Page:Hans Andersen's fairy tales (Robinson).djvu/279

THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES am I unfit to be an Emperor? that would be the worst thing that could happen. Oh! the cloth is charming,' said he aloud. 'It has my complete approbation.' And he smiled most graciously, and looked closely at the empty looms; for on no account would he say that he could not see what two of the officers of his court had praised so much. All his retinue now strained their eyes, hoping to discover something on the looms, but they could see no more than the others; nevertheless, they all exclaimed, 'Oh, how beautiful!' and advised his Majesty to have some new clothes made from this splendid material, for the approaching procession. 'Magnificent! charming! excellent!' resounded on all sides; and every one was uncommonly gay. The Emperor shared in the general satisfaction; and presented the impostors with the riband of an order of knighthood, to be worn in their button-holes, and the title of 'Gentlemen Weavers.'

The rogues sat up the whole of the night before the day on which the procession was to take place, and had sixteen lights burning, so that every one might see how anxious they were to finish the Emperor's new suit. They pretended to roll the cloth off the looms; cut the air with their scissors; and sewed with needles without any thread in them. 'See!' cried they at last, 'the Emperor's new clothes are ready!'

And now the Emperor, with all the grandees of his court, came to the weavers; and the rogues raised their arms, as if in the act of holding something up, saying, 'Here are your Majesty's trousers! here is the scarf! here is the mantle! The whole suit is as light as a cobweb; one might fancy one has 233