THE BLACK MASK. 619 



neck, and smiling, drew him gently towards her with what an ecstacy 

 of joy he watched the signals of recovering life ; and as he knelt to kiss 

 her, he poured forth his delight in almost incoherent terms. As con- 

 sciousness gradually returned, he told her of her long trance, and of his 

 parental fears. He told her of his determination that she should mix 

 in the gaieties of the capital on her recovery, and said, that if she had 

 been strong enough, that very evening she should accompany him to a 

 grand masked ball given by the emperor to his subjects,' Her face, 

 which had hitherto been pale as marble, now suddenly became suffused 

 with an unnatural glow a half suppressed shriek escaped her the 

 smile faded from her lips her eyes gradually closed, and the pallid 

 hue of death again resumed its dominion. It was but a transient 

 gleam. The hopes of the fond father were crushed to the earth, and the 

 house became a scene of wailing and lamentation. 



Since the review, Vienna continued the scene of every species of 

 gaiety and dissipation. The Emperor was constantly on foot or horse- 

 back throughout the city, and nothing was wanting on his part to court 

 popularity among all classes of his subjects ; and with this intention, a 

 masquerade was to be given at the palace, to which all ranks were 

 eligible ; and great was the rejoicing in Vienna, as a mark of such royal 

 condescension and favour. The long-wished-for evening at length 

 arrived, and nothing could equal the splendour of the scene. The 

 magnificent saloon of the palace, lighted by its myriads of coloured 

 lamps shone like a fairy palace, while no costume, from the rude garb 

 of the wanderer through the plains of Norway, to the gorgeous display 

 of oriental grandeur, were wanting to so delightful a spectacle. Here 

 stood a proud Hungarian, in all the glitter of his embroidered pelisse 

 and gold-tasseled boots ; and here a simply clad hunter from the Tyrol, 

 with his garland of newly-plucked flowers in his bonnet ; while, ever 

 and anon, the tall, melancholy, and dark-visaged Pole, strode by with 

 all the proud bearing and lofty port, for which his countrymen are 

 celebrated. There were bands of dancers from Upper Austria, and 

 musicians from that land of song, Bohemia. The court had also, on 

 this occasion, adopted the costume of various foreign nations. All 

 beheld the sovereign, and could address him, as he, in compliance with 

 etiquette, was obliged to remain unmasked. 



As the evening advanced, he seized a moment to leave the saals, and 

 habit himself in domino ; under which disguise, after many ludicrous 

 rencontres with his friends, he was leaning listlessly against a pillar near 

 where a number of Hungarian peasants were dancing. Their black 

 velvet boddices so tightly laced with bright chains of silver, and blood- 

 red calpacks, reminded him of having seen such before. The train 

 of thoughts thus excited, banished all recollection of the scene around 

 him : the music and the dance he no longer minded. All passed un- 

 heeded before his eyes ; and, lost in reverie, he stood in complete ab- 

 straction. A vision of his early days came over him j and not last, but 

 mingling with his dream of all beside, the image of one once dearly 

 loved! He heaved a deep-drawn sigh, and was about to leave the 

 spot, and drown all recollection in the dissipation of the moment, 

 when he was accosted by one whom he had not before seen. Con- 

 sidering her, perhaps, as one of the many who were indulging in the 

 badinage and gaiety of the place, he wished to pass on ; but then there 

 was that in the low plaintive tone in which she spoke, that chained him 



