your villa,"
said he to Natalie, on the first day. "He begs to be allowed to adorn
your chamber with a splendor suited to your rank and your future
greatness!"

"And in what is my future greatness to consist?" asked the young maiden,
with curiosity.

"That will be made known to you at the proper time," mysteriously
replied Joseph Ribas.

"Who will tell me?"

"He, the count."

"I shall therefore see him!" she joyfully exclaimed.

"Perhaps! Will you, however, first allow me to have your room properly
furnished?"

"This villa belongs to your lord," said Natalie. "It is for him, as lord
and master, to do as he pleases in it."

And satisfied, Ribas hastened away, to return in a few hours with more
than fifty workmen and artists, in order to commence the improvements.

Until now the villa had been finished and furnished with simple
elegance. One missed nothing necessary for comfort or convenience, for
pleasantness or taste. But it was still only the elegant and fashionable
residence of a private person. Now, as by the stroke of a magic wand,
this villa in a few days was converted into the splendid palace of some
sultan or caliph. There were heavy Turkish carpets on the floors, velvet
curtains with gold embroidery at the windows and on the walls, the
richest and most comfortable divans and arm-chairs, covered with
gold-embroidered stuffs; vases ornamented with the most costly precious
stones, noble bronze statues, beautiful paintings, and between them
the rarest ornaments, glistening with jewels, which modern times have
designated by the name of ribs; there were delicate little trifles of
inestimable value, and with refined taste and judgment every thing was
sought out which luxury and convenience could demand. With childish
astonishment and ecstasy, Natalie wandered through these rooms, which
she hardly recognized in their splendid ornamentation, and stood before
these treasures of trifles which she hardly dared to touch.

"This lord must be either a magician or a nabob," thoughtfully remarked
Marianne; "it must have required millions to effect all this."

Natalie asked neither whether he was a magician, a millionaire, or a
nabob; she only thought she was to see him, and be allowed to thank
him--nothing further.

"Will he come now?" she constantly asked of the humble and slavishly
devoted Joseph Ribas; "will he come now that his house is prepared for
his reception?"

"It is adorned only for you, princess,"