 HANS ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES 'Does not the stuff appear as beautiful to you as it did to my lord the minister?' asked the impostors of the Emperor's second ambassador; at the same time making the same gestures as before, and talking of the design and colours which were not there.

'I certainly am not stupid!' thought the messenger. 'It must be that I am not fit for my good, profitable office! That is very odd; however, no one shall know anything about it.' And accordingly he praised the stuff he could not see, and declared that he was delighted with both colours and patterns. 'Indeed, please your Imperial Majesty,' said he to his sovereign, when he returned, 'the cloth which the weavers are preparing is extraordinarily magnificent.'

The whole city was talking of the splendid cloth which the Emperor had ordered to be woven at his own expense.

And now the Emperor himself wished to see the costly manufacture whilst it was still on the loom. Accompanied by a select number of officers of the court, among whom were the two honest men who had already admired the cloth, he went to the crafty impostors, who, as soon as they were aware of the Emperor's approach, went on working more diligently than ever, although they still did not pass a single thread through the looms.

'Is not the work absolutely magnificent?' said the two officers of the Crown, already mentioned. 'If your Majesty will only be pleased to look at it! what a splendid design! what glorious colours!' and, at the same time, they pointed to the empty frames; for they imagined that every one else could see this exquisite piece of workmanship.

'How is this?' said the Emperor to himself, 'I can see nothing! this is indeed a terrible affair! Am I a simpleton, or 232