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Instantly a tall blackamoor advanced from the throng and cast off his flowing robe, showing a strong figure clad only in a silver loincloth. "Crack me this fellow's bones!" commanded Terribus. "I beg your Majesty will not compel me to touch him," said Prince Marvel, with a slight shudder; "for his skin is greasy, and will soil my hands.
"Nothing," was the reply. "I have been here, plainly within your sight, every moment." "Let me go and find him!" exclaimed King Terribus, and rushed into the castle before the prince could reply. But Terribus also encountered the enchanted mirror, and the prince waited in vain for his return.
But the king himself, with his horrid, ugly head, was like a great blot on a fair parchment, and even Prince Marvel could not repress a shudder as he gazed upon him. Terribus placed his guest upon his right hand and loaded him with honors. Nerle stood behind the prince's chair and served him faithfully, as an esquire should.
We have not injured you in any way." "You have seen ME," returned Terribus, calmly, "and I do not intend you shall go back to the world and tell people how ugly I am." The prince looked at him, and could not repress a smile. The two eyes of the king, having been twice removed from their first position, were now both in his forehead, instead of below it, and one was much higher than the other.
It went rolling swiftly through the courtyard and bounded down the castle steps, where the rope broke and the men fell sprawling in all directions on the marble walk. King Terribus sighed, for such treatment of his Gray Men, whom he dearly loved, made him very unhappy.
"Thank you," answered Prince Marvel. "And the men of Spor are here!" added King Terribus, who was mounted on a fine milk-white charger, richly caparisoned. "I thank the men of Spor," returned Prince Marvel, graciously. "Shall we cut your foes into small pieces, or would you prefer to hang them?" questioned the King of the Reformed Thieves, loudly enough to set most of his hearers shivering.
"Let me read it," said Prince Marvel, suddenly snatching the book from Kwytoffle's hands. Then he turned to the title-page and read: "'Lives of Famous Thieves and Impostors. Why, this is not a book of enchantments." "That is what I suspected," said Terribus.
"I shall look at my reflection for the first time in many years." The mirror being brought King Terribus regarded himself for a long time with pleased astonishment; and then, his sensitive nature being overcome by the shock of his good fortune, he burst into a flood of tears and rushed from the room.
Oh, I know my business, King Terribus; and if you knew yours, you'd get rid of this pretended prince as soon as possible!" With this speech he winked at Prince Marvel, turned soberly around and crawled from the room.
But when they beheld his pleasant countenance and listened to his gentle voice they began to regard him with much love and respect; and really Terribus was worthy of their friendship since he had changed from a deformed monster into an ordinary man, and had forbidden his people ever again to rob and plunder their weaker neighbors.
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