Page:Horrid Mysteries Volume 3.djvu/179

 take her pocket handkerchief out to wipe her eyes.

Not the least of these circumstances escaped our observation, and our looks frequently met those of our offended fair ones; yet nothing was able to make the smallest impression on our obdurate hearts: they were obliged to go home unattended; and we returned to the inn, accompanied by almost all the inhabitants of the hamlet, who seemed to adore us.

No sooner were we left to ourselves, than we broke out in a fit of laughter, congratulating ourselves mutually on our excellent talents for hypocrisy, deceit, and courtly disguise, as well as on the impression we flattered ourselves to have made on the hearts of our charmers. We really had appeared more to our advantage to day than the evening before in our night gowns and slippers. The Count was dressed in his uniform, which, indeed, did not become him half so well as his white night gown: the buttons of his mi-