` What a wife our prince will have ! ' said Becasigue bowing low ; ` but I must hasten back with the tidings , and to prepare the underground chamber for the princess . ' And so he took his leave . In a few days the carriage commanded by the princess was ready . It was of green velvet , scattered over with large golden thistles , and lined inside with silver brocade embroidered with pink roses . It had no windows , of course ; but the fairy Tulip , whose counsel had been asked , had managed to light it up with a soft glow that came no one knew whither . It was carried straight up into the great hall of the tower , and the princess stepped into it , followed by her faithful maid of honour , Eglantine , and by her lady in waiting Cerisette , who also had fallen in love with the prince 's portrait and was bitterly jealous of her mistress . The fourth place in the carriage was filled by Cerisette 's mother , who had been sent by the queen to look after the three young people . Now the Fairy of the Fountain was the godmother of the princess Nera , to whom the prince had been betrothed before the picture of Desiree had made him faithless . She was very angry at the slight put upon her godchild , and from that moment kept careful watch on the princess . In this journey she saw her chance , and it was she who , invisible , sat by Cerisette , and put bad thoughts into the minds of both her and her mother . The way to the city where the prince lived ran for the most part through a thick forest , and every night when there was no moon , and not a single star could be seen through the trees , the guards who travelled with the princess opened the carriage to give it an airing . 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 XXXXX the princess , placing the crown of diamonds on her head .
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