The Daughter of an Empress

From that day had a new and marvellous life commenced for Natalie. She

felt herself surrounded by a dreamy, magic, fantastic, supernatural

life; it seemed as if some invisible genius hovered over her, listening

to all her thoughts, realizing all her wishes! And Joseph Ribas was the

merry, always-cheerful, always-serious Kobold of this invisible deity!

"My lord is not satisfied with the modest furnishing of 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," humbly replied Ribas. "The

count, my master, wishes for nothing but to see you in a habitation

worthy of you!"