an orgy," she said. And Katherine, full of adventure and deeming it a
fine, young lady's trick--she had heard talk of such things among the
older girls at the convent--opined "'twas the thing to do." And
they followed the passage until an arched and curtained doorway but
screened them from that 'twas within the grand saloon, and Constance
made bold to draw aside a finger-breadth of the sweeping curtain and
peep within.

"Ah! ah! 'tis a beauteous sight!" and she turned from what she saw
and drew the curtain to a generous opening; and the two with heads
together looked through.

Every candle had been snuffed and through the great north window came
the rays from the light in the forked tree that fell like moonlight
athwart the saloon. In the centre of the broad gleam was a sylph-like
form, keeping time to the music in a sort of phantom style of
movement; twisting, shimmering folds that appeared to effuse a
scintillation of opal shades. 'Twas the chaconne; slow, graceful and
full of romance, the full major lifting and seeming to float, at last
dying imperceptibly into the minor passacaille. About were seated,
carelessly and after the manner of men who had pulled at the bottle
for hours in the hunting field and were now somewhat overcome by
warmth and _ennui_, beaux old and young, 'suaging their appetite of
mouth and eye by wine and women.

"'Tis the King sets the pace!" said one, close to the curtain.

"Egad!" said another. "He not only sets it, but carries it along. He
has fine wenches at his beck and call." 'Twas evident 'twas but the
beginning of revelry; a sort of bacchanalian prelude to what might