thou wilt gaze and gaze and make mental annotations, and to-morrow
thou wilt begin to preen thy feathers preparatory to flying forth; but
first thou must lie down and sleep three full hours, 'tis then the
ball will be at its height, and thou wilt feel refreshed and ready to
amuse me with thy observations. 'Twill be the grandest sight for thee.
I have seen many but none so gorgeous as this is to be."

Janet went upon a tour of exploration and finding what she desired in
the way of a quiet corner returned for Katherine. They passed down
flights of steps, through halls, and came to a large corridor that
opened upon a gallery which encircled the ballroom, save where it was
cleft by a great stairway. As they stood looking over the railing,
'twas like looking down upon an immense concave opal, peopled by the
gorgeously apparelled. Myriad tints seeming to assimulate and focus
wherever the eyes rested. Gilt bewreathed pillars, mouldings,
shimmering satin, lights, jewels, flowers, ceiling, gallery and
parquetry appeared like a homogeneous mass of opal. Mistress Katherine
could not speak, her perturbed spirit was silent, she held to Janet
and the curtain that hung at the arch, and breathed in the perfume.

"Canst see thy lord yonder?"

"Nay, I see all collectively, but nothing individually; my eyes fail
to separate this from that."

"Perhaps if thou couldst whip them to his ugly frame, 'twould prove an
antidote."

"'Twill come in time,--I can now discern that 'tis the folk that art
moving and not the flowers and lights. I see a red figure seeming