"Now or never," said Puss, and with a spring he seized the mouse and
gobbled it up as fast as he could.
At the same moment all the gentlemen and ladies whom the wicked Ogre
had held in his castle under a spell, became disenchanted. They were
so grateful to their deliverer that they would have done anything
to please him, and readily agreed to enter into the service of the
Marquis of Carabas when Puss asked them to do so.
So now the cat had a splendid castle, which he knew to be full of
heaped-up treasures, at his command, and ordering a magnificent feast
to be prepared, he took up his station at the castle gates to welcome
his master and the royal party.
As soon as the castle appeared in sight, the King enquired whose it
was, "For," said he, "I have never seen a finer."
Then Puss, bowing low, threw open the castle gates, and cried:
"May it please your Majesty to alight and enter the home of the most
noble the Marquis of Carabas."
Full of surprise, the King turned to the Marquis. "Is this splendid
castle indeed yours?" he asked. "Not even our own palace is more
beautiful, and doubtless it is as splendid within as without."
Puss then helped his Majesty to alight, and conducted him into the
castle, where a group of noble gentlemen and fair ladies were waiting
to receive them.
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