Page:Life in Mexico vol 1.djvu/143

Rh covered the whole ball-room. The orchestra also was tolerably good. The boxes were filled with ladies, presenting an endless succession of China crape shawls of every color and variety, and a monotony of diamond ear-rings; while in the theatre itself, if ever a ball might be termed a fancy-ball, this was that ball. Of Swiss peasants, Scotch peasants, and all manner of peasants there were a goodly assortment; as also of Turks, Highlanders, and men in plain clothes. But being public, it was not, of course, select, and amongst many well-dressed people, there were hundreds who, assuming no particular character, had exerted their imagination to appear merely fanciful, and had succeeded. One, for example, would have a scarlet satin petticoat, and over it a pink satin robe, with scarlet ribbons to match. Another, a short blue satin dress, beneath which appeared a handsome purple satin petticoat; the whole trimmed with yellow bows. They looked like the signs of the zodiac. All had diamonds and pearls; old and young, and middle-aged; including little children, of whom there were many.

The lady-patronesses were very elegant. The Señora de Gua, wore a head-dress in the form of a net, entirely composed of large pearls and diamonds; in itself a fortune. The Señora de Ca, as Madame de la Valliére, in black velvet and diamonds, looking pretty, as usual, but the cold of the house obliged her to muffle up in furs and böas, and so to hide her dress. The Señora de Ga, as Mary, Queen of Scots, in black velvet and pearls, with a splendid diamond necklace, was extremely