The carriage stopped at length in the vast hall which Becasigue had prepared for the reception of the princess. The grand chamberlain and the lord high steward were awaiting her and when the false bride stepped into the brilliantly lighted room they bowed low and said they had orders to inform his highness the moment she arrived. The prince whom the strict etiquette of the court had prevented from being present in the underground hall was burning with impatience in his own apartments. ‘So she had come!’ cried he throwing down the bow he had been pretending to mend. ‘Well was I not right? Is she not a miracle of beauty and grace? And has she her equal in the whole world?’ The ministers looked at each other and made no reply; till at length the chamberlain who was the bolder of the two observed: ‘My lord as to her beauty you can judge of that for yourself. No doubt it is as great as you say; but at present it seems to have suffered as is natural from the fatigues of the journey.’ This was certainly not what the prince had expected to hear. Could the portrait have flattered her? He had known of such things before and a cold shiver ran through him; but with an effort he kept silent from further questioning and only said: ‘Has the king been told that the princess is in the palace?’ ‘Yes highness; and he has probably already joined her.’ ‘Then I will go too,’ said the prince. Weak as he was from his long illness the prince descended the staircase supported by the ministers and entered the room just in time to hear his father’s loud cry of astonishment and disgust at the sight of Cerisette. ‘There was been treachery at work,’ he exclaimed while the prince leant dumb with horror against the doorpost. But the lady in waiting who had been prepared for something of the sort advanced holding in her hand the letters which the king and queen had entrusted to her. ‘This is the princess Desiree,’ said she pretending to have heard nothing. ‘and I have the honour to present to you these letters from my liege lord and lady together with the casket containing the princess’ jewels.’ The king did not move or answer her; so the prince leaning on the arm of Becasigue approached a little closer to the false princess hoping against hope that his eyes had deceived him. But the longer he looked the more he agreed with his father that there was treason somewhere for in no single respect did the portrait resemble the woman before him..
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