This went on for several days , till only twelve hours journey lay between them and the palace . The Cerisette persuaded her mother to cut a great hole in the side of the carriage with a sharp knife which she herself had brought for the purpose . In the forest the darkness was so intense that no one perceived what she had done , but when they left the last trees behind them , and emerged into the open country , the sun was up , and for the first time since her babyhood , Desiree found herself in the light of day . She looked up in surprise at the dazzling brilliance that streamed through the hole ; then gave a sigh which seemed to come from her heart . The carriage door swung back , as if by magic , and a white doe sprang out , and in a moment was lost to sight in the forest . But , quick as she was , Eglantine , her maid of honour , had time to see where she went , and jumped from the carriage in pursuit of her , followed at a distance by the guards . Cerisette and her mother looked at each other in surprise and joy . They could hardly believe in their good fortune , for everything had happened exactly as they wished . The first thing to be done was to conceal the hole which had been cut , and when this was managed -LRB- with the help of the angry fairy , though they did not know it -RRB- , Cerisette hastened to take off her own clothes , and put on those of the princess , placing the crown of diamonds on her head . She found this heavier than she expected ; but then , she had never been accustomed to wear crowns , which makes all the difference . At the gates of the city the carriage was stopped by a guard of honour sent by the king as an escort to his son 's bride . Though Cerisette and her mother could of course see nothing of what was going on outside , they heard plainly the shouts of welcome from the crowds along the streets . 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 XXXXX 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 .
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