The King in Yellow

by Robert W. Chambers

  THE JESTER

  "Was she fair?" I asked, but he only chuckled, listening to the bellsjingling on his cap.

  "Stabbed," he tittered. "Think of the long journey, the days of peril,the dreadful nights! Think how he wandered, for her sake, year afteryear, through hostile lands, yearning for kith and kin, yearning forher!"

  "Stabbed," he tittered, listening to the bells jingling on his cap.

  "Was she fair?" I asked, but he only snarled, muttering to the bellsjingling on his cap.

  "She kissed him at the gate," he tittered, "but in the hall his brother'swelcome touched his heart."

  "Was she fair?" I asked.

  "Stabbed," he chuckled. "Think of the long journey, the days of peril,the dreadful nights! Think how he wandered, for her sake, year after yearthrough hostile lands, yearning for kith and kin, yearning for her!"

  "She kissed him at the gate, but in the hall his brother's welcometouched his heart."

  "Was she fair?" I asked; but he only snarled, listening to the bellsjingling in his cap.