Red Masquerade

precisely of dissatisfaction, rather of enquiry, nestled between her delicately arched brows. A look of misgiving clouded her wide eyes of a wo

iled crown of living bronze, the crimson insolence of that matchless mouth, those luminous and changeable eyes so like the sea, whose green melted into blue with the swiftness of th

s radiant as

said so. Was the shadow of to-morrow already dimming her loveliness? How could it be otherwise? She had lived so long and so fully, she had begun to live so you

essly made body were transiently undulant within a sheath of shimmering sequins: a daring gown, by British standards of that d

on the threshold of middle age. Indeed, she had never felt younger, more thrillingly instinct

rced to separate from Victor, finding herself unable longer to countenance and suffer his many-sided beastliness;

an animal is led in sacrificial rites--without premonition or understanding, only wondering (perhaps) to find itself so groomed and garlanded, so flattered and adored. She had hardly kn

d one of mourning in solitude for her love that was

hem luxuriously. She was superbly alive, indeed--and henceforth she meant to live. Only she must be ca

y coloured prettiness which is too often the omen of premature decline into th

action, and accepted the veil which she had desired to complete her disguise, a thing of Spanish lace,

Am I still

ncesse is alwa

ful as I u

ncesse grows more

night, to keep out of

r mistress the maid responded w

id; but the manner of her sa

nd affectionately pinche

French--"you yourself are too ravishingly pre

demure as she enquired after the hi

oo soon some worthless man will persuade you

mad

t not

Thérèse, as who should s

a man! I susp

incesse, is there

n be

is not so easily turned. There is always some man, naturally--there are so

ion she deftly assisted her mistress to s

n?" Sofia enquired throug

e, madame la

nd independence: how do y

ries a worthy, industrious man with a little fortune of his own. With such a husband one collaborates in the maintenance of the ménage and the management of a small business, something substantial