did
before. But my Lord ----, who had spoken openly to me the first night,
came to me, and, unmasking, told me the company had ordered him to tell
me they hoped they should see me in the dress I had appeared in the
first day, which had been so acceptable that it had been the occasion of
this new meeting. "And, madam," says he, "there are some in this
assembly who it is worth your while to oblige."

I bowed to my Lord ----, and immediately withdrew. While I was above,
a-dressing in my new habit, two ladies, perfectly unknown to me, were
conveyed into my apartment below, by the order of a noble person, who,
with his family, had been in Persia; and here, indeed, I thought I
should have been outdone, or perhaps balked.

One of these ladies was dressed most exquisitely fine indeed, in the
habit of a virgin lady of quality of Georgia, and the other in the same
habit of Armenia, with each of them a woman slave to attend them.

The ladies had their petticoats short to their ankles, but plaited all
round, and before them short aprons, but of the finest point that could
be seen. Their gowns were made with long antique sleeves hanging down
behind, and a train let down. They had no jewels, but their heads and
breasts were dressed up with flowers, and they both came in veiled.

Their slaves were bareheaded, but their long, black hair was braided in
locks hanging down behind to their waists, and tied up with ribands.
They were dressed exceeding rich, and were as beautiful as their
mistresses; for none of them had any masks on. They waited in my room
till I came down, and all paid their respects to me after the Persian
manner, and sat down on a safra--that is to say, almost crosslegged, on
a couch made up of cushions laid on the ground.

This was admirably fine, and I was indeed startled at it. They made
their compliment to me in French, and I replied in the same language.
When the doors were opened, they walked into the dancing-room, and
danced such a dance as indeed nobody there had ever seen, and to an
instrument like a guitar, with a small low-sounding trumpet, which
indeed was very fine, and which my Lord ---- had provided.

They danced three times all alone, for nobody indeed could dance with
them. The novelty pleased, truly, but yet there was something wild and
_bizarre_ in it, because they really acted to the life the barbarous
country whence they came; but as mine had the French behaviour under the
Mahometan dress, it