out of the artistic braid and drooping ringlets. The blue eyes had a
multitude of expressions and gleams; now hard as the blue diamond's ray,
now soft as the lapis lazuli's glow of azure; the expression was at
present one of longing, tender, cajoling and coaxing--like a gentle
child's, never refused a thing for which it silently pleaded.

The costume was a trifle exaggerated, as is allowable on the minor
stage, but what was that in our topsy-turvy age, when the disreputable
woman in a mixed ball is conspicuous among her spotless sisters by the
quiet correctness of her toilet?

Kaiserina came down to the flaring footlights, after a little
trepidation, which the inexorable demon of stage-fright exacted from
her, with the swing and confident step of one sure that--while man may
be unjust, cruel and oppressive to her sex off the stage--here she would
reign and finally triumph. She bowed her head, but it was to acknowledge
her gracious acceptance of the tribute of applause; she moistened her
fiery-coal lips with a serpent's active tongue; she surveyed her
dominion with eyes that assumed a passing emerald tint. There was a
depth to those apparently superficial glances. It seemed to Claudius
that one had singled him out, and he fancied, as his eyes became
fastened on this vision of concentrated worldly bliss, that it was for
him that she stretched her plump neck, waved her arms in long gloves,
undulated her waist and murmured--though to others she was but repeating
her song during the orchestral prelude:

"You talk of plunging into the strife; you are ready to endure
privations, you would study and toil till you vanquish. Nonsense; you
had far better repose, recruit after the humdrum, exhaustive life of
college; enjoy life a little. Hear a love-song, not a professor's