illa is on the banks of the
Thames. The willows, elms, and oaks in the park were hung with
lanterns, the house was all ablaze--lights in every room. Dukes,
duchesses, earls, barons, lords, and ladies--more than six
hundred--assembled in masquerade dress. The Duchess of Hamilton and
Argyle was hostess. She appeared as Night, with a black trailing robe
illuminated with silver stars, while her father was dressed as a
footman, with the portrait of his other daughter dangling from a
ribbon tied to a button of his jacket."

"Was it not rather out of character for a man old enough to be grave
and dignified to take such a part?" Miss Newville asked.

"Perhaps so, but then we are expected to do absurd things in
masquerade. Her grace the Duchess of Richmond, for instance, appeared
as the Sultana of Persia, in a costume purchased in the bazaar of
Bagdad. The Duchess of Grafton displayed her charms as Cleopatra. Now
when we remember that Egypt and the Orient have a climate in which a
person can get along without any great amount of clothing, it really
does seem somewhat absurd for a lady, in a country with a climate like
that of England, to attempt to imitate in dress, or undress, that
celebrated queen of the East."

Lord Upperton laughed again. "Miss Fitzroy," he continued, "undertook
to represent the Sultana of Turkey. If I remember rightly, she
appeared in baggy silk trousers, high-heeled pink slippers, crimson
jacket, embroidered with gold, and a white turban. Her bewitching eyes
peeped through two holes in a muslin yashmak spangled with silver
stars. Among the gentlemen I recall Lord Augustus Hervey, who
disguised himself so completely as a jester that no one could make out
who he was. He said saucy things as a court fool. He even guyed his
own wife, and she never mistrusted she was flirting with her own
husband, but then, as she was ready to flirt with anybody, it made no
difference."

Miss Newville hardly knew what reply to make as his lordship laughed
again, and so remained silent.

"May I ask what character Lord Upperton assumed," she asked.

"Oh, certainly. I appeared as a young devil, with hoofs, horns, and a
forked tail. His satanic majesty, you know, is supposed to whisper
things in people's ears, and you may be sure I acted out the character
I assumed. I did it so well that Lady Lucy Hastings said I was a
perfect imp of darkness."

"Have you any other recreations?" Miss Newville inquired.

"Oh, yes, a great