marquis!" cried the princess, rising from her reclining
position. "Conduct him in, he is very welcome."

The lackey opened both wings of the folding-door, and the marquis
entered, followed by several servants with boxes and packets.

"Ah, you come very much like a milliner," laughingly exclaimed
Elizabeth, graciously advancing to receive the ambassador.

Dropping upon one knee, the marquis kissed her offered hand.

"I come, illustrious Princess Elizabeth, to beg a favor of you!" he
said.

"You wish to mortify me," responded Elizabeth. "How can the ambassador
of a great and powerful nation have a favor to ask of the poor,
repudiated, and forgotten Princess Elizabeth?"

"In the name of the king my master come I to demand this favor!"
solemnly answered the marquis.

"Well, if you really speak in earnest," said the princess, "then I
have only to respond that it will make me very happy to comply with any
request which your august king or yourself may have to make of me."

"Then I may be allowed, on this occasion of the celebration of your
name-day, to lay at your feet these trifling presents of my royal
master," said the ambassador of France, rising to take the boxes and
packages from the lackeys and place them before Elizabeth.

"They are only trifles," continued he, while assiduously occupied in
opening the boxes, "trifles of little value--only interesting, perhaps,
because they are novelties that have as yet been worn in Paris by no
lady except the queen and madame!

"This mantelet of Valenciennes lace," continued the busy marquis,
unfolding before the princess a magically fine lace texture, "this
mantelet is sent by the Queen of France to the illustrious Princess
Elizabeth. Only two such mantelets have been made, and her majesty
has strictly commanded that no more of a similar pattern shall be
commenced."

Princess Elizabeth's eyes sparkled with delight. Like a curious child
she fluttered from one box to the other, and in fact they were very
costly, tasteful, and charming things which their majesties of France
had sent to the Princess Elizabeth, who prized nothing higher than
splendor in dress and ornaments.

There were the most beautiful gold-embroidered velvet robes, light crape
and lace dresses, and hats and topknots of charming elegance.

Elizabeth examined and admired all; she clapped her hands with delight
when any one of these precious presents especially pleased her, calling
Alexis, Grunstein, and