After a moment's examination and hesitation, the female approached, and said in a low voice,—
"Childe Harold."
"Faust," replied the male domino. These words exchanged, the lady took the arm of the gentleman, who led her into the anteroom of one of the stage-boxes.
"These words exchanged, the lady took the arm of the gentleman, who led her into the anteroom of one of the stage-boxes."
CHAPTER III
[THE DOMINO]
M. Leon de Morville (one of the two dominos who had just entered the anteroom) took off his mask.
The praises bestowed on his countenance were not exaggerated; his features, which were perfect as ideal purity can imagine, almost realised the divine type of the Antinous, only rendered more poetical (if the phrase may be allowed us) by a charming expression of melancholy, an expression completely wanting in the pagan beauty. Long black and curling hair enframed this noble and attractive physiognomy.
Very romantic in love-affairs, M. de Morville had a religious adoration for woman, which had its source in the passionate veneration which he felt for his mother. Of a kind and most considerate nature, a thousand things were told of his delicacy and devotion. When he appeared, the females had no look, no smile, no attention, but for him; and he knew perfectly well how to reply to this general show of admiration with so much tact and well-regulated demeanour, that he never wounded the self-love of any, whilst, but for his romantic fidelity to one whom he had madly loved, and from whom he was separated only by the force of circumstances, he might have had most brilliant and endless love-affairs.