The queen, with the assistance of her astonished maids, attires
herself for the first time in one of the charming negligees recently
sent by the Empress of Austria; for the first time she dons her
prettily-worked and coquettish little cap, and encloses her tiny
feet in gold-embroidered white satin slippers. This neglige? is
really charming, and the queen's waiting-maids assure her that she
never looked better, and was never more becomingly attired. But the
queen desires to assure herself of this fact, and stepping forward
to the mirror, she examines her dress with the careful eye of a
connoisseur; then bending down, she regards her face attentively,
and an expression of satisfaction flits over her features. Elizabeth
sees that she is young and pretty, and for the first time rejoices
in her beauty. The maids regarded with astonishment these unusual
preparations. Why was Elizabeth now so much rejoiced at the beauty
of which she had never before seemed conscious?
The toilet is at an end; the queen seats herself on the light blue
sofa, and dismisses her maids with a mute gesture. But when the
first maid approaches the door, and as usual drew the key from the
lock in order to secure it from the outside, Elizabeth awakes from
her dreamy state and arises from her reclining position; a glowing
color suffuses her cheek, and a happy smile plays around her lips.
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