有声英语儿童童话故事 皇帝的新装 第8章

The lords of the bedchamber, whowere to carry his Majesty’s train felt about on the ground, as if they werelifting up the ends of the mantle; and pretended to be carrying something; forthey would by no means betray anything like simplicity, or unfitness for theiroffice.

So now the Emperor walked underhis high canopy in the midst of the procession, through the streets of hiscapital; and all the people standing by, and those at the windows, cried out,“Oh! How beautiful are our Emperor’s new clothes! What a magnificent trainthere is to the mantle; and how gracefully the scarf hangs!” in short, no onewould allow that he could not see these much-admired clothes; because, in doingso, he would have declared himself either a simpleton or unfit for his office.Certainly, none of the Emperor’s various suits, had ever made so great animpression, as these invisible ones.

“But the Emperor has nothing atall on!” said a little child.

“Listen to the voice of innocence!”exclaimed his father; and what the child had said was whispered from one toanother.

“But he has nothingat all on!” at last cried out all the people. The Emperor was vexed, for heknew that the people were right; but he thought the procession must go on now!And the lords of the bedchamber took greater pains than ever, to appear holdingup a train, although, in reality, there was no train to hold.