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Aknot of young men in various costume lounged in the hall of Mrs.
Minturn's handsome house, and discussed the masquers who passed
before them into the drawing-room, with a freedom characteristic of their condition.
Three female figures descended the stairs, and were joined at the foot by
a domino, who waited to escort them.

“A Cleopatra!” said a Charles II. among the flancurs, in an audible voice,
“and very well got up, too. See the golden asp upon her right arm, and the
string of pearls upon her left. The crown, the starry veil, the royal robes—all
correct, fair sister, but tell me, is it Marc Antony to-day, or another?”

The Cleopatra thus attacked threw an angry glance upon the questioner,
and passed quickly on. Nothing daunted, the merry monarch continued his remarks.

“And a mermaid? No—Undine, by the string of coral, but,” in a lower
voice, “I had not supposed any woman in this city would have the effrontery
to crown herself with water-lilies and wear pearls for her only ornament. She
must be very new—or, very experienced. Probably the latter, for the innocence
of a woman of the world is a great deal more natural than nature. Mais voilà!
la jolie petite marquise! See the ravishing little waist displayed by the long
points to her bodice, andn the coquetry of that tiny patch just in the dimple of
the chin, and the round white arms, and the turn of the neck! You may wait,
my friends, for whom you will—I go to see if la marquise will not play Louise
de Querouailles to my Charles II., for an hour, at least.”

As the gay speaker separated himself from his comrades, and followed the
object of his admiration into the drawing-room, he was joined by Mephistopheles,
who had stood silently listening to his remarks, and who now said, as he
passed his arm through that of the king,

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“Your majesty and I are old friends, and should hunt in couples.”

“The deuce we are!” retorted Charles, eyeing his companion askance.

“Just what I remarked, and a very pretty deuce we make; deuce-ace, if you
will, for unlike most couples, we are two in one, or one in two, as you please.”

“Go look for your Faust, I will none of you—my familiar never showed
himself in company,” said Charles, shaking off the grasp of his companion.

“That was because you were still running through your days of grace,” retorted
Mephistopheles. “But now you have come under authority, and are
only out on leave to-night. It is I who am king, and—vivat Rex.”

“Tout bien! Come, then, and advise me how to penetrate the incognito of
the little marquise,” said Charles, recklessly.

“I will advise you to let her alone, or at any rate to say nothing for which
you will be sorry when you meet her unmasked,” said his companion, significantly.
“Try your gallantries on the Cleopatra if you will”—

“And leave la marquise to you! Thank you. mon diable! I am a worthier
pupil than that. Compare notes with Cleopatra yourself, or see if a Becky
Sharp does not lurk beneath those water-lilies; but `leave my love to me.”'

The party had by this time reached the upper end of the long rooms, where
stood the hostess in the dress of Dame Quickly, but without mask. As each
guest bowed before her he presented a card bearing both his real and assumed
title. After glancing at these, Mrs. Minturn dropped them into a vase zealously
guarded by a roguish Cupid, who, with drawn bow and warning cry, menaced
all who ventured to approach too near.

After a few words of compliment, the party moved on to make room for
other guests, and the royal Stuart approached the Marquise with a low bow and
a request that she would favor him with her hand for a valse-quadrille in the adjoining
ball-room.

The Marquise hesitated, but after glancing at Cleopatra, who nodded assent,
she silently accepted the proffered arm.

Mephistopheles, at the same moment, addressed to Undine a request to
promenade through the rooms with him, offering to give her a lesson in reading
disguises which she should find of use through all her future life.

Cleopatra motioned her to accept, and herself taking the arm of the domino
who remained in attendance, slowly followed for a few steps, and then said, in a
low voice:

“Go, now, and find some one else. I will take care of myself.”

“All, right, my lady,” replied Mr. Livingstone's thick voice; “only don't let
the men be too free. They'll say things from behind their masks that they
wouldn't dare to say without them.”

“Not to me,” said Cleopatra, haughtily, and each went a separate way.