He thought for a moment, then went out of the room, and, in three steps of the seven-league boots, was at his empty, dark, cold palace again.

He struck a light with a flint and steel, lit a torch, and ran upstairs to the garret.

The flaring light of the torch fell on the pile of "rubbish," as the queen would have called it, which he turned over with eager hands.

Was there--yes, there _was_ another cap! There it lay, a handsome green one with a red feather.

The prince pulled off the cap of darkness, put on the other, and said: "_I wish I were dressed in my best suit of white and gold_, _with the royal Pantouflia diamonds_!" In one moment there he was in white and gold, the greatest and most magnificent dandy in the whole world, and the handsomest man! "How about my boots, I wonder," said the prince; for his seven-league boots were stout riding-boots, not good to dance in, whereas _now_ he was in elegant shoes of silk and gold.
He threw down the wishing cap, put on the other--the cap of darkness--and made three strides in the direction of Gluckstein.