Page 318 - Child's own book

TIIE INVISIBLE PRINCE.

T h fre was a king and qu^en who were doatin^ly fond of
their only son, notwithstanding he was equally deformed in
mind and person. The king was quite sensible of the evil
disjxisition of his son, but the queen, in her excessive fondness,
saw no fault whatever in her dear Furibon, so he was named.
Tbe surest way to win her favour, was to praise Furibon for
charm3 be did not possess. When be came of age to have a
governor, the king made choice of a prince who had an Ancient
right to the crown, hut was not able to support it, owing to the
bad state of his affairs: he possessed a son of a most amiable
disposition and agreeable manners, united to a very handsome
person ; this youth’s name was Leander. He was almost always
in Kuribous company, but that only rendered the deformed
prince more hideous, “ You are very happy," said hef looking
on him with a malicious eye, u everybody is lavish in their
praises of you ; but not one of them has a good word for me.”
— u Sir,* replied Leander modestly, u the respect they have for
you restrains them from being familiar/’—41 They do very
well,” said Furibon, tl for otherwise 1 should knock their heads
and the wall together, to teach them their duty."
One day, when certain ambassadors arrived from a remote
country* Furibon, accompanied by Leander, stood in a gallery
to see them pass by ; but when the ambassadors beheld Leander,
they approached him with profound reverence, testifying their
admiration by signs. Afterwards observing Furibon, they took
him to be his dwarf; and, seizing him by the arm, they turned
him about as it were to view him round, notwithstanding all he