She could be satisfied with her appearance, and the string of pearls on her neck and the bracelet which her lover had sent to her, after her visit in the page's costume, were also costly ornaments.

The magnificent star was missing; in its place she wore at the square-cut neck of her dress two beautiful halfblown roses, and her mirror had showed her how becoming they were.
She did not need gold or gems.

What gave her power to subdue the hearts of men was of higher value.
Yet, when she mingled among the other dignitaries, she felt like an intruder in this circle.
The marquise had left her, and joined those of her own rank.

Most of the ladies were strangers to Barbara, and she was avoided by those whom she knew; but, to make amends, she was soon surrounded by many aristocratic gentlemen, and her mobile nature speedily made her forget what had just depressed her joyous spirit.
Then the cannon and culverins thundered louder, the blare of trumpets rent the air with deafening shrillness, the ringing of bells in all the steeples of Ratisbon, the exulting shouts of the crowd upon the stands and in the whole Lindenplatz poured in mighty waves of sound into the tent, where the nobles and aristocratic ladies around Barbara now raised their voices also.
With a throbbing heart she mingled her cheers with those of the others and, like them, waved her handkerchief and her fan.
The man whom she loved was approaching! This crashing and echoing, this wild uproar of enthusiastic shouts and cries, this flutter of flags and waving of handkerchiefs were all in his honour and, stirred to her inmost soul by impetuous enthusiasm and ardent gratitude, her eyes grew dim with tears, and she joined far more loudly and freely in the cheers of the multitude than the aristocrats around her, to whom court etiquette dictated reserve on all occasions, even this one.
The loving woman saw nothing save the man who was advancing.

How should she have noticed the scornful glances which her unrestrained vivacity elicited?
Her gaze was fixed solely upon the one sun to which the little stars around her owed their paler or brighter radiance.