Beppo again shook his head. “Alas, my poor friend!” said he, and then he got upon his horse and rode away.
“This morning,” said the princess, “when you go to the king, look at the prime-minister when the king speaks to you, and smile. The prime-minister will again speak to you, and this time say, It is well, and I wish you joy.’ Take what he gives you, for it will be of use.”
Again all happened just as the princess said.
Beppo came to the palace, and again the king whispered in his ear. As he did so Beppo looked at the prime-minister and smiled, and then he withdrew.
The prime-minister followed him. He trembled. “It is well,” said Beppo, “and I wish you joy.”
The prime-minister grasped his hand and wrung it. “My lord,” said he, “how can I express my gratitude! The palace of my son that stands by the river--I would that you would use it for your own, if I may be so bold as to offer it to you.”
“I will,” said Beppo, “use it as my own.”
The prime-minister wrung his hand again, and then Beppo rode away.
The next time that Beppo spoke to the king, at the princess’s bidding, he looked at the lord-treasurer, and said, as he had said to the prime-minister, “Alas, my poor friend!”
When he rode away he left the lord-treasurer as white as ashes to the very lips.
Three days passed, and then, while the king talked to Beppo, Beppo looked at the lord-treasurer and smiled.
The lord-treasurer followed him to the door of the palace.
“It is well, and I wish you joy,” said Beppo.
The next time it was the same with the captain of the guards. First Beppo pitied him, and then he wished him joy.
“My lord,” said the captain of the guards, “my services are yours at any time.”
Then the same thing happened to the governor of the city, then to this lord, and then to that lord.
Beppo grew rich and powerful beyond measure.
Then one day the princess said: “Now we will go into the town, and to the palace of the prime-minister’s son, which the prime-minister gave you, for the time is ripe for the end.”
In a few days all the court knew that Beppo was living like a prince in the prime-minister’s palace. The king began to wonder what it all meant, and how all such good-fortune had come to Beppo. He had grown very tired of always speaking to Beppo the same words.