Page:In a winter city, by Ouida.djvu/334

Rh She felt afraid to look up at his face.

The door opened on them noisily; the Archduchess and Madame Mila were returning to refresh themselves with their supper ere descending again to fresh diversions. Behind them came the Duc de St. Louis and all the men of their party, and their servants with the tressels for the setting of the table in their box.

They were fuller than ever of laughter, mirth, high spirits, and riotous good humour; their white teeth shone under the lace of their loups, and their eyes sparkled through the slits. They had frightened some people, and teased more, and had been mistaken for two low actresses and jested with accordingly, and were as much flattered as the actresses would have been had they been taken for princesses.

The Lady Hilda prayed of the Archduchess's goodness to be excused from awaiting the supper; she had been ill all day, and her headache was very severe.

The Archduchess was in too high spirits to listen very much, or to care who went or who stayed.