Joy and pleasure reigned in the beautifully gilded apartment where Sophie lived.

She was the queen of the feasts and the balls.

Many rich and fine gentlemen came there, and the beautiful Sophie, the dancer, the affianced of Count Matuschko, received their homage.

No one observed the sad little waiting-maid, in her dark stuff dress, with her face bound up in black silk, as if she had the toothache.

She wore the cast-off morning dresses of her sister, and, at her command, bound her face with the black silk, so that the admirers of her sister should not see, by a fugitive glance, or chance meeting, the budding beauty of the little maid.
Wilhelmine dared not enter the saloon when visitors were there; only when Sophie was alone, or her artistic hand was needed to arrange her sister's beautiful hair, was she permitted to stay with the future countess.