“You have no idea how amusing it is! One can say all sorts of impertinent things—even to the royal family when they are present. Masks are allowed perfect impunity.”
“But should you be discovered afterwards?”
“I shall deny knowing anything about the matter, of course.”
Hamilton had not time to reply by word or look, for at this moment supper was announced.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
A BALL AT THE MUSEUM CLUB.
“I hope we shall have no visitors,” said Crescenz the next day, after having examined herself for some time attentively in the glass which was between the windows in the drawing-room. “I hope we shall have no visitors, for these curl-papers are certainly not becoming. If mamma had allowed, I should have passed the day in my own room, that nobody might see them. Don’t you think me very ugly to-day?” she added, turning to Hamilton, who, as usual, was close to the stove.
“You are not ugly, but the curl-papers are,” he answered, looking at her over his book.
“But we shall look so well with long curls in the evening,” she said, half appealing to her sister, who was standing at the window with some intricate piece of work. “What a pity one cannot have curls without curl-papers.”
“They are dearly bought if you are obliged to wear your hair twisted up in that manner all day,” said Hamilton.