man, respectfully taking off his hat, "be
graciously pleased to receive this letter, which the king your father
has charged me to deliver to you."

Rosette took the letter, opened it, and read the following:

"Rosette: Your sisters are now eighteen years old and it is time
they were married. I have invited the princes and princesses of all
the kingdoms of the earth to come and assist at a festival which I
intend to give in order to choose husbands for Orangine and
Roussette. You are now fifteen years old and can properly appear at
this festival. You may come and pass three days with me. I will send
for you in eight days. I cannot send you any money for your toilet
as I am now at great expense for your sisters; besides, no one will
look at you. Come, therefore, in any clothes you please.

"The King Your Father."

Rosette ran quickly to show this letter to her nurse.

"Are you pleased, Rosette, to go to this festival?"

"Yes, my good nurse, I am delighted. I will enjoy myself and become
acquainted with my father, mother and my sisters and then I will return
to you."

"But," said the nurse, shaking her head, "what dress will you wear, my
poor child?"

"My beautiful robe of white percale which I always wear on holidays, my
dear nurse."

"My poor little one, that robe is indeed very suitable for the country
but would appear miserably poor at a party of kings and princes."

"Of what consequence is all this, nurse? My father himself has said that
no one will look at me. This thought will make me much more at my ease.
I shall see all and no one will see me."

The nurse sighed but said nothing and began immediately to mend, whiten
and smooth Rosette's white robe.

The day before the king was to send for her, the nurse called her and
said:

"My dear child, here is your dress for the king's festival; be very
careful with it as I shall not be there to whiten and smooth it for
you."

"Thanks, my good nurse; be satisfied--I will take great care."

The nurse now packed in a little trunk the percale robe and white skirt,
a pair of cotton stockings and black shoes and then a little bouquet of
flowers for Rosette to wear in her hair. Just as she was about to close
the trunk, the window opened violently and the fairy Puissante entered.

"You are going, then, to your father's court, my dear Rosette?" said the
fairy.

"Yes, dear godmother, but o