The vast mouldings of gold, the frescoed cupids, nymphs and goddesses, the wonderful paintings, the brilliant tapestries, all fairly shone in the light of a thousand wax candles, while the polished floor of many-colored woods was a mirror under her feet, reflecting all this beauty.
The powdered and rouged courtiers, arrayed in silks, gold lace and jewels, seemed more like creatures from a land of phantasy than beings of flesh and blood.

The men with their great curled wigs, their plumed, bejewelled hats and glittering gold swords, seemed to have stepped from the pages of a wonderful picture-book, and the women, whose gorgeous gowns exposed their bepowdered skin halfway to their waists, measuring from the chin, and whose lifted petticoats made a proportionate display, measuring from the feet, surely were brought from some fair land of folly and shame.
I touched Frances's hand to awaken her, and whispered: "Show neither wonder nor interest.

See nothing, or these fools about us will laugh." She laughed nervously, nodding her head to tell me that she understood.
"But I must look.

I can't help it," she said.
"You must see it all without looking," I suggested, and Mary helped me out by saying:-- "It is all tinsel, not worth looking at.

That is the quality of all you will see at court; gold foil, king and all." Presently I saw the gentlemen removing their hats and tucking them under their arms, so I knew the king had entered, and felt sure he would soon come up to salute his hostess, the duchess, near whom we were standing.
I told Frances that she was about to meet the king, and admonished her to keep a strong heart.