Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-26
PART III,
Chapter IV.-(Continuedl

NOR rare as were these things, were thew
inc most pertinent or the strangest that the
ilre revealed to me. l had come for MOTH
ing else but to see-clam at fur:im, as the
c!asslcs say-What was to be seen; with no
thought of passing beyond the outermost
ring OF spectators But as l hung back
shamefacedly, my companion seized nv
wrist and drew me on; and when 1 turned
10 her to demonstrate, as heaven lives. |
did not know her, conceived for a moment
That some madam of the court had seized
me In frolic; nor for perceptibIe spa "a
could imagine that the fine cioaked lady.
whose eyes shone like stars through the
holes In her mask, and whose raven hair,
SO cunnlngly dressed, failed to hide the
briiliance of her neck, where the cloak fell
loose, was my Dorinda, my mistress the
cook maid. whom 1 had kissed in the gar
den! Honestly, for an instant 1 recoiled
a ,;, hung PACK afraid Of her; nor was 1
quite assured of the truth, so unprepared
was for the change until she whispered
me sharply to come on
Whither?' l said, hanging back in dis
may me D!standers were beginning to
turn and stare, and in a moment would
have jeered u.s.
within DOORS" she urged
'"Thcy will not admit us!'
They will admit me- she answered
hercely, and made as if she would throw
my hand from her.
STU l did rot believe her. and 1t was that.
ara that only, emboldened me; though to
pc sure l was In love and her slave. Re-
luctantly and almost sukily 1 assented.
ana sneaked behind her to the door A
man who stood on the steps seemed at the
irst glance minded to stop her, but. look
llis again. smiled and let us pass, and in a
tWlnkling we stood in the hall among hur-
rylnS walters and shouting call bows and
bioods whose scabbards rang as they came
down the stairs, and fair turmoil of pages
and footboys and gentlemen and eentje-
mems gentlemen.
In such company, elbowed this way and
that by my betters I knew neither how to
look nor where TO look; but Dorinda, with
pareiy pause, and as If she knew tho
mouse, thrust open the nearest door and led
the way into a great room that stood on
the right of the hail.
Here. on the spacious floor and lighted by
shaded candles, stood several tables, round
which number of persons had seats while
others again stood or moved freely upon
the floor The majority of those present
were men. Noting, however. three or four
women among them, masked after the
fashion Of my companion, but more gor-
geously dressed, did not doubt that these
We're duchesses. the more as they talked
and laughed loudly, whereas the general
company, save those who sat at one table
where the game was at a standstill, and all
were crying persistently for a taller spoke
low, the rattle Of dice and chink Of coin.
and IN occasional oath. taking the place of
Sons StS.Iioa' saw pueS OF Ru1neaS and
half gufneas on the tables and gold lace on
the mems coats. and the women a dream of
silks and furbelows and cleaning shoulders
and flashing eyes, and between awe of NV
such place. l took all for real that Kilt
tered. Where, therefore. a man Of exper-
icnce would have dtscerned crowd of
rakes and rustic squires tempting fortune
privilege was ambulatory-I fancied gazed
on earls and barons: I saw a garter on
every leg, and. blind to the stained walls
OF the common inn room, supplied every