Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-16
THE GRISETTE
AND THE GRANDE DAME

The carnival of 1717 was drawing to a
close; it was the last ball of the season.
and the sale de I Opera was crowded to
its utmost limits. All distinctions of
rank were forgotten. Peers jostled pick
pockets, and courtiers, countesses, and
even sober citizens mingled with chera
hers findustr1e, grisettes, and opera dan
GERS.
Here, masked to the teeth, might be
seen some graade dame in whispering
conference with young n,ousq.etoire,
who, quick at a hint, has beer all night
waiting that black domino, with rose
and silver ribbon tied at the wrist. There,
marchioness, the heroine of many an
adventure, is trying to make conquest of
the young mercer, her neighbor, who is
impatient to see whether the beauty of
his ancognsto answers to the charms of
her conversation. That slight figure in
the Turkish dress, who has made love to
half the women present, is well known to
be the Regent, Duke of Orleans: the
group of bacchantes, bayaderes, and hea
then goddesses lowering about him, are
the ladies of the court, several of them his
mistresses and the Venus who conceals
her face, while through that thin veil she
undauntedly displays her neck and shoul
ders, is no less than the Duchess of Berry,
princess Of the blood royal, and the re
gents favorite daughter.
ltmay be readily supposed that many
piquant adventures, and not few scanda
lous intrigues, were the result of this in
termixture of ranks, and, under, the pro
lection of the mask, more than one fair
dame INDUCED in frolics, the discovery of
which would have covered her with con
fusion.
Under gallery at the farther end of
the ball room, and screened from obser
vatlon by row of pillars, two persons in
close conversation occupied a sofa. The
taller, who had thrown his mask aside,
was dressed as student. He was
young man of from eighteen to twenty
years of age, and of remarkably prepos
sessing appearance. His dark brown
hair fell in curls upon his shoulders his
complexion was of a clear brown; and
his large hazel eyes had that mild, serious
look, that has been said to characterize
persons fore doomed to a violent death.
At this time, however, their melancholy
expression had disappeared, and they
sparkled with animation as he conversed
with the person at his side This was a
figure so carefully masked, that even the
mouth and chin were concealed, but the
slight, graceful form, and the small foot
that occasionally peeped from under the
sable domino, left no doubt as to the sex.
The conference seemed at an end, for
the lady made an attempt to rise.
"Do not leave me-" said her compan
ion; cor, at least, ere you 90, let me gaze
for one moment on those lovely features
and the bright eyes, that, even through
that hateful mask, have subdued my
heart.
Il dare not stay" she replied. "We
are observed. Yonder Diana has been
watching you for the last half hour. Per-
haps she means to choose you for her En-
dymion."
"When goddesses condescend to visit
us poor mortals," answered the student,
''they come in disguise-mine is already
here, " and he caught her hand.
"See," she said, 'syour deity approach
es. If she finds you with rival, her
vengeance will be TERRIBLE
AT least, shall not merit the pun
ishment of Actaon, for it is not her
charms that | am contemplating" he re.
turned, as he pressed to his lips the small