ir hearts to say, "What a pity!"

"Here, gentlemen, are your beggar-clothes. I forgot to lacerate your
beaver hats, but that is soon done. Well, what do you think of the
costume?"

"Now, ladies, we must leave you; shut the door fast, for it is a case of
changing your shifts. Now, gentlemen, leave the room."

The marquis was enthusiastic.

"What a sensation we shall create!" said he, "nothing could be better."

In half an hour we were ready. The stockings in holes, the worn-out
shoes, the lace in rags, the straggling hair, the sad masks, the notched
plates--all made a picture of sumptuous misery hard to be described.

The ladies took more time on account of their hair, which floated on
their shoulders in fine disorder. Mdlle. Q----'s hair was especially
fine, it extended almost to her knees.

When they were ready the door was opened, and we saw everything which
could excite desire without wounding decency. I admired Zenobia's
adroitness. The rents in dresses and chemises disclosed parts of their
shoulders, their breasts, and their arms, and their white legs shone
through the holes in the stockings.

I shewed them how to walk, and to sway their heads to and fro, to excite
compassion, and yet be graceful, and how to use their handkerchiefs to
shew people the tears in them and the fineness of the lace. They were
delighted, and longed to be at the ball, but I wanted to be there first
to have the pleasure of seeing them come in. I put on my mask, told
Zenobia to go to bed, as we would not be back till daybreak, and set out
on my way.

I entered the ball-room, and as there were a score of Pierrots nobody
noticed me. Five minutes after there was a rush to see some maskers who
were coming in, and I stood so as to have a good view. The marquis came
in first between the two cousins. Their slow, pitiful step matched the
part wonderfully. Mdlle. Q---- with her flame-coloured dress, her splendid
hair, and her fine shape, drew all eyes towards her. The astonished and
inquisitive crowd kept silence for a quarter of an hour after they had
come in, and then I heard on every side, "What a disguise!" "It's
wonderful!" "Who are they?" "Who can they be?" "I don't know." "I'll find
out."

I enjoyed the results of my inventiveness.

The music struck up, and three fine dominos went up to the three
beggar-girls to ask them to dance a minuet, but they excused themselves
by pointing to their dilapidated shoes. I was delighted; it shew