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602 he dared not look at her, but when he remembered that he ran the risk of having no other heirs but these whelps, he consented to everything.

The marriage-day being fixed, the Queen-Mother, at the suggestion of the admiral's wife, (who always hated her unfortunate sister,) commanded the Queen Blondine to appear at the ceremony. Everything was done to make it grand and sumptuous, and as the King wished the strangers to witness this magnificence, he ordered his principal equerry to go and invite the beautiful children, and commanded him, in case they were not yet come back, to leave strict orders, that they should be informed of his wish on their return.

The principal equerry went to seek them, but did not find them; but knowing the pleasure the King would have in seeing them, he left one of his gentlemen to wait for them, to conduct them to the palace without delay. The happy day—the day of the grand banquet, arrived, Belle-Etoile and the Princes had returned; the gentleman related the King's history to them, that he had married a poor girl who was perfectly beautiful and virtuous, who had the misfortune to bring into the world three dogs; that he had sent her away, never to see her again, but that he loved her dearly; that he had passed fifteen years without listening to any proposition of marriage, but that the Queen-Mother and her subjects having urged him strongly, he had at length determined to marry a princess of the blood-royal, and that it was necessary they should repair immediately to the palace to assist at the ceremony. Belle-Etoile put on a rose-coloured velvet dress, trimmed with brilliants, her hair fell in large curls upon her shoulders, ornamented with knots of ribands; the star upon her forehead shone splendidly, and the chain of gold around her neck, which could not be taken off, seemed to be of a metal more precious even than gold. Nothing to mortal eyes would have appeared more beautiful. Her brothers were attired with equal splendour, particularly Prince Cheri; there was something in his appearance which distinguished him especially. They all four went in a coach made of ebony and ivory; the inside was lined with cloth of gold, the cushions were of the same, embroidered with jewels; it was drawn by twelve white horses, the remainder of their equipage was incomparably beautiful. When Belle-Etoile and her