ning, and said,--

"There will be four of us in all."

Greppi seemed curious to know who the fourth person could be, but I right
guessed it would be my dear son Cesarino.

As I went down once more to the ball-room two pretty female dominos
attacked me right and left, telling me that Messer-Grande was waiting for
me outside. They then asked me for some snuff, and I gave them a box
ornamented with an indecent picture. I had the impudence to touch the
spring and shew it them, and after inspecting it they exclaimed,--

"Fie, fie! your punishment is never to know who we are."

I was sorry to have displeased the two fair masquers, who seemed worth
knowing, so I followed them, and meeting Barbaro, who knew everybody, I
pointed them out to him, and heard to my delight that they were the two
Marchionesses Q---- and F----. I promised Barbaro to go and see them. He
said that everybody in the ball-room knew me, and that our bank was doing
very well, though, of course, that was a trifle to me.

Towards the end of the ball, when it was already full daylight, a
masquer, dressed as a Venetian gondolier, was accosted by a lady masquer,
also in Venetian costume. She challenged the gondolier to prove himself a
Venetian by dancing the 'forlana' with her. The gondolier accepted, and
the music struck up, but the boatman, who was apparently a Milanese, was
hooted, while the lady danced exquisitely. I was very fond of the dance,
and I asked the unknown Venetian lady to dance it again with me. She
agreed, and a ring was formed round us, and we were so applauded that we
had to dance it over again. This would have sufficed if a very pretty
shepherdess without a mask had not begged me to dance it with her. I
could not refuse her, and she danced exquisitely; going round and round
the circle three times, and seeming to hover in the air. I was quite out
of breath. When it was finished, she came up to me and whispered my name
in my ear. I was astonished, and feeling the charm of the situation
demanded her name.

"You shall know," said she, in Venetian, "if you will come to the 'Three
Kings.'"

"Are you alone?"

"No, my father and mother, who are old friends of yours, are with me"

"I will call on Monday."

What a number of adventures to have in one night! I went home wearily,
and went to bed, but I was only allowed to sleep for two hours. I was
roused and begged to dress myself. The countess, the marquis, and the
count, all ready for Zeno