d.
Their lace shirts were ornamented with an immense frill of Alencon point.
In this dress, which displayed their beautiful shapes under a veil which
was almost transparent, they would have stirred the sense of a paralytic,
and we had no symptoms of that disease. However, we loved them too well
to frighten them.

After the silly remarks usual on such occasions had been passed, we began
to talk naturally while we were waiting for supper. The ladies said that
as this was the first time they had dressed as men they were afraid of
being recognized.

"Supposing somebody knew us," cried the cousin, "we should be undone!"

They were right; but our part was to reassure them, though I at any rate
would have preferred to stay where we were. We sat down to supper, each
next to his sweetheart, and to my surprise the lieutenant's mistress was
the first to begin the fun. Thinking that she could not pretend to be a
man without being impudent, she began to toy with the lady-lieutenant,
who defended himself like a prudish miss. The two cousins, not to be
outdone, began to caress us in a manner that was rather free. Zenobia,
who was waiting on us at table could not help laughing when Mdlle.
Q---reproached her for having made my dress too tight in the neck. She
stretched out her hand as if to toy with me, whereupon I gave her a
slight box on the ear, and imitating the manner of a repentant cavalier
she kissed my hand and begged my pardon.

The marquis said he felt cold, and his mistress asked him if he had his
breeches on, and put her hand under his dress to see, but she speedily
drew it back with a blush. We all burst out laughing, and she joined in,
and proceeded with her part of hardy lover.

The supper was admirable; everything was choice and abundant. Warm with
love and wine, we rose from the table at which we had been for two hours,
but as we got up sadness disfigured the faces of the two pretty cousins.
They did not dare to go to the ball in a costume that would put them at
the mercy of all the libertines there. The marquis and I felt that they
were right.

"We must make up our minds," said the lieutenant, "shall we go to the
ball or go home?"

"Neither," said the marquis, "we will dance here."

"Where are the violins" asked his mistress, "you could not get them
to-night for their weight in gold."

"Well," said I, "we will do without them. We will have some punch, laugh,
and be merry, and we shall enjoy ourselves better