And thus attired he passed out of his chamber into the Great Hall, where the nobles were waiting for him.
And the nobles made merry, and some of them cried out to him, “My lord, the people wait for their king, and thou showest them a beggar,” and others were wroth and said, “He brings shame upon our state, and is unworthy to be our master.”But he answered them not a word, but passed on, and went down the bright porphyry staircase, and out through the gates of bronze, and mounted upon his horse, and rode towards the cathedral, the little page running beside him.
And the people laughed and said, “It is the King’s fool who is riding by,” and they mocked him.
And he drew rein and said,“Nay, but I am the King.” And he told them his three dreams.
And a man came out of the crowd and spake bitterly to him, and said,“Sir, knowest thou not that out of the luxury of the rich cometh the life of the poor? By your pomp we are nurtured, and your vices give us bread. To toil for a hard master is bitter, but to have no master to toil for is more bitter still. Thinkest thou that the ravens will feed us?And what cure hast thou for these things? Wilt thou say to the buyer, ‘Thou shalt buy for so much,’ and to the seller, ‘Thou shalt sell at this price?’ I trow not. Therefore go back to thy Palace and put on thy purple and fine linen. What hast thou to do with us, and what we suffer?”
“Are not the rich and the poor brothers?”asked the young King.
“Ay, ” answered the man, “and the name of the rich brother is Cain.”
And the young King’s eyes filled with tears, and he rode on through the murmurs of the people, and the little page grew afraid and left him.
And when he reached the great portal of the cathedral, the soldiers thrust their halberts out and said, “What dost thou seek here?None enters by this door but the King.”
And his face flushed with anger, and he said to them, “I am the King,” and waved their halberts aside and passed in.
And when the old Bishop saw him coming in his goatherd’s dress, he rose up in wonder from his throne, and went to meet him, and said to him, “My son, is this a king’s apparel? And with what crown shall I crown thee, and what sceptre shall I place in thy hand? Surely this should be to thee a day of joy, and not a day of abasement.”
“Shall Joy wear what Grief has fashioned?” said the young King. And he told him his three dreams.
