grandmother was dressed in the loveliest pale-blue velvet, over which
her hair, no longer white, but of a rich gold color, streamed like a
cataract, here falling in dull gathered heaps, there rushing away in
smooth shining falls. And even as she looked, the hair seemed pouring
down from her head, and vanishing in a golden mist ere it reached the
floor. It flowed from under the edge of a circle of shining silver, set
with alternated pearls and opals. On her dress was no ornament
whatever,
neither was there a ring on her hand, or a necklace or carcanet about
her neck. But her slippers glimmered with the light of the Milky-way,
for they were covered with seed-pearls and opals in one mass. Her face
was that of a woman of three-and-twenty.
The princess was so bewildered with astonishment and admiration
that she
could hardly thank her, and drew nigh with timidity, feeling dirty and
uncomfortable. The lady was seated on a low chair by the side of the
fire, with hands outstretched to take her, but the princess hung back
with a troubled smile.
"Why, what's the matter?" asked her grandmother. "You haven't been
doing
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