114 A BALL ROOM, AND A BELLE. 



compatriot of Washington, most philosophic fellow- 

 citizen of Franklin, whether thy noble democratic 

 ardor, and fine contempt of aristocratic admiration, 

 will lead you to indifference as intact and superb to- 

 ward the admiration of the fox-hunting ladies, as of 

 their fox-hunting lords. That will be proved. Colo- 

 nel, this very evening. Look that you tarnish not 

 your new won laurels." 



" This evening — how ? what do you mean, count ?" 

 cried Fairfax, with his eyes sparkling and a deeper 

 hue coloring his nut-brown cheek — for he fancied 

 himself smitten with one of the fair sister goddesses 

 of yester-even, to whom he supposed Matuschevitz to 

 allude, though he did not exactly know whether it was 

 the volatile and bright brunette of Cheshire or the 

 voluptuous, soft, blonde Isabella A*. 



" Did you not know that there's a Hunt-Ball to- 

 night ? The Hunt-Ball. Every thing worth seeing 

 within a hundred miles round Belvoir will be there ! 

 Look to yourself once more. Jardinier boasts, if you 

 did beat him at the Whissendine, he can beat you at a 

 gallope. There will be one girl in the rooms, he'll 

 bet a poney, won't dance a war-dance with any In- 

 dian, whatever the men may say of it!" 



"Name! name!" cried Fairfax, laughing, "name 

 your girl, and I'll stake the poney. Name, your girl, 

 as they say in the house. Count, or never more be 

 friend of mine." 



"I never break faith," replied the Count gravely, 

 " even with Jardinier. I will only tell you that she 

 has the prettiest name of any girl in the room, when 

 you find it out." 



" Confound her name, one don't flirt with names, 

 much less fall in love with them. Has she the pret- 

 tiest face, the prettiest person in the room ? Is her 

 hair as fine, her eyes as bright as Lady Cheshire's ? 

 Her arms as round, her shoulders as dimpled her 



