The tickets of admission had been closely guarded; gold could not buy them. The tickets, which were strictly3 not transferable, had been duly delivered by messengers to the different members whose names they bore, and the promoters of the affair felt duly satisfied that no one outside the charmed circle of Newport's fashionable Four Hundred could by any possibility invade the sacred precincts.
A whole army of officers were to guard against intruders. There was to be a banquet in the supper-room at midnight, after the masks of the merry cyclers had been removed, that would be so startling in its sumptuousness4 that the whole country would be talking about it, and those who had been fortunate enough to attend would never forget it in their after lives.
Philip Ravenswood had indeed done his utmost to secure the admittance of his friend; but even he had failed signally. The officers were inexorable in their polite but firm refusal to his request.
Two hours later the grand masquerade cycle carnival was at its height. The marble walls of the millionaire club never held a more brilliant gathering5 of ladies fair, with eyes behind silken masks brighter than the diamonds they wore, and men braver than the famous knights7 of old in their powdered wigs8, satin knee-breeches and spangled waistcoats.
[14]
One wheelman, in the costume of handsome Romeo, sprung from his wheel near one of the fountains, and watched with keen eyes through his mask the cyclers as they passed him one after another.
"Aha! I have them at last," he muttered, as he noted9 three wood-nymphs hovering10 close together. "Well, I declare, I thought I should have little difficulty in distinguishing one from the other," he muttered; "but to save my life, I can not tell them apart. I shall trust to fate to choose for me, hoping it will be the beauteous Hildegarde."
Suddenly two plumed11 cavaliers sprung from their wheels before the two foremost wood-nymphs, and asked permission in silent pantomime to ride as their escorts around the rink, which request was graciously acceded12 to, but with the dignity of young princesses.
"This is my opportunity," thought Romeo. "I must claim the remaining wood-nymph before some other fellow has the chance to capture her."
The next instant he was bowing low before her.
"May I have the great honor of riding as your escort around the rink, fair wood-nymph?" he whispered in a low, melodious13 voice. "Ah, pardon my speaking; it was purely14 a slip of the tongue. I should have made known my request in pantomime. But pray forgive, and do not betray me, fairest of all maidens15, to the floor manager, pray, or I shall be ordered from the floor in deep disgrace."
"If she answers, I shall know by her voice which one of the three heiresses she is," he thought.
"Oh, I shall not betray you, Mr. Ainsley," replied the girl, with a jolly little laugh, showing the whitest of pearly teeth, "and I accept your escort to ride with[15] me. I—I am so afraid of tumbling off my wheel, this gay throng16 and the flashing lights bewilder me so. I—I was just wondering if you would be here to-night."
"Fair maid, you know me?" he whispered, in apparent amazement17. "I am astounded18, yet flattered. Pray be kind enough to exchange confidences. I have been hoping against hope that you are the one whom I longed to see here. Surely the throbbings of my heart tell me who you are, fair nymph. Shall I breathe to you the name of her whom I ardently19 wish it to be?" he asked, softly.
"Yes," she answered, eagerly; and there was no mistaking the characteristic catching20 of the breath, and the intense, eager gaze in the velvety21 eyes behind the silken mask.
He crushed the furtive22 hope that had stirred his heart for an instant that it might be Hildegarde, and answered, boldly:
"I prayed the fates to lead me to the feet of beauteous Ida May! Oh, tell me—am I right? Do be kind, and tell me."
"Then the fates have answered your prayer," she replied. "I suppose I ought not to tell you until unmasking time, but really I can not help it. I am Ida May."
"Thanks, ten thousand thanks for ending my suspense23, dear girl," he murmured, as only Royal Ainsley could utter the words. A few sweeps around the rink, where handsome Romeo, with his superb fancy riding, was the cynosure24 of all eager feminine eyes, midst murmurs25 of admiration26, then he whispered to his companion: "Come into the conservatory27; the air is too close here. You are riding as though you were dizzy. Are you?"
"Yes," she answered. "I must have air. I——"
[16]
The wheel suddenly wobbled recklessly from side to side, as though its rider had lost control of it entirely28.
Royal Ainsley sprung from his wheel just in time to prevent her from falling, and in that instant he crushed her closely to his heart, then as quickly released her.
The excitement was so great, no one noticed this little by-play, or saw Romeo lead the fair wood-nymph from amid the glittering lights to the shadowy depths of the cool conservatory. Standing29 their wheels against a marble Flora30, he found a rustic31 bench on which he placed her, taking a seat beside her, dangerously near, his hand closing over the fluttering little white one, his handsome head, with its fair, clustering hair, bent32 near her own. A half hour they spent amid the dim, cool shadows, the perfume of the roses enfolding them, the soft, low, bewildering echo of the delicious music floating out to them.
Remember, the young girl was only seventeen, dear reader, otherwise the place, and the scene, and the fair, handsome lover by her side could not have infatuated her so quickly or so deeply.
"This is heaven!" he whispered. "How I wish we could linger here forever, Ida—I your devoted33 knight6, and you my queen, the world forgetting, by the world forgot! Do you wish it could be so?"
The low cadence34 of his voice; the thrilling touch of that strong, white hand that was stealing around the supple35 waist, drawing her toward him; the panting of his breath, which she could feel on her flushed cheek; the mesmeric, steady gaze of those bright blue, shining eyes, bewildered her—made her heart flutter as it had never fluttered before.
[17]
"Do you wish we could be always together, Ida?" he persisted.
"Yes," answered the girl, with a half sob36 of affright, trembling under the strange spell that had slowly but surely been cast over her.
"Then marry me, Ida!" he cried, "this very night—within the hour, and no one can ever part us after that! Oh, Ida, do not refuse me!" he urged. "I love you so that I would die for you. Fate surely intended us for each other, or we would never have met and loved as we do. Oh, my darling, you can not deny it! You do love me, Ida May?"
She strove with all her might to deny it; but, in spite of herself, he wrung37 the truth from her lips—that she did love him. A sudden light that she could not quite understand leaped up into his eyes for a moment, and a triumphant38 smile curved his lips.
"We shall be married to-night, Ida!" he cried. "I will arrange it somehow;" and as he uttered the words, he told himself that the great heiress was as good as won.
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1
carnival
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| n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演 | |
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auspicious
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| adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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sumptuousness
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| 奢侈，豪华 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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6
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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7
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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8
wigs
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| n.假发，法官帽( wig的名词复数 ) | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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10
hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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plumed
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| 饰有羽毛的 | |
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acceded
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| v.（正式）加入( accede的过去式和过去分词 )；答应；（通过财产的添附而）增加；开始任职 | |
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13
melodious
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| adj.旋律美妙的，调子优美的，音乐性的 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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15
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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16
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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ardently
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| adv.热心地，热烈地 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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22
furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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23
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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cynosure
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| n.焦点 | |
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25
murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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26
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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27
conservatory
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| n.温室，音乐学院；adj.保存性的，有保存力的 | |
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28
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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29
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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30
flora
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| n.(某一地区的)植物群 | |
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31
rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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32
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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33
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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34
cadence
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| n.（说话声调的）抑扬顿挫 | |
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35
supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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36
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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37
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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38
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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