," said the cuckoo.

Griselda sat silent for a minute or two, but very soon she recovered her
spirits.

"Will you please tell me where we are going?" she asked again.

"You'll see directly," said the cuckoo; "not that I mind telling you.
There's to be a grand reception at one of the palaces to-night. I
thought you'd like to assist at it. It'll give you some idea of what a
palace is like. By-the-by, can you dance?"

"A little," replied Griselda.

"Ah, well, I dare say you will manage. I've ordered a court dress for
you. It will be all ready when we get there."

"Thank you," said Griselda.

In a minute or two the palanquin stopped. The cuckoo got out, and
Griselda followed him.

She found that they were at the entrance to a _very_ much grander palace
than the one in her aunt's saloon. The steps leading up to the door were
very wide and shallow, and covered with a gold embroidered carpet, which
_looked_ as if it would be prickly to her bare feet, but which, on the
contrary, when she trod upon it, felt softer than the softest moss. She
could see very little besides the carpet, for at each side of the steps
stood rows and rows of mandarins, all something like, but a great deal
grander than, the pair outside her aunt's cabinet; and as the cuckoo
hopped and Griselda walked up the staircase, they all, in turn, row by
row, began solemnly to nod. It gave them the look of a field of very
high grass, through which, any one passing, leaves for the moment a
trail, till all the heads bob up again into their places.

"What do they mean?" whispered Griselda.

"It's a royal salute," said the cuckoo.

"A salute!" said Griselda. "I thought that meant kissing or guns."

"Hush!" said the cuckoo, for by this time they had arrived at the top of
the staircase; "you must be dressed now."

Two mandariny-looking young ladies, with porcelain faces and
three-cornered head-dresses, stepped forward and led Griselda into a
small ante-room, where lay waiting for her the most magnificent dress
you ever saw. But how _do_ you think they dressed her? It was all by
nodding. They nodded to the blue and silver embroidered jacket, and in a
moment it had fitted itself on to her. They nodded to the splendid
scarlet satin skirt, made very short in front and very long behind, and
before Griselda knew where she was, it was adjusted quite correctly.
They nodded to the head-dress, and the sashes, and the necklaces and
bracelets, and forthwith they all