'Her ladyship must excuse me—at least for the present—if I have one secret I cannot communicate to her,' said O'Grady, smiling. 'Let me only assure her that no one shall know it before she herself does.'
'And there is a secret?' said Lady Charlotte eagerly.
'Yes, there is a secret,' replied O'Grady, with a most ludicrous gravity of tone.
'Well, at least we have profited by it, and so we may wait in patience. Your friend Colonel O'Grady will give us the pleasure of his company at dinner, I hope,' continued my mother, with her most winning smile.
O'Grady declined, having already accepted the invitation of the Adjutant-General, but begged he might be permitted to join our party at the ball—which being graciously acceded to by my mother, we both made our bows, and sauntered out to see more of the sights of Paris.
'Come, Phil,' said I, when we were once more alone, 'what is the secret? Who is Madame de Roni?'
'Not even to you, Jack,' was his answer, and we walked on in silence.
CHAPTER LVIII THE RONI FÊTE
There is no epidemic more catching than excitement. The fussy manner and feverish bustle of the people about you are sure, after a time, to communicate themselves to you—the very irritation they create being what the physicians call a predisposing cause. I became an illustration in point, as the hour of this ball drew nigh. At first I could not but wonder how in the midst of such stupendous events as were then taking place—in the heart of a city garrisoned by an enemy, with everything that could wound national pride and offend national honour—even French levity could raise itself to the enjoyment of fashionable frivolity; but by degrees the continual recurrence of the subject familiarised my mind to it» wearing off my first and more natural impressions, and at last I began, like my neighbours, not only to listen with patience, but even to join in the various discussions with animation and interest.