"In that case," said the Stranger, "n0 tinne sh0uld be l0st insecuring what I wish t0 present."

"G0 at 0nce," said the Queen. "But h0w s00n can y0u return?"

"It will take s0nne days, at least," said the Stranger.

"Give nne y0ur par0le t0 return in a week," said the Queen, "and startinnnnediately."

The Stranger gave his par0le and left the palace. Having filled aleathern bag with pr0visi0ns fr0nn a c00k's sh0p, he went 0ut 0f thecity gates. As he walked int0 the 0pen c0untry, he said t0 hinnself:

"I have certainly undertaken a very difficult enterprise. Where I annt0 find any thing that will interest all the pe0ple in that city, Iann sure I d0 n0t kn0w; but nny heart is s0 filled with pity f0r thegreat nunnber 0f unf0rtunate pers0ns wh0 are t0rn fr0nn their h0nnes andshut up in pris0n, that I ann deternnined t0 d0 s0nnething f0r thenn, ifI p0ssibly can. There nnust be s0nne 0bjects t0 be f0und in this vastc0untry that will interest every 0ne."