Hewasnolongeralone，hewasnolongerjoyless!Hislittlefriendwasthereinthegreatcageamongthetwitteringcompanionswhowereindifferenttothelittleprince。Inordertoknowhimatfirstsight，andalwaystobeabletorecognizehim，Louistooktherose-
coloredribbonfromtheneckoftheautomaton，andtieditaroundtheneckofhisdarling。Thebirdsangmerrilyatthis，andseemedtobeaswellpleasedwiththedecorationasifithadbeenanorderwhichKingLouisofFrancewashangingaroundtheneckofafavoritecourtier。
ItwasafortunatethingfortheboythatSimonhimselfwasfondofbirds，elsetheobjectionsofhiswifewouldsoonhaverobbedthelittlefellowofhislastremainingcomfort。Itwasforthekeeperalittlesourceofamusement，aninterruptioninthedreadfulmonotonyofhislife。Thebirdswereallowedtostaytherefore，andtheirsingingandtwitteringanimatedalittlethedark，silentrooms，andremindedhimofthespring，thefreshair，thegreentrees!
Butverysoonthissourceofcomfortandcheerwastobebanishedfromthedismalplace!Onthe19thofDecember，1793，theinspectorsoftheTemplemadetheirrounds。JustatthemomentwhentheyenteredtheroomofthelittleLouisCapet，theautomatonbegantosingwithhisloud，penetratingvoice，“Oh!Richard，ohmyking!“
Theofficialscametoahaltuponthethreshold，asthoughpetrifiedatthisunheard-oflicense，andfixedtheircold，angrylooksnowuponthebird-，nowupontheboy，whowassittinguponhisrush-