Page:One Link in the Chain of Apostolic Succesion; or, The Crimes of Alexander Borgia (1854).djvu/34

 like forms glided almost imperceptibly over the gorgeous carpet, with waving, undulating motion, with each look and gesture attuned to the emotions of love and languishing yoluptuousness. Round and round in the giddy waltz sped those fairy forms, while the excited Delano watched their every movement, and passed his eyes with longing and admiration over the glowing beauties that were so bewitchingly revealed to his bewildered gaze. The wine he had imbibed, together with the music and the enchanting sight before him, rendered him half delirious with delicious intoxication. He could not move or speak; his senses seemed to be completely under the influence of the strange and startling-scene; and he gazed upon it like one in a dream.

The spell was broken by the gruff voice of the mask.

"You seem to be pleased with my means of killing time," he observed, with a singular smile.

"It is glorious. It were easy to imagine, when gazing on such a scene as this, that the portals of death were passed, and heaven revealed!"

"Like you the appearance of the ladies?"

"Very much."

"Choose. One of them shall be subject to your wishes—any one of the number you may choose!"

The old man looked upon them with an expression of bewilderment.

"There 's the tall beauty, to the left—she is very pretty," muttered the old man, with flushed face, and sparkling eyes. "There 's the blonde immediately in front of her—she 's also very lovely. Then there 's her companion, the graceful and pretty—Ha! my God! what do I behold?"