"I should like to see her, this wonderful Princess," said the soldier.
"But you cannot see her," they told him. "She lives, the beautiful
Princess, in a great copper castle, with walls and towers all round.
Only the King visits her there, for it was once foretold that she
would marry a common soldier, and that our King does not wish."
"I must see her once, just once," thought the soldier. But how was he
going to find the way into the castle, that was the question?
Meanwhile he led a merry life. He drove about in the King's Park; he
went to the theater; he gave money to the poor, because he remembered
how miserable it was to have no money in his own pocket.
The soldier was always gaily dressed now. He had a great many friends
who said he was a real gentleman, and that pleased him very much.
And so he went on day after day, spending money and giving money, but
getting none, till at last the gold came to an end. He had only two
copper coins left: he was only a poor soldier once more.
Leaving the grand hotel he went to live in a small room. He found a
tiny attic, just under a roof, up, oh! so many stairs. Here he lived,
mending his own clothes, brushing his own boots.
Pages:
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329