At the gate of the Castle the Prince was waiting to receive her. He had dreamy violet eyes, and his hair was like fine gold. When he saw her he sank upon one knee, and kissed her hand. “Your picture was beautiful,” he murmured, “but you are more beautiful than your picture;” and the little Princess blushed.

“She was like a white rose before,” said a young Page to his neighbor, “but she is like a red rose now;” and the whole Court was delighted.

For the next three days everybody went about saying, “White rose, Red rose, Red rose, White rose;” and the King gave orders that the Page’s salary was to be doubled. As he received no salary at all this was not of much use to him, but it was considered a great honor, and was duly published in the Court Gazette.

When the three days were over the marriage was celebrated. It was a magnificent ceremony, and the bride and bridegroom walked hand in hand under a canopy of purple velvet embroidered with little pearls. Then there was a State Banquet, which lasted for five hours. The Prince and Princess sat at the top of the Great Hall and drank out of a cup of clear crystal. Only true lovers could drink out of this cup, for if false lips touched it, it grew grey and dull and cloudy.

“It’s quite clear that they love each other,” said the little Page, “as clear as crystal!” and the King doubled his salary a second time. “What an honor!” cried all the courtiers.

2
Select the correct answer.
Based on the passage, what inference can be made about how the king felt about the page’s remarks about the princess?