Sylvie, Natalie, Amalie, Virginie, Sidonie, Dorothée, and little Clementine looked at him with begging eyes. Now brown eyes and blue eyes and gray eyes and black hair and brown hair and golden hair and dimples all appealed strongly to the King, and he was surprised at himself for a moment for not being able to act as ugly as he thought he felt.
"What do you want to study for?" he demanded, his hands slowly unclenching.
"I don't know," faltered little Clementine, blushing into her dimples. Somewhere there was a faint ripple of laughter, and yet the Jester's face was perfectly sober when he lifted his head.
"To be wise and know things," said Sidonie. The King stamped.
"To be a power," said Natalie.
"Pshaw!" said the King.
"To understand all things," said Virginie. The King groaned.
"So that people will like us," said Amelie. Then came again that echo of mocking laughter, and the Jester muttered from behind the throne:—
"Now are there some here that are greater fools than I; for the whole world knows that a woman is better beloved for what she understands not than for what she understands."
The King looked desperately about him, for he was at his wits' end, but none came to his aid. The philosophers, with their eyes cast down, were stroking their beards; the ladies-in-waiting were looking away, as delicacy demanded, after so shocking a request; the knights-at-arms were frankly gazing at blue eyes or brown, as taste suggested. Then the King spoke hoarsely:—