eased their speed
till at last they made a hundred leagues an hour. During six hours they
kept up this rate and then drew up at the foot of the stairs of Prince
Charmant.

The whole palace was illuminated and all the courtiers were waiting at
the entrance in their most magnificent costumes to welcome the princess
and the prince.

The prince and Rosette were amazed, not knowing how to understand this
unexpected reception. Charmant had just assisted the princess to descend
from the chariot, when they saw before them the fairy Puissante, who
said:--

"Most welcome to your kingdom. Prince Charmant, follow me; all is
prepared for your marriage. Conduct Rosette to her room that she may
change her dress, whilst I explain to you all the events of this day
which seem so incomprehensible to you. I have one hour at my disposal."

The fairy and Charmant now led Rosette to an apartment, ornamented with
the most exquisite taste, where she found her maids waiting to attend
upon her.

"I will return to seek you in a short time, my dear Rosette," said the
fairy; "my moments are counted."

She departed with Charmant and said to him:--

"The hatred of the king and queen against Rosette had become so intense
that they had blindly resolved to defy my vengeance and to get rid of
Rosette. Seeing that their cunning arrangements in the chariot race had
not succeeded after I substituted my horses for those which would
certainly have killed Rosette, they resolved to have recourse to
violence. The king employed a band of brigands, who swore to him a blind
obedience; they pursued your steps with vengeance in their hearts and as
the king knew your love for Rosette and foresaw that you would defend
her to the death, he was resolved to sacrifice you also to his hatred.
Orangine and Roussette, ignorant of this last project of the king,
attempted to kill Rosette, as you have seen, by dashing their heavy
chariots violently against the light chariot of the princess. I have
punished them as they deserved.

"Orangine and Roussette have had their faces so crushed and wounded by
the stones that they have become frightful. I have aroused them from
their state of unconsciousness, cured their wounds but left the hideous
scars to disfigure them. I have deprived them of all their rich clothing
and dressed them like peasants and I married them at once to two brutal
ostlers whom I commissioned to beat and maltreat them until their wicked
hearts are change