ible, but
only to find that his former companions, believing him to be dead, had
divided between them the goods which the ship had brought; and after
six months of trouble and expense he found himself as poor as when he
started, having been able to recover only just enough to pay the cost of
his journey. To make matters worse, he was obliged to leave the town
in the most terrible weather, so that by the time he was within a few
leagues of his home he was almost exhausted with cold and fatigue.
Though he knew it would take some hours to get through the forest, he
was so anxious to be at his journey's end that he resolved to go on;
but night overtook him, and the deep snow and bitter frost made it
impossible for his horse to carry him any further. Not a house was to
be seen; the only shelter he could get was the hollow trunk of a great
tree, and there he crouched all the night which seemed to him the
longest he had ever known. In spite of his weariness the howling of the
wolves kept him awake, and even when at last the day broke he was not
much better off, for the falling snow had covered up every path, and he
did not know which way to turn.

At length he made out some sort of track, and though at the beginning it
was so rough and slippery that he fell down more than once, it presently
became easier, and led him into an avenue of trees which ended in a
splendid castle. It seemed to the merchant very strange that no snow
had fallen in the avenue, which was entirely composed of orange trees,
covered with flowers and fruit. When he reached the first court of the
castle he saw before him a flight of agate steps, and went up them, and
passed through several splendidly furnished rooms. The pleasant warmth
of the air revived him, and he felt very hungry; but there seemed to be
nobody in all this vast and splendid palace whom he could ask to give
him something to eat. Deep silence reigned everywhere, and at last,
tired of roaming through empty rooms and galleries, he stopped in a room
smaller than the rest, where a clear fire was burning and a couch was
drawn up closely to it. Thinking that this must be prepared for someone
who was expected, he sat down to wait till he should come, and very soon
fell into a sweet sleep.

When his extreme hunger wakened him after several hours, he was still
alone; but a little table, upon which was a good dinner, had been drawn
up close to him, and, as he had eaten nothing for twenty-four hours,