"and what do you want?"

"Do you not know me?" cried the proud king. "I am your master. I am the
king. I am the emperor. Let me pass"; and he would have thrust him
aside. But the porter was a strong man; he stood in the doorway, and
would not let the proud king enter.

"You my master! you the emperor! poor fool, look here!" and he held the
proud king by the arm while he pointed to a hall beyond. There sat the
emperor on his throne, and by his side was the queen.

"Let me go to her! she will know me," cried the proud king, and he tried
to break away from the porter. The noise without was heard in the hall.
The nobles came out, and last of all came the emperor and the queen.
When the proud king saw these two, he could not speak. He was choked
with rage and fear, and he knew not what.

"You know me!" at last he cried. "I am your lord and husband."

The queen shrank back.

"Friends," said the man who stood by her, "what shall be done to this
wretch?"

"Kill him," said one.

"Put out his eyes," said another.

"Beat him," said a third.

Then they all hustled the proud king out of the palace court. Each one
gave him a blow, and so he was thrust out, and the door was shut behind
him.

The proud king fled, he knew not whither. He wished he were dead. By and
by he came to the lake where he had bathed. He sat down on the shore. It
was like a dream, but he knew he was awake, for he was cold and hungry
and faint. Then he knelt on the ground and beat his breast, and said:

"I am no emperor. I am no king. I am a poor, sinful man. Once I thought
there was no one greater than I, on earth or in heaven. Now I know that
I am nothing, and there is no one so poor and so mean. God forgive me
for my pride."

As he said this, tears stood in his eyes. He wiped them away and rose to
his feet. Close by him he saw the clothes which he had once laid aside.
Near at hand was his horse, eating the soft grass. The king put on his
clothes; he mounted his horse and rode to his palace. As he drew near,
the door opened and servants came forth. One held his horse; another
helped him dismount. The porter bowed low.

"I marvel I did not see thee pass out, my lord," he said.

The king entered, and again saw the nobles in the great hall. There
stood the queen also, and by her side was the man who called himself
emperor. But the queen and the nobles did not look at him; they looked
at the king, and came forward to meet him.

This man also ca