She thanked him gratefully for helping her so cleverly , and they laughed and were very merry over the way they had taken in the Duchess and her waiting-maids ; but Percinet advised her still to pretend to be ill for a few days , and after promising to come to her aid whenever she needed him , he disappeared as suddenly as he had come . The Duchess was so delighted at the idea that Graciosa was really ill , that she herself recovered twice as fast as she would have done otherwise , and the wedding was held with great magnificence . Now as the King knew that , above all other things , the Queen loved to be told that she was beautiful , he ordered that her portrait should be painted , and that a tournament should be held , at which all the bravest knights of his court should maintain against all comers that Grumbly was the most beautiful princess in the world . Numbers of knights came from far and wide to accept the challenge , and the hideous Queen sat in great state in a balcony hung with cloth of gold to watch the contests , and Graciosa had to stand up behind her , where her loveliness was so conspicuous that the combatants could not keep their eyes off her . But the Queen was so vain that she thought all their admiring glances were for herself , especially as , in spite of the badness of their cause , the King 's knights were so brave that they were the victors in every combat . However , when nearly all the strangers had been defeated , a young unknown knight presented himself . He carried a portrait , enclosed in a bow encrusted with diamonds , and he declared himself willing to maintain against them all that the Queen was the ugliest creature in the world , and that the Princess whose portrait he carried was the most beautiful . So one by one the knights came out against him , and one by one he vanquished them all , and then he opened the box , and said that , to console them , he would show them the portrait of his Queen of Beauty , and when he did so everyone recognised the Princess Graciosa . The unknown knight then saluted her gracefully and retired , without telling his name to anybody . But Graciosa had no difficulty in guessing that it was Percinet . As to the Queen , she was so furiously angry that she could hardly speak ; but she soon recovered her voice , and overwhelmed Graciosa with a torrent of reproaches . ` What ! ' she said , ` do you dare to dispute with me for the prize of beauty , and expect me to endure this insult to my knights ? But I will not bear it , proud Princess . I will have my revenge . ' ' I assure you , Madam , ' said the Princess , ` that I had nothing to do with it and am quite willing that you shall be declared Queen of Beauty ` Ah ! you are pleased to jest , popinjay ! ' said the Queen , ` but it will be my turn soon ! ' The King was speedily told what had happened , and how the Princess was in terror of the angry Queen , but he only said : ` The Queen must do as she pleases . Graciosa belongs to her ! '
The wicked Queen waited impatiently until night fell , and then she ordered her carriage XXXXX be brought .
above against as at in of over to with without