'No; only the first act,' he replied. 'Now comes the second.'
The summer passed away; winter came, and it too had almost gone, when I happened to attend a masquerade at one of the clubs. For about an hour I had been jostled among the caricaturists, and was becoming very tired,--and falling into sombre reflections upon the illusions of life, and the masks worn in society to conceal people's real characters from each other, when my attention was attracted by twelve shepherds and shepherdesses in the pretty costume of Languedoc, who came dancing in, hand in hand. The orchestra immediately struck up a French quadrille, and the French group danced so gracefully that a large and admiring circle was formed round them. When the quadrille was over, the circle opened, and the shepherds and shepherdesses mingled with the rest of the company. One of the shepherdesses, whose charming figure and elegance of motion had riveted my attention, as if by a magic power drew me after her. I followed wherever she went, until at last I got so near to her that I was able to address her.
'Beautiful shepherdess!' I said in French, 'how is it that our northern clime is so fortunate as to be favoured by a visit from you and your lovely sisters?'
She turned quickly towards me, and after remaining silent a few moments, during which time a pair of dark eyes gazed searchingly at me,
'Monsieur,' she replied in French, 'we thought that fidelity had its true home in this northern clime.'
'You have each brought your lover with you,' I said.
'Because we hoped that they would learn lessons of constancy here,' was her answer.
'Lovely blossom from the banks of the Garonne!' I exclaimed, 'who could be inconstant to you?'
'There is no telling,' she continued, gaily. 'You are paying me compliments without knowing me. You call me pretty, yet you have never seen me. It must be my mask that you mean.'
'Your eyes assure me of your beauty,' said I; 'they must bear the blame if I am mistaken.'