Chapter 2
The poor old minister tried his very best, but he could see nothing, for there was nothing to be seen.
"Oh dear," he thought,
"can I be so stupid? I should never have thought so, and nobody must know it!
Is it possible that I am not fit for my office?
No, no, I cannot say that I was unable to see the cloth."
"Now, have you got nothing to say?" said one of the swindlers, while he pretended（假装） to be busily weaving.
"Oh, it is very pretty, exceedingly（非常地） beautiful," replied the old minister looking through his glasses.
"What a beautiful pattern, what brilliant（闪耀的） colours!
I shall tell the emperor that I like the cloth very much."
"We are pleased to hear that," said the two weavers, and described to him the colours and explained the curious pattern.
The old minister listened attentively（注意地）, that he might relate to the emperor what they said; and so he did.
Now the swindlers asked for more money, silk and gold-cloth, which they required for weaving.
They kept everything for themselves, and not a thread（线） came near the loom,
but they continued, as hitherto（至今）, to work at the empty looms.
Soon afterwards the emperor sent another honest courtier（大臣） to the weavers to see how they were getting on,
and if the cloth was nearly finished.
Like the old minister, he looked and looked but could see nothing, as there was nothing to be seen.
"Is it not a beautiful piece of cloth?" asked the two swindlers,
showing and explaining the magnificent（华丽的） pattern, which, however, did not exist.
"I am not stupid," said the man.
"It is therefore my good appointment for which I am not fit.
It is very strange, but I must not let any one know it;"
and he praised the cloth, which he did not see, and expressed his joy at the beautiful colours and the fine pattern.
"It is very excellent," he said to the emperor.
Everybody in the whole town talked about the precious cloth.
At last the emperor wished to see it himself, while it was still on the loom.
With a number of courtiers, including the two who had already been there,
he went to the two clever swindlers, who now worked as hard as they could, but without using any thread.
"Is it not magnificent?" said the two old statesmen who had been there before.
"Your Majesty must admire the colours and the pattern."
And then they pointed to the empty looms, for they imagined the others could see the cloth.
"What is this?" thought the emperor, "I do not see anything at all.
That is terrible! Am I stupid? Am I unfit to be emperor?
That would indeed be the most dreadful（可怕的） thing that could happen to me."
"Really," he said, turning to the weavers,
"your cloth has our most gracious（亲切的） approval（认可）;"
and nodding contentedly（满足地） he looked at the empty loom, for he did not like to say that he saw nothing.
All his attendants（侍从）, who were with him, looked and looked,
and although they could not see anything more than the others,
they said, like the emperor, "It is very beautiful."
And all advised him to wear the new magnificent clothes at a great procession（队伍） which was soon to take place.
"It is magnificent, beautiful, excellent," one heard them say;
everybody seemed to be delighted, and the emperor appointed the two swindlers "Imperial （皇家的）Court weavers."
