"The prince leaned out from the palanquin to ask the cause of this
exclamation:

"'My lord,' cried the man, 'if you care to live, tell your porters to
stop!'

"The great man shrugged his shoulders and turning toward his master of
ceremonies, who was riding at his side, said:

"'See what that man wants.'

"But scarcely had the officer allowed his horse to take a few steps in
the direction of the man who had given warning when the palanquin, with
the prince and his bearers, rolled down a precipice, opened by the
sinking in of the earth.

"They raised them all up very much hurt, and the first action of the
prince, who was injured, was to have arrested the one who, according to
him, had evoked an evil fate.

"He was led, then and there, to the nearest village and put into a cell.

"The poor man protested.

"'I have only done what was natural,' said he. 'I am going to explain it,
but I pray you let me see the prince; I shall not be able to justify
myself when he is ill with fever.'

"'What do you mean,' they replied, 'do you prophesy that the prince will