said nothing to the young marquis, as his sister had forbidden me, but I foresaw that this event would be favourable to my suit.
"The Marquis of F---- ," said the worthy ambassador, "asks you to supper in your own rooms with all the band of beggars. He wishes to give us a surprise, and would be obliged if you would lend him the room to have a set of disguises made, and to ensure secrecy he wants you to let have the same waiting-maid."
"With pleasure; tell the marquis that all shall be according to his pleasure."
"Get the girl to come there at three o'clock to-day, and let the pastry-cook know that the marquis has full powers to do what he likes in the place."
"Everything shall be done as you suggest."
I guessed at once that the marquis wanted to have a taste of Zenobia; but this seemed to me so natural that, far from being angry, I felt disposed to do all in my power to favour his plans.
Live and let live has always been my maxim, and it will be so to my dying day, though now I do but live a life of memories.
As soon as I was dressed I went out, and having told the pastrycook to consider the gentleman who was coming as myself, I
called on the tailor, who was delighted at my getting his wife work. He knew by experience that she was none the worse for these little absences.
"I don't want you," said I to the tailor, "as it is only women's dresses that have to be done. My good gossip here will be sufficient."
"At three o'clock she may go, and I shall not expect to see her again for three days."
After I had dined I called as usual on the fair marchioness, and found her in a transport of delight. Her lottery ticket had got her five hundred sequins.
"And that makes you happy, does it?" said I.
"It does, not because of the gain in money, though I am by no means rich, but for the beauty of the idea and for the thought that I owe it all to you. These two things speak volumes in your favour."
"What do they say?"
"That you deserve to be loved."
"And also that you love me?"
"No, but my heart tells me as much."
"You make me happy, but does not your heart also tell you that you should prove your love?"
"Dearest, can you doubt it?"
With these words she gave me her hand to kiss for the first time.
"My first idea," she added, "was to put the whole forty sequins on the 'ambe'."
"You hadn't sufficient courage?"
"It wasn't that, I felt ashamed to do it. I was afraid that you might have a thought you would not tell me of--namely, that if I
gave you the forty sequins to risk on the lottery, you would think I despised your present. This would have been wrong, and if you had encouraged me I should have risked all the money."
"I am so sorry not to have thought of it. You would have had ten thousand sequins, and I should be a happy man."
"We will say no more about it."
"Your brother tells me that we are going to the masqued ball under the direction of the marquis, and I leave you to imagine how glad I feel at the thought of spending a whole night with you. But one thought troubles me."
"What is that?"
"I am afraid it will not go off so well as before."
"Don't be afraid, the marquis is a man of much ingenuity, and loves my cousin's honour as herself. He is sure to get us disguises in which we shall not be recognized."
"I hope so. He wants to pay for everything, including the supper."
"He cannot do better than imitate your example in that respect."
On the evening of the ball I went at an early hour to the pastry-
cook's, where I found the marquis well pleased with the progress that had been made. The dressing room was shut. I asked him in a suggestive manner if he was satisfied with Zenobia.
"Yes, with her work," he answered; "I did not ask her to do anything else for me."
"Oh! of course I believe it, but I am afraid your sweetheart will be rather sceptical."
"She knows that I cannot love anyone besides herself."
"Well, well, we will say no more about it."
When the guests came the marquis said that as the costumes would amuse us we had better put them on before supper.
We followed him into the next room, and he pointed out two thick bundles.
"Here, ladies, are your disguises," said he; "and here is your maid who will help you while we dress in another room."
He took the larger of the two bundles, and when we were shut up in our room he undid the string, and gave us our dresses, saying,--
"Let us be as quick as we can."
We burst out laughing to see a set of women's clothes. Nothing was wanting, chemises, embroidered shoes with high heels, superb garters, and, to relieve us of the trouble of having our hair done, exquisite caps with rich lace coming over the forehead. I
was surprised to find that my shoes fitted me perfectly, but I
heard afterwards that he employed the same bootmaker as I did.
Corsets, petticoats, gowns, kerchief, fans, work-bags, rouge-
boxes, masks, gloves-all were there. We only helped each other with our hair, but when it was done we looked intensely stupid, with the exception of the young officer, who really might have been taken for a pretty woman; he had concealed his deficiency in feminine characteristics by false breasts and a bustle We took off our breeches one after the other.
"Your fine garters," said I, to the marquis, "make me want to wear some too."
"Exactly," said the marquis; "but the worst of it is nobody will take the trouble to find out whether we have garters or not, for two young ladies five feet ten in height will not inspire very ardent desires."
I had guessed that the girls would be dressed like men, and I was not mistaken. They were ready before us, and when we opened the door we saw them standing with their backs to the fireplace.
They looked three young pages minus their impudence, for though they endeavoured to seem quite at their ease they were rather confused.
