that he was in the stable, with the shivering ape by his side. Robert of
Sicily was a jester, and no one knew him for the king.

Three long years passed. Sicily was happy and all things went well under
the king, who was not Robert. Robert was still the jester, and his heart
grew harder and more bitter with every year. Many times, during the
three years, the king, who had his face and voice, had called him to
himself, when none else could hear, and had asked him the one question,
"Who art thou?" And each time that he asked it his eyes looked into
Robert's eyes, to find his heart. But each time Robert threw back his
head and answered, proudly, "I am the king!" And the other king's eyes
grew sad and stern.

At the end of three years, the Pope called the Emperor of Allemaine and
the King of Sicily, his brothers, to a great meeting in his city of
Rome. The King of Sicily went, with all his soldiers and courtiers and
servants,--a great procession of horsemen and footmen. Never had there
been seen a finer sight than the grand train, men in bright armour,
riders in wonderful cloaks of velvet and silk, servants, carrying
marvellous presents to the Pope. And at the very end rode Robert, the
jester. His horse was poor and old, many-coloured, and the ape rode with
him. Every one in the villages through which they passed ran after the
jester, and pointed and laughed.

The Pope received his brothers and their trains in the square before
Saint Peter's. With music and flags and flowers he made the King of
Sicily welcome, and greeted him as his brother. In the midst of it, the
jester broke through the crowd and threw himself before the Pope. "Look
at me!" he cried; "I am your brother, Robert of Sicily! This man is an
impostor, who has stolen my throne. I am Robert, the king!"

The Pope looked at the poor jester with pity, but the Emperor of
Allemaine turned to the King of Sicily, and said, "Is it not rather
dangerous, brother, to keep a madman as jester?" And again Robert was
pushed back among the serving-men.

It was Holy Week, and the king and the emperor, with all their trains,
went every day to the great services in the cathedral. Something
wonderful and holy seemed to make these services more beautiful than
ever before. All the people of Rome felt it: it was as if the presence
of an angel were there. Men thought of God, and felt His blessing on
them. But no one knew who it was that brought the beautiful feeling. And
when Easte