The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-04-05
The Mysterious Beauty.

A Paris chronicler, writing of the ope-
world, says: We have been told that in
trgue was dead, but it has recently come
to life again, and in a singular fashion
The occurrence we are about to relate is
not old, and we believe we are doing a
service to the public in making it known.
One Of our young friends, who has n
good fortune and an enviable position in
society, attended an opera ball for the first
time, without any definite object, prompt
cd merely by curiosity, Idleness, and that
indefnable feeling which impeIs us to-
wards anything unknown and mysteri-
onS. At the entrance Of the gTeen-roOm,
where the crowd was the thickcst, the
button of his coat became entangied in
the lace OF domino so intricately that il
was necessary to tear the frnil texture in
order to release it. The wearer of the
lace gave hel assistance very graciously,
and took the accident in lofty style, like
one to whom the accident was matter of
entire indifference.
The young man was already weary Of
the ball the intelligence the lady had
displayed in the few words thev had ex-
changed interested him. lie offered her
his arm-she accepted 1t with noncha-
lance rather unpromising for the future Of
the adventure. When they had succeed.
ed in releasing themselves from the crowd,
he proposed that they should take seat,
not in box, but in some part Of the
green-room, where they would not attract
| attention. She assented with the same
carelcssness, and he no longer doubted
TINT he was in the company of some dis
dainful belle. The lady was tall, slender,
aud admirably dressed; her domino Of
black satin, her CANAL trimmed with ex-
quiSite lace, and tightly closed, her mask
also of satin with thick barbe, which did
not permit single hair to be seen, nor
allow the curious to diViDe-even the color
Of her skin; her irreproachable white
gloves, little foot clad in black open.
work silk stocking and black satin slipper
Everything about her, in short, indica.
ted the woman Of good society, such as
are not always to be found in these assem-
blies.
The conversation began with common
places; the domino seemed to wish to
test her chevalier. Suddenly she changed
her style, and our friend was astonished
to hear himself called by name. He was
not disposed to deny tit would
have been useless, indeed, as the lady
knew it by heart. She sketched his char
acter with the hand Of master, told the
stery of his life, pointed out his faults and
urged him to correct them. Every trace
of hesitation and apathy had disappeared
she showed such sagacity. such refine
ment, such delicacy of feeling and express
sion, that he was stupefed. Handling oil
subjects, playing ell parts with equal ease,
she passed in review society, literature,
and the opera; related anecdotes, and ut
tered sparkling witticisms with grace Of
attitude and manner quite irresistible
The young man, dazzled by this brillan-
cy, could badly utter word he looked,
listened, wondered.
ais it possible that don't know you
you who know me so well ~ he said at
length, impatient at his own passiveness.
"YOu do not know me, l assure you
if somebody should tell you my name it
would sound strange to you; il should
show you my face you would sec it for
the first time"
Where have you learned, then, what
you have toldmeP Are you sOrceresS?"
"Perhaps; or may have OWNED what
have told by my knowledge of human
nature. Do you fancy yourself the Orly
subject of my studyG"
Our friend did not dare to discuss this
question aad the domino gave him no
time. She changed the subject, opened
another chapter, and showed herself un-
der q new phase. Never q chameleon
changed more quickly or more to the pur-