Towards the end of the ball, when it was already full daylight, a masquer, dressed as a Venetian gondolier, was accosted by a lady masquer, also in Venetian costume.  She challenged the gondolier to prove himself a Venetian by dancing the ‘forlana’ with her.  The gondolier accepted, and the music struck up, but the boatman, who was apparently a Milanese, was hooted, while the lady danced exquisitely.  I was very fond of the dance, and I asked the unknown Venetian lady to dance it again with me.  She agreed, and a ring was formed round us, and we were so applauded that we had to dance it over again.  This would have sufficed if a very pretty shepherdess without a mask had not begged me to dance it with her.  I could not refuse her, and she danced exquisitely; going round and round the circle three times, and seeming to hover in the air.  I was quite out of breath.  When it was finished, she came up to me and whispered my name in my ear.  I was astonished, and feeling the charm of the situation demanded her name.

“You shall know,” said she, in Venetian, “if you will come to the ’Three Kings.’”

“Are you alone?”

“No, my father and mother, who are old friends of yours, are with me”

“I will call on Monday.”

What a number of adventures to have in one night!  I went home wearily, and went to bed, but I was only allowed to sleep for two hours.  I was roused and begged to dress myself.  The countess, the marquis, and the count, all ready for Zenobia’s wedding, teased me till I was ready, telling me it was not polite to keep a bride waiting.  Then they all congratulated me on my breaking the bank and the run of luck against me.  I told the marquis that it was his money that had brought me luck, but he replied by saying that he knew what had become of his money.

This indiscretion either on the count’s part or the countess’s surprised me greatly; it seemed to me contrary to all the principles in intrigue.

“Canano knew you,” said the marquis, “by the way you opened your snuff-box, and he hopes to see us to dinner before long.  He says he hopes you will win a hundred pounds weight of gold; he has a fancy for you.”

“Canano,” said I, “has keen eyes, and plays faro admirably.  I have not the slightest wish to win his money from him.”

We then started for the “Apple Garden,” where we found a score of honest folks and the bride and bridegroom, who overwhelmed us with compliments.  We soon put the company at their ease.  At first our presence overawed them, but a little familiarity soon restored the general hilarity.  We sat down to dinner, and among the guests were some very pretty girls, but my head was too full of Zenobia to care about them.  The dinner lasted three hours.  It was an abundant repast, and the foreign wines were so exquisite that it was easy to see that the sum I had furnished had been exceeded.  Good fellowship prevailed, and after the first bumper had passed round everybody proposed somebody else’s health, and as each tried to say something different to his neighbour the most fearful nonsense prevailed.  Then everybody thought himself bound to sing, and they were not at all first-rate vocalists by any means.  We laughed heartily and also caused laughter, for our speeches and songs were as bad as those of our humble friends.