"Alas!" said he to himself, "wise and great as I am, I thought I could go in. I see it must be because I am filled with pride. Let me hide my face; for what would Blanche say if she knew, that, because my heart is proud, I am shut out of my own castle? I am not worthy that she should love me; but I hope I shall learn of her to be humble and good." The next day he sailed for the home of his childhood. When Blanche saw him she blushed and cast down her eyes; but Victor knew they were full of tears of joy. He held her hand, and whispered: "Will you go with me and be my bride, beautiful Blanche?" "I will go with you," she answered softly; and Victor's heart rejoiced. All the while Blanche never dreamed that he was a great Prince, and that the men who came with him were his courtiers. When they reached Victor's kingdom, and the people shouted "Long live the Queen!" Blanche veiled her face and trembled; for Victor whispered in her ear that the shouts were for her. And as the people saw her beautiful face through her gossamer veil, they cried all the more loudly: "Long live Queen Blanche! Thrice welcome, fair lady!" The sun was sinking in the west, and his rays fell with dazzling splendor upon the castle of gems. When Blanche saw the silent, closed castle and its golden gates she remembered the words of Queen Fontana, who had said that her lily should have power to "open the strongest locks, and swing back the heaviest doors." Like one walking in a dream, she led Victor toward the resplendent castle. She touched with her lily the lock which fastened one of the gates. "Gates of gold could not withstand One touch of that magic wand." In an instant, the hinges trembled; and the massive door swung open so far that forty people could walk in side by side. Then it slowly closed, and locked itself without noise. One of the people who passed in was the King, whose heart was no longer proud. The others, who had entered unwittingly, could not speak for wonder. Some of them were poor, and some were lame or blind; but all were good and true. At the rising of the moon a wonderful thing came to pass. The people entered the castle of gems and became beautiful. This was through the power of the magic lily. Now there were no more crooked backs, and lame feet, and sightless eyes; and the King looked at these people, who were beautiful as well as good, and declared he would have them live in the castle; and the gentlemen should be knights; and the ladies maids of honor. To this day Victor and Blanche rule the kingdom; and such is the charm of the lily--so like the pure heart of the Queen--that the people are becoming gentle and good. Until Queen Fontana shall call for the magic spectacles and the lily of pearl, it is believed that Victor and Blanche will live in the castle of gems, though the time should be a hundred years. THE HEN THAT HATCHED DUCKS BY HARRIET BEECHER STOWE