the cave was strewn
with them. "Sire," she exclaimed, "some one has robbed me of my good
wine, and put this rubbish in its place."

"Rubbish, madam! Why, such rubbish would buy my whole kingdom."

"It is yours, sire," replied the duchess, "if you will make me your
queen."

The king, who was a great lover of money, replied eagerly, "Certainly,
madam, I'll marry you to-morrow if you will."

Grognon, highly delighted, made but one other condition--that she
should have the Princess Graciosa entirely in her own rule and power,
just as if she had been her real mother; to which the foolish king
consented, for he thought much more of riches than he did of his
child. So he and Grognon departed hand in hand out of the cave, very
well pleased.

When the king returned home, Graciosa ran out with joy to welcome her
father, and asked him if he had had good sport in his hunting.

"Yes, my child," said he, "for I have taken a dove alive."

"Oh, give it me, and I will nourish and cherish it," cried the
princess.

"That is impossible; for it is the Duchess Grognon, whom I have
promised to marry."

"She a dove!--she is rather a hawk," sighed the princess in despair;
but her father bade her hold her tongue, and promise to love her
stepmother, who would have over her all the authority of a mother, and
to whom he wished to present her that very day.

The obedient princess went to her apartment, where her nurse soon
found out the sorrow in her face, and its cause.

"My child," said the good old woman, "princesses ought to show a good
example to humbler women. Promise me to do your best to please your
father, and to make yourself agreeable to the stepmother he has
chosen for you. She may not be so bad after, all."

And the nurse gave so much good advice, that Graciosa began to smile,
and dressed herself in her best attire, a green robe embroidered with
gold; while her fair, loose-falling hair was adorned, according to the
fashion of the day, with a coronet of jasmine, of which the leaves
were made of large emeralds.

Grognon, on her part, made the best of herself that was possible. She
put on a high-heeled shoe to appear less lame, she padded her
shoulders, dyed her red hair black, and put in a false eye; then
dressed herself in a hooped petticoat of violet satin trimmed with
blue, and an upper gown of yellow with green ribands. In this costume,
she wished to enter the city on horseback, as she understood the
queens were in t