"oh,hownicelyitismade,"exclaimedtheladies.

"itismorethannice,"saidtheemperor,"itischarming."

theprincesstoucheditandnearlybegantocry.

"forshame,pa,"shesaid,"itisnotartificial,itisnatural!"

"forshame,itisnatural"repeatedallherladies.

"letusfirstseewhattheothercasecontainsbeforeweareangry,"saidtheemperor;thenthenightingalewastakenout,anditsangsobeautifullythatnoonecouldpossiblysayanythingunkindaboutit.

"superbe,charmant,"saidtheladiesofthecourt,fortheyallprattledfrench,oneworsethantheother.

"howmuchthebirdremindsmeofthemusicalboxofthelatelamentedempress,"saidanoldcourtier,"ithasexactlythesametone,thesameexecution."

"youareright,"saidtheemperor,andbegantocrylikealittlechild.

"ihopeitisnotnatural,"saidtheprincess.

"yes,certainlyitisnatural,"repliedthosewhohadbroughtthepresents.

"thenletitfly,"saidtheprincess,andrefusedtoseetheprince.

buttheprincewasnotdiscouraged.hepaintedhisface,putoncommonclothes,pulledhiscapoverhisforehead,andcameback.

"goodday,emperor,"hesaid,"couldyounotgivemesomeemploymentatthecourt?"