an be
thrown all sorts of secrets one might wish to get rid of."

The king did not lose a single syllable of this conversation. Malicorne
had even remarked that his majesty had slackened his pace, in order to
give him time to finish. So, when he arrived at the door, he dismissed
every one, with the exception of Malicorne--a circumstance which excited
no surprise, for it was known that the king was in love; and they
suspected he was going to compose some verses by moonlight; and,
although there was no moon that evening, the king might, nevertheless,
have some verses to compose. Every one, therefore, took his leave; and,
immediately afterward, the king turned toward Malicorne, who
respectfully waited until his majesty should address him.

"What were you saying, just now, about a ladder, Monsieur Malicorne?" he
asked.

"Did I say anything about ladders, sire?" said Malicorne, looking up, as
if in search of his words which had flown away.

"Yes, of a ladder nineteen feet long."

"Oh, yes, sire, I remember; but I spoke to M. Manicamp, and I should not
have said a word had I known your majesty could have heard us."

"And why would you not have said a word?"

"Because I should not have liked to have got the gardener scolded who
had left it there--poor fellow!"

"Don't make yourself uneasy on that account. What is this ladder like?"

"If your majesty wishes to see it, nothing is easier, for there it is."

"In that box-hedge?"

"Exactly."

"Show it to me."

Malicorne turned back and led the king up to the ladder, saying, "This
is it, sire."

"Pull it this way a little."

When Malicorne had brought the ladder on to the gravel walk, the king
began to step its whole length. "Hum!" he said; "you say it is nineteen
feet long?"

"Yes, sire."

"Nineteen feet--that is rather long; I hardly believe it can be so long
as that."

"You cannot judge very correctly with the ladder in that position, sire.
If it were upright, against a tree or a wall, for instance, you would be
better able to judge, because the comparison would assist you a good
deal."

"Oh! it does not matter, M. Malicorne; but I can hardly believe that the
ladder is nineteen feet high."

"I know how accurate your majesty's glance is, and yet I would wager."

The king shook his head. "There is one unanswerable means of verifying
it," said Malicorne.

"What is that?"

"Every one knows, sire, that the ground-floor of the palace is eighteen
feet hi