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The next moment, through the open doorway came the princess Irene. She went straight up to her father, with her right hand stretched out a little sideways, and her forefinger, as her father and Curdie understood, feeling its way along the invisible thread. The king took her on his knee, and she said in his ear: 'King-papa, do you hear that noise? 'I hear nothing, said the king.
After they had been alone for a little while, she thought of what she had resolved to ask him. 'Please, king-papa, she said, 'Will you tell me where I got this pretty ring? I can't remember. The king looked at it. A strange beautiful smile spread like sunshine over his face, and an answering smile, but at the same time a questioning one, spread like moonlight over Irene's.
'I will ask my king-papa the next time he comes, said Irene. Springtime The spring so dear to all creatures, young and old, came at last, and before the first few days of it had gone, the king rode through its budding valleys to see his little daughter.
'As soon as we get home, said the king, 'Irene and I will search out the warmest one to be found, and send it by one of the gentlemen. 'Yes, that we will, Curdie! said the princess. 'And next summer we'll come back and see you wear it, Curdie's mother, she added. 'Shan't we, king-papa? 'Yes, my love; I hope so, said the king.
'You won't come up and see my huge, great, beautiful grandmother, then, king-papa? said the princess. 'Not this time, said the king very gently. 'She has not invited me, you know, and great old ladies like her do not choose to be visited without leave asked and given. The garden was a very lovely place.
It was a long time since he had been to see her, and her little heart beat faster and faster as the shining troop approached, for she loved her king-papa very dearly and was nowhere so happy as in his arms.
'With the greatest of pleasure, princess, answered the captain of the gentlemen-at-arms, walking with his great stride into the room. The crowd of servants made eager way for him, and he bowed low before the little princess's bed. 'I shall send my servant at once, on the fastest horse in the stable, to tell your king-papa that Your Royal Highness desires his presence.
But when Lootie saw the eyes of her dear princess going in search of another instead of her, she fell upon her knees by the bedside, and burst into a great cry of distress. 'I think, Sir Walter, said the princess, 'I will keep Lootie. But I put myself under your care; and you need not trouble my king-papa until I speak to you again. Will you all please to go away?
Your grandmother took care of you without me. 'She sent you to help my people, anyhow. I wish my king-papa would come. I do want so to tell him how good you have been! 'But, said the mother, 'we are forgetting how frightened your people must be. You must take the princess home at once, Curdie or at least go and tell them where she is. 'Yes, mother. Only I'm dreadfully hungry.
She could see the road almost to the horizon, along which she had so often watched her king-papa and his troop come shining, with the bugle-blast cleaving the air before them; and it was like a companion to her.
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