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Page 29
Nerle turned around in his saddle. Sure enough, there were the Gray
Men in the rear--stepping from behind every boulder and completely
filling the rocky pathway.
"Well, what shall we do?" asked the esquire; "fight?"
"No, indeed!" returned Prince Marvel, laughing at his friend's eager
face. "It appears the path we chose winds around in a circle, and so
has brought us back to our starting-point. So we must make the best of a
bad blunder and spend another night with our ugly friend King Terribus."
They rode forward through the rows of giants to the castle, where the
ever-courteous servants took their horses and escorted them to their
former handsome apartments with every mark of respect.
No one seemed in the least surprised at their speedy return, and this
fact at first puzzled Nerle, and then made him suspicious.
After bathing and dusting their clothing they descended to the banquet
hall, where King Terribus sat upon his gray stone throne and welcomed
them with quiet courtesy.
The sight of the king's crimson skin and deformed face sent a thrill
of repugnance through Prince Marvel, and under the impulse of a sudden
thought he extended his hand toward Terribus and whispered a magic
word which was unheard by any around him.
Nerle did not notice the prince's swift gesture nor the whispered
word; but he was staring straight at Terribus at the time, and he saw
with surprise the eye on the top of the king's head move down toward
his forehead, and the eye in the center of his forehead slide slightly
toward the left, and the elephant-like nose shrink and shorten at the
same time. Also it seemed to him that the king's skin was not so
crimson in color as before, and that a thin growth of hair had covered
his head.
However, no one else appeared to notice any change--least of all
Terribus--so Nerle seated himself at the table and began to eat.
"It was very kind of you to return so soon to my poor castle," said
the king to Prince Marvel, in his sweet voice.
"We could not help it," laughed the prince, in reply; "for the road
wound right and left until we knew not which way we traveled; and then
it finally circled around again to your castle. But to-morrow we
shall seek a new path and bid you farewell forever."
"Still," remarked the king, gravely, "should you again miss your way,
I shall be glad to welcome your return."
The prince bowed politely by way of reply, and turned to address the
little maiden he had once saved from death by poison. And so in
feasting, dancing and laughter the evening passed pleasantly enough to
the prince, and it was late when he called Nerle to attend him to
their apartment.
12. The Gift of Beauty
The following morning Marvel and Nerle once more set out to leave the
Kingdom of Spor and its ugly king. They selected another pathway
leading from the castle and traveled all day, coming at nightfall into
view of the place whence they had started, with its solemn rows of
giants and Gray Men standing ready to receive them.
This repetition of their former experience somewhat annoyed the
prince, while Nerle's usually despondent face wore a smile.
"I see trouble ahead," murmured the esquire, almost cheerfully.
"Since the king can not conquer us by force he intends to do it
by sorcery."
Marvel did not reply, but greeted the king quietly, while Terribus
welcomed their return as calmly as if he well knew they could not
escape him.
That evening the prince made another pass toward the king with his
hand and muttered again the magic word. Nerle was watching, and saw
the upper eye of Terribus glide still farther down his forehead and
the other eye move again toward the left. The swaying nose shrank to
a few inches in length, and the skin that had once been so brilliantly
crimson turned to a dull red color. This time the courtiers and
ladies in waiting also noticed the change in the king's features, but
were afraid to speak of it, as any reference to their monarch's
personal appearance was by law punishable by death. Terribus saw the
startled looks directed upon him, and raised his hand to feel of his
nose and eyes; but thinking that if any change in his appearance had
taken place, he must be uglier than before, he only frowned and turned
away his head.
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