TO THE DOOR AND WELCOMES CINDERELLA, HANDS HER OUT OF THE CARRIAGE, AND
GRACEFULLY LEADS HER INTO THE PALACE, WHERE THE NOBLES WELCOME HER AS A
PRINCESS.]

The arrival of so splendid an equipage as Cinderella's could not fail to
attract general notice at the palace gates; and as it drove up to the
marble portico, the servants in great numbers came out to see it.
Information was quickly taken to the king's son, that a beautiful young
lady, evidently some princess, was in waiting. His Royal Highness
hastened to the door, welcomed Cinderella, and handed her out of the
carriage. He then led her gracefully into the ball-room, and introduced
her to his father, the king. The moment she appeared, all conversation
was hushed, the violins ceased playing, and the dancing stopped short,
so great was the sensation produced by the stranger's beauty. A confused
murmur of admiration fluttered through the crowd, and each was fain to
exclaim, "How surpassingly lovely she is!" The ladies were all busy
examining her head-dress and her clothes, in order to get similar ones
the very next day, if, indeed, they could meet with stuffs of such rich
patterns, and find workwomen clever enough to make them up. "What a
lovely creature! so fair!--so beautiful!--What a handsome figure!--how
elegantly she is dressed!" Even the prince's father, old as he was,
could not behold her with indifference, but wiped his eye-glass and used
it very much, and said very often to the queen, that he had never seen
so sweet a being.

[Illustration: CINDERELLA IS PRESENTED BY THE PRINCE TO THE KING AND
QUEEN, WHO WELCOME HER WITH THE HONORS DUE TO A GREAT PRINCESS, AND IS
THEN LED INTO THE ROYAL BALL-ROOM.]

The king's son handed Cinderella to one of the most distinguished seats