Neville had arranged his hair exactly as on the day we first saw him.  It was powdered white; his pigeon-wings were fastened with the same pins of gold, and his long queue was wrapped with a rose-colored ribbon.  His coat was of frosted rose silk with broad facings of black velvet.  His vest came down nearly to his knees.  It also was of rose silk, but covered with black buttons.  His breeches, also rose, were fastened at the knees with black velvet ribbons escaping from diamond buckles and falling upon silk stockings shot alternately with black and rose.  Diamonds sparkled again on his lace frill, at his wrists, on his cravat of rose silk, and on the buckles of his pumps.

I cast my eye around to find Tonton, but she had not come.  Some one near me said, “Do you know who will escort Madame du Rocher to the ball?” And another said, “Here is Neville, so who will replace him at the side of the pretty widow?”

As we entered the room the Baron du Clozel passed his arm under papa’s and conducted him to the platform, while his sons, following, drew us forward to receive the tributes prepared for us.  Neville bowed low and began his address.  At first he spoke with feeling and eloquence, but by and by he lost the thread.  He cast a look of despair upon the crowd, which did not conceal its disposition to laugh, turned again quickly towards us, passed his hand twice across his forehead, and finished with: 

“Yes, I repeat it, we are glad to see you; you are welcome among us, and—­I say to you only that!”

There was a general burst of laughter.  But my father pitied the young man’s embarrassment.  He mounted the platform, shook his hand, and thanked him, as well as all the people of St. Martinville, for his gracious welcome and their warm hospitality.  Then, to our great joy, the ball opened.

It began with a minuet danced by twelve couples at once, six on each side.  The minuet in vogue just then was well danced by but few persons.  It had been brought to St. Martinville by emigres who had danced it at the French court ...  But, thanks to the lessons given us by Alix, we had the pleasure to surprise them.

Now I ought to tell you, my daughter, that these male costumes, so effeminate, extravagant, and costly, had met great opposition from part of the people of St. Martin parish.  They had been brought in by the French emigres, and many had adopted them, while others had openly revolted against them.  A league had been formed against them.  Among its members were the Chevalier de Blanc, the elder of the d’Arbys, the Chevalier de la Houssaye, brother of the count, Paul Briant, Adrian Dumartrait, young Morse, and many others.  They had thrown off entirely the fashionable dress and had replaced it with an attire much like what men wear now.  It was rumored that the pretty Tonton favored the reform of which her brother was one of the chiefs.

Just as the minuet was being finished a loud murmur ran through the hall.  All eyes were turned to the door and some couples confused their steps in the dance.  Tonton had come.  She was received with a cry of surprise; not for her beauty, not for her exquisite toilet, but because of him who entered with her.