"Don't be afraid; no harm will come to you in this palace," the old man went on. "Troubles exist there only for those who ask for them: take my word for it, you may go in fearlessly." "Yes; but may I come out again?" "Certainly you may," replied the beggar, "if you find nothing there you wish for." The young man hesitated. He saw a number of people pass along the road, and not one of them seemed to have an idea of entering this palace. That struck him as being suspicious, and he took alarm. "Is this palace shunned by travellers? How comes it that not one enters it?" "It is because they have heard about it; they know that people are bored there, and, in his home, everybody likes to amuse himself." Seeing that the young man was curious to visit this monument, the old beggar said to him: "I'll tell you what I'll do; if you'll give me the price of a bottle of good wine, I'll sacrifice myself and go in with you--and we'll laugh together at the imbeciles who live there." "Agreed!" cried the young man. He gave the old beggar a piece of money, and they went up to the door. It was made of crystal, and afforded a view of the interior and of the bell which had to be rung to obtain admission. On examining it carefully, the young traveller observed that this bell was made of gold, and had for its clapper a fine pear-shaped pearl, of such beauty that it dazzled his sight. He stood motionless, gazing at it. "Ring!" cried the old beggar, becoming impatient at length. "Really, I dare not," replied the young man; "I am afraid of injuring this beautiful pearl by ringing the bell. It would be such a pity; it is so admirable!" "Bah!" cried the beggar, who knew very little about jewels, "let me do it--I'm not afraid." "No, no; let us rather knock at the door----" But he stopped himself; for it occurred to him that, as this handsome door was made of crystal, a blow with the knocker would at least crack it. Tired by these hesitations, the old beggar seized the knocker and struck so heavy a blow with it that the door was shivered into fragments. They entered freely. There was nobody in the vestibule; in the Palace of Vanity nobody would remain in the ante-chamber. And yet this ante-chamber surpassed in luxury many drawing rooms. It was adorned with statues representing gods and goddesses, and pictures representing kings and queens, princes and princesses. It was paved with jasper and porphyry; but this pavement was so highly polished, so slippery, that the young man, whose shoes were studded with hobnails, was near falling several times within the space of three minutes. He was obliged to cling to the walls, and would rather have walked upon ice, as then he might have had on a pair of skates. [Illustration: "THE DOOR WAS SHIVERED INTO FRAGMENTS."] The old man also slipped a little, but his beggar's staff supported him.