GLADYS (nearly falling out of the box). You’ll soon know her. Now you’ll see! Somebody wake the Prince up.
(The portals are flung open, and CINDERELLA is seen alighting from her lovely equipage, which we will not describe because some one has described it before. But note the little waggle of her foot just before she favours the ground. We have thought a great deal about how our CINDERELLA should be dressed for this occasion: white of course, and she looked a darling in it, but we boggle at its really being of the grandest stuff and made in the shop where the Beauties got theirs. No, the material came from poorer warehouses in some shabby district not far from the street of the penny shop; her eyes had glistened as she gazed at it through the windows, and she paid for it with her life’s blood, and made the frock herself. Very possibly it was bunchy here and there.
CINDERELLA then comes sailing down into the ball-room, not a sound to be heard except the ecstatic shrieks of the four children. She is modest but calmly confident; she knows exactly what to do. She moves once round the room to show her gown, then curtseys to the Royal personages; then, turning to the LORD MAYOR, opens her mouth and signs to him to pop in the thermometer. He does it as in a dream. Presently he is excitedly showing the thermometer to the KING.)
KING. Marvellous! 99!
(The cry is repeated from all sides. The QUEEN hands the KING a long pin from her coiffure, and the PRINCE is again wakened.)
PRINCE (with his hand to his brow). What, another! Oh, all right; but you know this is a dog’s life. (He goes to CINDERELLA, takes one glance at her and resumes his chair.)
LORD MAYOR (while the children blub). That settles it, I think. (He is a heartless fellow.) That will do. Stand back, my girl.
CINDERELLA (calmly). I don’t think.
KING. It’s no good, you know.
CINDERELLA (curtseying). Noble King, there is two bits of me thy son hath not yet seen. I crave my rights. (She points to the two bits referred to, which are encased in the loveliest glass slippers.)