"Why, it is our Princess!" he screamed, and he waved his hat, and forgot he was in the royal presence, and stood on his head with delight. For no one had given him any sweets since the Princess Gyldea had disappeared.
Every one who had an eye-glass put it on at once, and said that the little page was quite right; and those who only had their own eyes to depend upon believed what the others told them, and were all dumb with amazement.
The Queen was so astonished that she said the first thing that came into her head, which, of course, was a thing she never did as a rule.
"Then we need not have gone into mourning at all," she exclaimed. She remembered herself the next moment, however, and held out her arms affectionately. "Come and kiss me, my sweet child, and then go and change your clothes at once!"
But the Princess led up the tall man.
"I have brought back a lover too," she said.
There was a great sensation among the courtiers.
"This must be looked into," said the Queen, ceasing to be affectionate; and she trod on the King's toe.
"Of course, of course, at once," added the King, hastily.
"To have our daughter in rags is bad enough," continued the Queen, "but a ragged son-in-law is really too much."