portrait than he had had admiring hers, and this was soon discovered
by those around her, and among others Giroflée and Longue Epine, her
maids of honour. Giroflée loved her passionately and faithfully, but
Longue Epine was full of envy of the Princess who was so good and
beautiful, and, besides Longue Epine, Desirée had another enemy,
and that was the Princess Noire, to whom Prince Guerrier had been
betrothed. This Princess Noire now went to the Fairy of the Fountain,
who was her best friend, and begged her to take revenge upon Princess
Desirée, and this the Fairy promised to do. Meanwhile once more
Bécafigue came to the capital where Desirée's father lived, and
throwing himself at the King's feet, besought him in most touching
words to let his daughter go with him at once to the Prince, who would
surely die if he could not behold her.

When Princess Desirée heard of the Prince's illness, she suggested
that she should set out without delay, but in a dark carriage,
that only at night should be opened to give her food. This plan was
approved of; the ambassador was told, and he departed full of joy. So
in a carriage like a large dark box, shut up with her Lady in Waiting
and her two Maids of Honour, Giroflée and Longue Epine, Princess
Desirée departed for Prince Guerrier's Court.

Perhaps you will remember that Longue Epine did not like Princess
Desirée, but she greatly admired Prince Guerrier, for she had seen his
portrait speaking, and she had told her mother, the Lady in Waiting,
that she should die if he married Desirée.

The King and Queen had begged the Lady in Waiting to take the greatest
of care of their dear daughter, and above all to be heedful that she
did not see the light of day until her fifteenth birthday, saying that