field of Venus. That same evening we went together to Niblo's Garden
and took our places in the parquet. Just before the curtain rose I
stood up from my seat to gaze around the house. My eyes were
immediately arrested by a beautiful girl stationed in one of the
private boxes. She was the most perfect blonde I had ever seen. Her
hair was a glossy auburn, and shaded a face that might have served for
the model of Titian's Venus. Her features were regular, her eyes a deep
blue, shaded by long eyelashes which gave a dreamy expression to her
lovely countenance. Her lips were full and sensuous; a lovely carnation
hue, evidently nature's own coloring, adorned her soft velvet cheek.
Her neck and shoulders, for she wore a low-necked dress, were as white
as Parian marble and her bust was full and voluptuous. I immediately
turned to George and asked him if he knew her.

"'Why that's Harriet Wells,' said he--'the most lascivious woman in all
New York. She does nothing in the common way, not even the act of
sexual intercourse. She is a young girl of immense fortune and puts no
restraint on her passions. But come with me and I will introduce you to
her. I am in favor with her just now and perhaps we may get an
invitation to supper--if we do I can tell you we will see a scene that
you will remember to the longest day of your life.'

"We immediately proceeded to the box where the beautiful girl was
seated. She received us with a charming smile and I was soon on terms
of the closest intimacy with her. After we had conversed for about a
quarter of an hour, she whispered something to George to which he made
the reply 'all right!' She then turned to me and asked me to sup with
her that evening after the play was over. To this invitation I gave a
willing assent.

"The first act of the play was over and the curtain rose for the second.

"'What a dull piece!' said Harriet. 'Let us retire to the rear of the
box, where we shall not be seen by the audience--we can then converse
with more freedom. I dare say, you don't care about seeing the play,
Mr. Clarence?"

"'Not at all,' I replied, 'I would a thousand times rather converse
with you than see the finest play in the world.'

"'That's a very pretty compliment,' said she, rising from her chair and
taking up her position at the back of the box, where I followed her.

"George now excused himself and said that he would return when the
piece was ended, leaving me alone with Harriet. In the pos