rposed the
intendant. "If you have any other suggestion, dear Countess--"

"Some other time. I know of nothing at present. Just now, my mind is
full of the _bal costume_, which is to take place next week."

The ball was to be given in the palace and the adjoining winter garden.
The intendant now informed Irma of his plan, and was delighted to find
that she approved of it. At the end of the garden, he intended to erect
a large fountain, ornamented with antique groups. In the foreground, he
meant to have trees and shrubbery and various kinds of rocks, so that
none could approach too closely, and the background was to be a Grecian
landscape, painted in the grand style.

Irma promised to keep his secret. Suddenly, she exclaimed: "We are, all
of us, no better than lackeys and kitchen-maids. We are kept busy,
stewing, roasting and cooking for weeks, in order to prepare a dish
that may please their majesties."

The intendant made no reply.

"Do you remember," continued Irma, "how, when we were at the lake, we
spoke of the fact that man possessed the advantage of being able to
change his dress, and thus to alter his appearance? While yet a child,
masquerading was my greatest delight. The soul wings its flight in
callow infancy. A _bal costume_ is, indeed, one of the noblest fruits
of culture. The love of coquetry which is innate with all of us, there
displays itself undisguised."

The intendant took his leave; while walking away, his mind was filled
with his old thoughts about Irma.

"No," said he to himself, "such a woman would be a constant strain, and
would require one to be brilliant and intellectual all day long. She
would exhaust one," said he, almost aloud.

No one knew what character Irma intended to appear in, although many
supposed that it would be as Victoria, since it was well known that she
stood for the model of the statue that surmounted the arsenal. They
were busy conjecturing how she could assume that character, without
violating the social proprieties.

Irma spent much of her time in the atelier and worked assiduously. She
was unable to escape a feeling of unrest, far greater than that she had
experienced years ago, when looking forward to her first ball. She
could not reconcile herself to the idea of preparing for the fete, so
long beforehand, and would like to have had it take place in the very
next hour, so that something else might be taken up at once. The long
delay tried her patience. She almo