But on Monday a continual stream of visitors arrived, and a great number of cards were left at Judge Merlin's door.
In the course of a week Claudia returned all these calls, and thus she was fairly launched into fashionable life.
She received numerous invitations to dinners, evening parties, and balls; but all these she civilly excused herself from attending; for it was her whim to give a large party before going to any. To this end, she forced her Aunt Middleton to issue cards and make preparations on a grand scale for a very magnificent ball.
"It must eclipse everything else that has been done, or can be done, this season!" said Claudia.
"Humph!" answered Mrs. Middleton.
"We must have Dureezie's celebrated band for the music, you know!"
"My dear, he charges a thousand dollars a night to leave New York and play for anyone!"
"Well? what if it were two thousand—ten thousand? I will have him. Tell Ishmael to write to him at once."
"Very well, my dear. You are spending your own money, remember."
"Who cares? I will be the only one who engages Dureezie's famous music. And, Aunt Middleton?"