Every one, therefore, took his leave; and, immediately afterwards, the king turned towards Malicorne, who respectfully waited until his majesty should address him.

"What were you saying, just now, about a ladder, Monsieur Malicorne ?" he asked.
"Did I say anything about ladders, sire ?" said Malicorne, looking up, as if in search of words which had flown away.
"Yes, of a ladder nineteen feet long." "Oh, yes, sire, I remember; but I spoke to M.Manicamp, and I should not have said a word had I known your majesty was near enough to hear us." "And why would you not have said a word ?" "Because I should not have liked to get the gardener into a scrape who left it there--poor fellow!" "Don't make yourself uneasy on that account.

What is this ladder like ?" "If your majesty wishes to see it, nothing is easier, for there it is." "In that box hedge ?" "Exactly." "Show it to me." Malicorne turned back, and led the king up to the ladder, saying, "This is it, sire." "Pull it this way a little." When Malicorne had brought the ladder on to the gravel walk, the king began to step its whole length.

"Hum!" he said; "you say it is nineteen feet long ?" "Yes, sire." "Nineteen feet--that is rather long; I hardly believe it can be so long as that." "You cannot judge very correctly with the ladder in that position, sire.
If it were upright, against a tree or a wall, for instance, you would be better able to judge, because the comparison would assist you a good deal." "Oh! it does not matter, M.Malicorne; but I can hardly believe that the ladder is nineteen feet high." "I know how accurate your majesty's glance is, and yet I would wager." The king shook his head.

"There is one unanswerable means of verifying it," said Malicorne.
"What is that ?" "Every one knows, sire, that the ground-floor of the palace is eighteen feet high." "True, that is very well known." "Well, sire, if I place the ladder against the wall, we shall be able to ascertain." "True." Malicorne took up the ladder, like a feather, and placed it upright against the wall.