Page:Fairytales00auln.djvu/142

At last they decided they would make a hole in the tower, on the side towards that part of the city by which Fanfarinet would arrive. They moved the bed of the Princess from the wall, and immediately set to work, all together, and without ceasing, day or night. By dint of scraping they removed the plaster, and then the smaller stones. They got out so many, that at last they effected an opening, through which, with considerable trouble, you might have passed a small needle. It was through this aperture that Printaniere saw the daylight for the first time! She was perfectly dazzled by it, and as she continued to peep through this little hole, she saw Fanfarinet appear at the head of all his retinue. He was mounted on a white horse, that pranced to the sound of the trumpets, and curveted admirably. Six flute-players preceded him: they played the finest opera airs, and six hautboys echoed them; after them came the trumpets and kettle-drums, making a great noise. Fanfarinet wore a dress embroidered all over with pearls, boots made of cloth of gold, a plume of scarlet feathers, ribands in profusion, and so many diamonds (for King Merlin had rooms full) that the sun was not to be compared to him for brilliancy. Printaniere at the sight felt so completely beside herself that she could not move; and after pondering upon it for a short time, vowed that she would never have any other husband than the handsome Fanfarinet; that there was no probability of his master being so agreeable; that she had no ambition; that as she had managed to exist in a tower, she could live very happily with him, if it were necessary, in some country château; that she would prefer bread and water with Fanfarinet to chickens and sweetmeats with another. In short, she was so eloquent on the subject, that her women were puzzled to imagine where she had acquired one quarter of the knowledge she displayed; and when they attempted to impress upon her a sense of her own dignity, and of the wrong she would be guilty of to herself as well as to others, she ordered them to be silent, without deigning to listen to them. As soon as Fanfarinet had arrived at the king's palace, the queen came to fetch her daughter. All the houses were hung with tapestry, and the windows filled with ladies; some had baskets of flowers, others of pearls, or of what was better, excellent sugar-plums, to shower upon the Princess as she passed.