“Yes, Yes,” said the Raven, “you may believe it; it is as true as I am sitting here.  People came in crowds; there was a crush and a hurry, but no one was successful either on the first or second day.  They could all talk well enough when they were out in the street; but as soon as they came inside the palace gates, and saw the guard richly dressed in silver, and the lackeys in gold on the staircase, and the large illuminated saloons, then they were abashed; and when they stood before the throne on which the Princess was sitting, all they could do was to repeat the last word they had uttered, and to hear it again did not interest her very much.  It was just as if the people within were under a charm, and had fallen into a trance till they came out again into the street; for then—­oh, then—­they could chatter enough.  There was a whole row of them standing from the town-gates to the palace.  I was there myself to look,” said the Raven.  “They grew hungry and thirsty; but from the palace they got nothing whatever, not even a glass of water.  Some of the cleverest, it is true, had taken bread and butter with them:  but none shared it with his neighbor, for each thought, ’Let him look hungry, and then the Princess won’t have him.’”

“But Kay—­little Kay,” said Gerda, “when did he come?  Was he among the number?”

“Patience, patience; we are just come to him.  It was on the third day when a little personage without horse or equipage, came marching right boldly up to the palace; his eyes shone like yours, he had beautiful long hair, but his clothes were very shabby.”

“That was Kay,” cried Gerda, with a voice of delight.  “Oh, now I’ve found him!” and she clapped her hands for joy.

“He had a little knapsack at his back,” said the Raven.

“No, that was certainly his sledge,” said Gerda; “for when he went away he took his sledge with him.”

“That may be,” said the Raven; “I did not examine him so minutely; but I know from my tame sweetheart, that when he came into the court-yard of the palace, and saw the body-guard in silver, the lackeys on the staircase, he was not the least abashed; he nodded, and said to them, ’It must be very tiresome to stand on the stairs; for my part, I shall go in.’  The saloons were gleaming with lustres—­privy councillors and excellencies were walking about barefooted, and wore gold keys; it was enough to make any one feel uncomfortable.  His boots creaked, too, so loudly, but still he was not at all afraid.”

“That’s Kay for certain,” said Gerda.  “I know he had on new boots; I have heard them creaking in grandmama’s room.”

“Yes, they creaked,” said the Raven.  “And on he went boldly up to the Princess, who was sitting on a pearl as large as a spinning-wheel.  All the ladies of the court, with their attendants and attendants’ attendants, and all the cavaliers, with their gentlemen and gentlemen’s gentlemen, stood round; and the nearer they stood to the door, the prouder they looked.  It was hardly possible to look at the gentleman’s gentleman, so very haughtily did he stand in the doorway.”