e gentlemen
who were there. "No, sir; nothing." At the end of the steamer was this
merchant. "Sir, have you forgotten anything; for the steamer cannot
move?" He looked at his hand and replied: "Yes, I have forgotten
something--my wife's doll." He landed, got the doll, reembarked, and the
steamer continued its way. On his arrival at Naples, he carried the doll
to his wife, well dressed and elegant; it seemed like a very handsome
young girl. His wife, well pleased, talked to the doll, and they both
worked near the balcony. Opposite lived a king's son, who fell in love
with the doll, and became ill from his passion. The queen, who saw that
her son was ill, asked: "My son, what is the matter with you? Tell your
mamma. To-day or to-morrow we die, and you reign; and if you take an
illness and die, who will reign?" He answered: "Mamma, I have taken this
illness because there is a young girl, the daughter of the merchant who
lives opposite, who is so beautiful that she has enamored me." The queen
said: "Yes, my son, I shall marry you to her. Were she the daughter of a
scavenger, you shall marry her." "You would do a good thing. Now let us
send for the merchant." They sent a servant to the merchant's house.
"Her Majesty wishes you at the palace!" "What does she want?" "She must
speak with you." The merchant went to the palace, and asked: "Majesty,
what do you wish?" "Have you a daughter?" "No, Majesty." "What do you
mean? My son has fallen ill from the love he has conceived for your
daughter." "Your Majesty, I tell you it is a doll, and not a human
being." "I don't want to hear nonsense! If you don't present your
daughter to me in a fortnight, your head will fall under the
guillotine." (Do you not know what the guillotine is? It is the gallows.
He was to be hung if he did not take her his daughter within a
fortnight.) The merchant went home, weeping. His wife said: "What is the
matter; what has the king said to you at the palace, to make you weep?"
"Can you not guess what has happened to me? The king's son has fallen
ill for the sake of the doll you have!" "He has fallen ill? did he not
see that it was a doll?" "He would not believe it, and says it is my
daughter, and that if I do not bring her to him within a fortnight, my
head will fall under the guillotine." "Well," said his wife, "take the
doll, and carry her out into the country, and see what will happen." He
did so, and while he was going along, all confused, he met an old m