condescension," he said, with emphasis, "there can be so little talk of
that in the present case, that I can assure you that if the most
accomplished courtiers in your exclusive society should present
themselves for admission to this Paradise, they would be blackballed,
with but very few exceptions. This will give you an idea of what the
gentleman are like. As for our female guests--though they might not
always find favor in the eyes of delicate ladies--I will do them the
justice to say that they always behave themselves with propriety while
they are with us, and that they have a very good idea of what is
expected of them on such occasions. If this were not the case, do you
think I would dare to invite our honored Fraeulein to this masked ball?
to do which, by the way, was the occasion of my present visit."

"Irene? Well, I must confess, Schnetz--_cest l'idee la plus
extravagante que vous ayez jamais eue. Irene, qu'en dites-vous, ma
chere enfant? Mais c'est un idee_--

"It is our rule," said Schnetz, turning to Irene, without paying the
slightest heed to this interruption, "to allow each member to bring a
lady with him, no matter whether she is known to the others or not. Her
cavalier is held responsible by the society for her behaving herself
with propriety. And up to the present time all have shown so much tact
in their choice, that nothing like a scandal has ever occurred. Of
course these good children are of all degrees of education and origin,
respectable burghers' daughters, actresses belonging to the smaller
theatres, and very likely you will find a little seamstress or milliner
among them, for whose unswerving principles I should hardly like to
answer. But all these inequalities disappear in the masquerade, and one
sees nothing but round, pretty faces, which their artist friends try to
set off as charmingly as possible. To have taken part in such a thing,
my dear Fraeulein, will be an experience for you which you will not
forget as quickly as you do the artificial routs of our aristocratic
friends, that pass without mirth or comfort, and of which one is the
exact counterpart of all the rest.

"Then, besides," he continued, as Irene gave no sign either of assent
or dissent, "you needn't stand on any ceremony at all. If you should
not feel at home among us Bohemians, you can regard the matter as you
would a play, whose end we do not stop to see if it bores or depresses
us. I need only add that the young lady to