"Sire," said the fool, "will you permit me to dedicate to your Majesty a work I am about to print?" "With all the pleasure in the world, fool," the king replied; "but I must first know the title of the work, and how far advanced it is." "Sire, the work will be entitled the 'Almanac of Fools,' and will contain a list of the greatest idiots that the world has ever seen. As to the progress I have made with it, I have already inscribed upon the first page the name of the king of all fools past and to come." "Who might this illustrious worthy be, whom you give me for cousin, and select for king of fools?" "Charles V., Sire." "Charles V.," cried the king; "and why Charles V.?" "Because there is no other than Charles V. in the world, who, after detaining you a prisoner at Madrid as he did, would be insane enough to pass through your Majesty's dominions." "But suppose that he does pass through the very heart of my dominions without accident?" "In that case," said Triboulet, "I promise to erase his name and put another in its place." "Whose name will that be?" queried the king. "Yours, Sire; for in allowing him to pass you will show yourself a greater fool than he." The king roared with laughter. The courtiers echoed his merriment. Poor Eleanora alone turned pale. "Very good!" said François, "put my name in place of the Emperor's at once, for I have given my word of honor, and I'll stand to it. As to the dedication, I accept it, and here is the price of the first copy that appears." With that the king tossed a well filled purse to Triboulet, who caught it in his teeth, and hopped away on all fours, growling like a dog with a bone. "Madame," said the Provost of Paris to the queen, as he stepped forward with Colombe, "will your Majesty permit me to avail myself of this joyful moment to present to you under happy auspices my daughter Colombe, whom you have condescended to receive as one of your maids of honor?" The kindly queen addressed a few words of congratulation and encouragement to poor abashed Colombe, at whom the king meanwhile was gazing in admiration. "By my halidome, Messire le Prévôt," said François, smiling, "do you know that it's nothing less than high treason to have kept such a pearl so long buried and out of sight,--a pearl so well adapted to shine in the garland of beauties who surround the majesty of our queen. If you are not punished, for the felony, Messire Robert, you may thank the mute intercession of those lovely downcast eyes." Thereupon the king, with a graceful salutation to the charming girl, passed on to the chapel followed by the whole court. "Madame," said the Duke of Medina-Sidonia, offering his hand to the Duchesse d'Etampes, "shall we not allow the throng to pass, and remain a little behind? We shall be more conveniently situated here than elsewhere for a word or two of importance which I have to say to you in private."