Page:Teleny, or The Reverse of the Medal, t. II.djvu/111

 Well,' said he, 'are you going to stay up here in the dark all the evening?'

Camille is abashed,' said Teleny, smiling.

Then come in masked,' said the painter, dragging us down, and giving us each a black velvet half-mask before ushering us in.

"The announcement that supper was waiting in the next room had almost brought the revel to a stand-still.

"As we entered the studio, the sight of our dark suits and masks seemed to throw a dampness on everyone. We were, however, soon surrounded by a number of young men who came to welcome and to fondle us, some of whom were old acquaintances.

"After a few questions Teleny was known, and his mask was at once snatched off; but no one for a long, time could make out who I was. I, in the meanwhile, kept ogling the middle parts of the naked men around me, the thick and curly hair of which sometimes covered the stomach and the thighs. Nay, that unusual sight excited me in such a way that I could hardly forbear handling those tempting organs;