"Oh! I am so glad! You don't know how I fear that woman," replied Rosa.
"But you did not use to do so!"
"No! not until to-night! To-night when I met her terrible eyes," said
Rosa.
"Come, come, dear! Cheer up," smiled Mr. Berners, encouragingly, as he
took her hand and led her to the order--"Forward four!"
The dance began, and Sybil heard no more; but she had heard enough to
convince her, if she had not been convinced before, of her guest's
treachery and her husband's enthrallment.
She went and sat down quietly in a remote corner, and "bided her time."
And waltz succeeded quadrille, and quadrille waltz. At the beginning of
every new dance, some one would come up and ask for the honor of her
hand, which she always politely refused--taking good care to speak in a
low tone, and disguised voice. At length Captain Pendleton came up, and
mistaking her for his sister, said: "Sulking still, Trix?"
Not venturing to speak to him, lest he should discover his mistake, she
shrugged her shoulders and turned away.
"All right! sulk as long as you please. It hurts no one but yourself, my
dear," exclaimed the Captain, sauntering off.
She saw Beatrix Pendleton, in her dress, moving merrily through the
quadrille, or floating around in the waltz. She heard a gentleman near
her say: "I thought that lady never waltzed. I know she refused me and several
others upon the plea that she never did."
And she heard the other lightly answer: "Oh, well, ladies are privileged to change their minds."
The waltz of which they were speaking came now to an end. Sybil saw
Beatrix led to a seat near her own. She also saw her partner bow and
leave her. She seized the opportunity and glided up to Beatrix, and
whispered: "There will be but one more quadrille, and then supper will be served. I
am going to my room. Do not dance in the next quadrille, but follow me,
that we may change our dresses again. We have to be ready to unmask at
supper, you know."
"Very well! I will be punctual. I really have enjoyed myself in your
dress. And you?"
"As much as I expected to. I am satisfied."
At this moment the music for the quadrille struck up, and gentlemen
began to select their partners. Two or three were coming towards Sybil
and Beatrix. So with a parting caution to Beatrix to be careful, Sybil
left the saloon.
She glided up to her chamber, where she was soon joined by Beatrix.
They began rapidly to take off their dresses, to exchange them.
"Oh, I have had so much amusement!" exclaimed Beatrix, laughing.
"Everybody took me for you. And oh, I have received so many flattering
compliments intended for you; and I have heard so much wholesome abuse
of myself! That I was fast; that I was eccentric; that I was more than
half-crazy; that I had a dreadful temper. And you?"