thing was talked of in fashionable circles but the
approaching ball, and the novelties it was expected to develop.

On the morning of the day, Vourienne and his imps having completed their
fancy papering, painting, and gilding, and put the finishing touches by
festooning all the walls and ceilings, and wreathing all the gilded
pillars with a profusion of artificial flowers, at last evacuated the
premises, just it time to allow Devizac and his army to march in for the
purpose of laying the feast. These forces held possession of the supper
room, kitchen, and pantry for the rest of the evening, and prepared a
supper which it would be vain to attempt to describe, since even the
eloquent reporter of the "Republican Court Journal" failed to do it
justice. A little later in the evening Dureezie and his celebrated
troupe arrived, armed with all the celebrated dances--waltzes, polkas,
etc.--then known, and one or two others composed expressly for this
occasion.

And, when they had taken their places, Claudia and her party came down
into the front drawing room to be ready to receive the company.

On this occasion it was Miss Merlin's whim to dress with exceeding
richness. She wore a robe of dazzling splendor--a fabric of the looms of
India, a sort of gauze of gold, that seemed to be composed of woven
sunbeams, and floated gracefully around her elegant figure and accorded
well with her dark beauty. The bodice of this gorgeous dress was
literally starred with diamonds. A coronet of diamonds flashed above her
black ringlets, a necklace of diamonds rested upon her full bosom, and
bracelets of the same encircled her rounded arms. Such a glowing,
splendid, refulgent figure as she presented suggested the idea of a
Mohammedan sultana rather than that of a Christian maiden. But it was
Miss Merlin's caprice upon this occasion to dazzle, bewilder, and
astonish.

Bee, who stood near her like a maid of honor to a queen, was dressed
with her usual simplicity and taste, in a fine white crepe, with a
single white lily on her bosom.

Mrs. Middleton, standing also with Claudia, wore a robe of silver gray.

And this pure white on one side and pale gray on the other did but
heighten the effect of Claudia's magnificent costume.

The fashionable hour for assembling at evening parties was then ten
o'clock. By a quarter past ten the company began to arrive, and by
eleven the rooms were quite full.

The Viscount Vincent arrived early, and devote