“‘Oh, misery, misery!’ he cried; ‘I have heard of you, but now I know you!’
“He had no sooner said this than there came a knock on the door and a voice said:—
“‘Don’t talk so loud! Open the door!’
“The man opened the door and saw a woman standing there trembling and weeping.
“‘Don’t expose me,’ she said, ‘but spare my life. I have the ring here. I did wrong to steal it.’
“For a moment the man was so overcome with astonishment that he was unable to speak. He took the ring in his hand and looked at it while the woman continued to plead with him. He handed her the ring again.
“‘Take it,’ he said, ‘and place it beneath the corner of one of the rugs in the bedroom of the Princess. Be quick about it, for I am going to the King.’
“The woman ran and did as she had been told, and then the man came from the room and sent an attendant to inform the King that the ring had been found. The King sent for him.
“‘Where is the ring?’
“‘Under a corner of a rug in the bedroom of the Princess, your Majesty,’ replied the man, bowing low and smiling.