Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-09-30
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
~HERE were. should say. about
200 persons present. gay and
festive cavaliers, like our.
selves. and fair ladies and

serves, anu ltlT duO
gray bearded, reverend signors and
wrinkled and bustling duennas. In
fact. had never seen so many signors.
signoras and sir,iorinas together. A
goodly number Of the cavaliers. as we'll
as some Of the danes. were masked.
and there seemed TO have been con-
test among the company as to which
might wear the most gaudy and d.
verse hues. AS they passed to and fro
or mingled in the mazes Of the dance,
brilliant and dazzling kaleidoscope OF
color. exclaimed to myself that had
never seen q sight more goodly.
At one end Of the salon, upon raised
dais. sat a score Of musicians. with a
lot Of quaint old musical instruments
called viols and rebecs and fidels. from
which they produced strains so crude
and simple and untaught that I shook
with laughter every time listened to
them. Near by. with his attendants.
stood the little fat duke. with a smile
upon his jolly red face so broad that
one standing behind him might have
seen the ends Of it. Not far away from
the spot occupied by this corrupt yet
amiable potentate there was another
group. which seemed to be composed of
the court beauties. and we-that is to
say. Brother Ambrose and l, for we
had left Clan JacOpo with the other
lackeys in the anteroom-drew near to
them, thinking that we might behold
the dukes daughter.
When we had come close. | noticed
that one of the damosels. lady who
wore close fitting dress Of velvet aud
a magnificent coronet of diamonds. was
so much more beautiful than her fel'
lows that, though they were all very
pretty girls. they yet seemed but as
crows or magpies beside her. and | i'm
mediately guessed what Ambrose whis
pered in my ear moment later-that
she was none other than the peerless
Lady Ippolita, the dukes daughter.
had never before seen such statue
like and symmetrical form. such q"hin,
and lovely features. such great HESS
Of raven hair. such large. dark. dreamy
eyes, such soft and snowy whitenesS
of skin or perfect rounded shape OF
neck and arms. She was maid OF
eighteen or nineteen years. slender. yet
of precocious maturity. and with
most sweet and gracious and noble
manner. attitude and gesture. Had
she been a saint | would have wor
SHIPPED her. AS she was a woman. !
made it my business Immediately to
fall completely and desperately in love
with her really fell in love at first
sight. didn't go to the whole depth
at first, but | fell. and then | com
menced to sink and sink until there
seemed no bottom to the intensity OF
my passion.
Fortunately l was masked and could
approach her with impunity. put a
bold face upon the matter and came up
to her as Romeo came up to Juliet at
old Capulet's banquet
wilt trip measure with me. fair
lady% asked in my most courtly
tones.
She looked at me in some surprise
and hesitated somewhat and acted al
together as though she wanted to do 1t.
Perhaps there was some magnetic In
fiuence at work in her-an induction
from the current with which l was so
highly charged She cast pretty glance
toward the duke, who stood few feet
away. as though asking his permis'
sion.
"Nay. never look at me. wench," he
called over to her. "Thou knowest that
thou wouldst dance with the knave If
1t pleased thee though | bade thee not
hundred times. Away. then. with thy
cavalier. whoever he may be. and Kick
up thine heels to thy hearts content
She blushed with displeasure at the
coarse but good humored speech OF the