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 . Cerisette was so tall that the dress of the princess did not reach her ankles , and so thin that her bones showed through the stuff . Besides that her nose was hooked , and her teeth black and ugly . In his turn , the prince stood rooted to the spot . At last he spoke , and his words were addressed to his father , and not to the bride who had come so far to marry him . ` We have been deceived , ' he said , ` and it will cost me my life . ' And he leaned so heavily on the envoy that Becasigue feared he was going to faint , and hastily laid him on the floor . For some minutes no one could attend to anybody but the prince ; but as soon as he revived the lady in waiting made herself heard . ` Oh , my lovely princess , why did we ever leave home ? ' cried she . ` But the king your father will avenge the insults that have been heaped on you when we tell him how you have been treated . ' ' I will tell him myself , ' replied the king in wrath ; ` he promised me a wonder of beauty , he has sent me a skeleton ! I am not surprised that he has kept her for fifteen years hidden away from the eyes of the world . Take them both away , ' he continued , turning to his guards , ` and lodge them in the state prison . There is something more I have to learn of this matter . ' His orders were obeyed , and the prince , loudly bewailing his sad fate , was led back to bed , where for many days he lay in a high fever . At length he slowly began to gain strength , but his sorrow was still so great that he could not bear the sight of a strange face , and shuddered at the notion of taking his proper part in the court ceremonies .
Unknown to the king , or to anybody but Becasigue , he planned XXXXX , as soon as he was able , he would make his escape and pass the rest of his life alone in some solitary place .
Besides For as at from in on that through with