The two smoked in silence for a few minutes, and then Hewitt continued: "I don't expect our friend has had an easy job altogether with that bird. His successes at most have only been three, and I suspect he had many failures and not a few anxious moments that we know nothing of. I should judge as much merely from what the groom told me of frequently meeting Lloyd with his parrot. But the plan was not a bad one--not at all. Even if the bird had been caught in the act, it would only have been 'That mischievous parrot!' you see. And his master would only have been looking for him." [Illustration: THE PALACE OF VANITY] FROM THE FRENCH OF MADAME ÉMILE DE GIRARDIN. It was a magnificent palace, built on the side of a broad highway, along which a great number of travellers passed every day. This palace had an elegant façade on each of its four sides; a colonnade supported by admirable columns surrounded it. It is true that this colonnade prevented the entrance of any light into the palace; but the exterior view of it was so beautiful that nobody ventured to criticise it objectively; besides, what need of daylight has anybody in a palace? Have they not lustres and candelabra? Why trouble themselves about the sun, then? Every portion of the dome of this palace was gilded, and produced a most dazzling effect. The queen who lived in this dwelling-place was a tall and handsome woman, who, instead of a heart, had in her bosom a large diamond cut in the form of a heart; it was believed to be on that account that she had never loved. On the front of her palace were written these words in ruby letters: "HERE YOU MAY OBTAIN WHATEVER YOU MAY WISH FOR." A young man passing along the road stopped to look at this superb monument, and having perceived this sign--for it bore a strong resemblance to a sign--he suddenly exclaimed:-- "Faith, I'd like to go inside! I'm tired of being in the condition I'm in, and should not be sorry to be something else." As he went towards one of the porticos, he noticed a beggar seated near it on a stone and laughing. "You are laughing at me, old fellow," said the young wayfarer; "but I give you back your laugh; for you must be a fool to remain in rags at the door of a palace where you have only to wish for a new coat to be dressed like a prince. Perhaps you don't know how to read?" "Oh, yes!--I know how to read--even writing in rubies," replied the old man. "Well, then, have you nothing to desire, that you do not enter this palace?" "Truly, yes. I desire more things than one; but not any such as they give away here." The old man had such an air of cunning as he said this, that the young man mistrusted him. "He is laying some kind of trap for me," he thought, and was about passing on his way.