hat sounded hollow. Taking a hammer he broke away a bit of the
stone, and found behind it a little golden key. The next thing to do was
to find the cabinet, and the Prince soon came to it, hidden away in a
dark corner, though indeed it was so old and battered-looking that he
would never have noticed it of his own accord. At first he could not
see any keyhole, but after a careful search he found one hidden in the
carving, and the golden key just fitted it; so the Prince gave it a
vigorous turn and the doors flew open.

Ugly and old as the cabinet was outside, nothing could have been more
rich and beautiful than what met the Prince's astonished eyes. Every
drawer was made of crystal, of amber, or of some precious stone, and was
quite full of every kind of treasure. Prince Curlicue was delighted; he
opened one after another, until at last he came to one tiny drawer which
contained only an emerald key.

'I believe that this must open that little golden door in the middle,'
said the Prince to himself. And he fitted in the little key and turned
it. The tiny door swung back, and a soft crimson light gleamed over
the whole cabinet. The Prince found that it proceeded from an immense
glowing carbuncle, made into a box, which lay before him. He lost
no time in opening it, but what was his horror when he found that it
contained a man's hand, which was holding a portrait. His first thought
was to put back the terrible box and fly from the turret; but a voice in
his ear said, 'This hand belonged to one whom you can help and restore.
Look at this beautiful portrait, the original of which was the cause of
all my misfortunes, and if you wish to help me, go without a moment's
delay to the great gallery, notice where the sun's rays fall most
brightly, and if you seek there you will find my treasure.'

The voice ceased, and though the Prince in his bewilderment asked
various questions, he received no answer. So he put back the box and
locked the cabinet up again, and, having replaced the key in the crack
in the wall, hastened down to the gallery.

When he entered it all the windows shook and clattered in the strangest
way, but the Prince did not heed them; he was looking so carefully for
the place where the sun shone most brightly, and it seemed to him that
it was upon the portrait of a most splendidly handsome young man.

He went up and examined it, and found that it rested against the ebony
and gold panelling, just like any of the ot