Is she not a miracle of beauty and grace ? And has she her equal in the whole world ? ' The ministers looked 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 . No doubt it is as great as you say ; but at present it seems to have suffered , as is natural , from the fatigues of the journey . ' This was certainly not what the prince had expected to hear . Could the portrait have flattered her ? He had known of such things before , and a cold shiver ran through him ; but with an effort he kept silent from further questioning , and only said : ` Has the king been told that the princess is in the palace ? ' ` Yes , highness ; and he has probably already joined her . ' ` Then I will go too , ' said the prince . Weak as he was from his long illness , the prince descended the staircase , supported by the ministers , and entered the room just in time to hear his father 's loud cry of astonishment and disgust at the sight of Cerisette . ` There was been treachery at work , ' he exclaimed , while the prince leant , dumb with horror , against the doorpost . 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 XXXXX the envoy that Becasigue feared he was going to faint , and hastily laid him on the floor .
Besides as at by from of on that to while