"Your Majesty has only to command," said Herr Schnipp. "There have been monarchs, in neighbouring kingdoms, who would have cut off all our heads after we had done a bit of secret business; but the merest word of your Majesty is law to your loving subjects." The other merchants murmured assent, for King Prigio was really liked by his people. He was always good-tempered and polite. He never went to war with anybody. He spent most of the royal income on public objects, and of course there were scarcely any taxes to speak of. Moreover, he had abolished what is called compulsory education, or making everybody go to school whether he likes it or not; a most mischievous and tyrannical measure! "A fellow who can't teach himself to read," said the king, "is not worth teaching." For all these reasons, and because they were so fond of the queen, his subjects were ready to do anything in reason for King Prigio. Only one tradesman, bowing very deep and blushing very much, said: "Your Majesty, will you hear me for one moment?" "For an hour, with pleasure, Herr Schmidt," said the monarch. "It is an untradesman-like and an unusual thing to decline an order; and if your Majesty asked for my heart's blood, I am ready to shed it, not to speak of anything in the line of my business--namely, boot and shoe making. But keep a secret from my wife, I fairly own to your Majesty that I can _not_." Herr Schmidt went down on his knees and wept. {Herr Schmidt went down on his knees: p52.jpg} "Rise, Herr Schmidt," said the king, taking him by the hand. "A more honourable and chivalrous confession of an amiable weakness, if it is to be called a weakness, I never heard. Sir, you have been true to your honour and your prince, in face of what few men can bear, the chance of ridicule. There is no one here, I hope, but respects and will keep the secret of Herr Schmidt's confession?" The assembled shopkeepers could scarcely refrain from tears. "Long live King Prigio the Good!" they exclaimed, and vowed that everything should be kept dark. "Indeed, sire," said the swordmaker, "all the rest of us are bachelors." "That is none the worse for my purpose gentlemen," said his Majesty; "but I trust that you will not long deprive me of sons and subjects worthy to succeed to such fathers. And now, if Herr Schmidt will kindly find his way to the buttery, where refreshments are ready, I shall have the pleasure of conducting you to the scene of your labours."