during nearly the whole of that evening at his ball, that she had
not said a word about it to any one else.

It could not but seem, however, to everybody that the Marchese
Ludovico and La Lalli had agreed together to represent a pair
belonging to the most gorgeous and picturesque days of Venetian
history. And a most magnificently handsome pair they made. Bianca's
dress, or at least the general appearance and effect of it, will
readily be imagined by those acquainted with the full-length
portraits of Titian or Tintoretto. A more strictly "proper" costume
no lady could wish to wear. And the jeunesse doree of Ravenna, who
had thought it likely that the Diva would appear as some light-
skirted Flora, or high-kirtled Diana, were altogether disappointed.

But there was much joking and raillery about the evident and notable
pair-ship of Ludovico and Bianca; and it came to pass that, almost
without any special intention on their own part, they were thrown
much together, and danced together frequently. And this, under the
circumstances, was still more the case than it would have otherwise
been, in consequence of the Marchese Lamberto not dancing. It was a
long time since he had done so. There were many men dancing less
fitted than he, as far as appearance and capability, and even as far
as years went, to join in such amusements. Nevertheless, all Ravenna
would have been almost as much surprised to see the Marchese
Lamberto dressed in mumming costume, and making one among Carnival
revellers, as to see the Cardinal himself doing the same things. He
had made for himself a social position, and a life so much apart
from any such levities, that his participation in them would have
seemed a monstrosity.