“What! rob the widow and the orphans of their daily bread? I cannot do that,” replied Seekpeace, with evident horror.
“You are a silly young man. Why, others do just such things, and why should not you?” said Goldenhand, with a sneer.
“Others may do it, but I cannot.”
“Then you and I cannot be friends,” added the giant, angrily; and he disappeared, leaving Seekpeace standing at the door of the Palace of Luxury.
While the young pilgrim was wondering what had become of the giant, he perceived that Pureheart was again standing by his side.
“You have done well, Seekpeace,” said the fairy, with a sweet smile on her beautiful face. “But I see you still cast longing looks at the Palace of Luxury. Let us enter, and examine some of the fine things you saw there.”
Pureheart led the way into the palace, and the young man again admired the splendors of the interior, and wished he might possess them.
“What a rich carpet!” exclaimed he.
“It is very pretty, but let us examine it a little more closely.”
Then Pureheart tore up the rich carpet, and Seekpeace saw that beneath it there were a great many little sharp points; and the fairy told him that by and by the carpet would wear down, and the sharp points would prick the feet of him who owned the palace, if he got into it by robbing the widow and the orphan.