“My dear, you will ruin yourself,” expostulated Mrs. Middleton.

“My aunt, I shall be a viscountess,” replied Miss Merlin.

And preparations for the great party were immediately commenced.  More than two hundred invitations were sent out.  And the aid of the three great ministers of fashion—­Vourienne, Devizac, and Dureezie—­were called in, and each was furnished with a carte-blanche as to expenses.  And as to squander the money of the prodigal heiress was to illustrate their own arts, they availed themselves of the privilege in the freest manner.

For a few days the house was closed to visitors, and given up to suffer the will of the decorator Vourienne and his attendant magicians, who soon contrived to transform the sober mansion of the American judge into something very like the gorgeous palace of an Oriental prince.  And as if they would not be prodigal enough if left to themselves, Claudia continually interfered to instigate them to new extravagances.

Meanwhile nothing was talked of in fashionable circles but the approaching ball, and the novelties it was expected to develop.

On the morning of the day, Vourienne and his imps having completed their fancy papering, painting, and gilding, and put the finishing touches by festooning all the walls and ceilings, and wreathing all the gilded pillars with a profusion of artificial flowers, at last evacuated the premises, just it time to allow Devizac and his army to march in for the purpose of laying the feast.  These forces held possession of the supper room, kitchen, and pantry for the rest of the evening, and prepared a supper which it would be vain to attempt to describe, since even the eloquent reporter of the “Republican Court Journal” failed to do it justice.  A little later in the evening Dureezie and his celebrated troupe arrived, armed with all the celebrated dances—­waltzes, polkas, etc.—­then known, and one or two others composed expressly for this occasion.

And, when they had taken their places, Claudia and her party came down into the front drawing room to be ready to receive the company.

On this occasion it was Miss Merlin’s whim to dress with exceeding richness.  She wore a robe of dazzling splendor—­a fabric of the looms of India, a sort of gauze of gold, that seemed to be composed of woven sunbeams, and floated gracefully around her elegant figure and accorded well with her dark beauty.  The bodice of this gorgeous dress was literally starred with diamonds.  A coronet of diamonds flashed above her black ringlets, a necklace of diamonds rested upon her full bosom, and bracelets of the same encircled her rounded arms.  Such a glowing, splendid, refulgent figure as she presented suggested the idea of a Mohammedan sultana rather than that of a Christian maiden.  But it was Miss Merlin’s caprice upon this occasion to dazzle, bewilder, and astonish.

Bee, who stood near her like a maid of honor to a queen, was dressed with her usual simplicity and taste, in a fine white crepe, with a single white lily on her bosom.