“Don’t be afraid, my good friend,” replied Margaret, “I have recovered. Did any one around see what happened? I am afraid to look.”
“No, God be praised! The noise of the orchestra, which had just begun playing, drowned every other sound, and your young friends were hurrying away to the dance. We are almost alone in this corner. Don’t stay here and attract attention. Above all things, avoid having a scene with your aunt while you are so excited. Come with me to your room; give me your arm.”
“And shall I not see you again?” said Cristiano, with an emotion that he could not control.
“Yes, surely,” replied Margaret, “I want to speak to you again. In an hour you will find us—”
“Where shall I find you?”
“I don’t know. Oh yes! in the supper-room.”
As Margaret withdrew, Cristiano left the hall by another door, and began to look for the place of rendezvous, so that he might be there promptly at the appointed hour. Besides, he had been suffering from hunger ever since he came to the ball, in spite of his interesting adventures, and the word supper-room aroused his appetite to full activity.
“If no one is there,” he said to himself, “I shall make terrible inroad into the provisions of my lord baron.”
While he is proceeding towards this sanctuary, let us see what was taking place in the drawing-room.
[3] A standing army, with an organization peculiar to Sweden, settled for life in each province.