The Marchese, however, left the Cardinal's presence a much happier
man for the nonce than he had entered it, his mental vision filled
with pictures of ribbons, stars and crosses, with, perhaps, a
statue--between the two ancient columns in the Piazza Maggiore would
be an excellent site--in the background.
Ah! if only he could have had the courage to run away from
temptation.
CHAPTER VIII
A Carnival Reception
On that Monday night all the world of Ravenna were assembled in the
suite of state-rooms on the piano noble of the Palazzo di
Castelmare. The cards of invitation had announced that masks would
be welcomed by the noble host; and a large number of the younger
portion of the society accordingly presented themselves in dominoes
and the silk half-masks which are usually worn in conjunction with
them. But very few of either ladies or gentlemen came in character.
Such costumes were mostly reserved for the ball, which was to take
place at the Circolo dei Nobili on the following evening. That was
of course the wind-up of the Carnival; and besides it was felt, that
a shade or two more of licence and of the ascendancy of the Lord of
Misrule might fitly be permissible at the Circolo, than was quite de
mise in the rooms of so grave and reverend a Signor as the Marchese
Lamberto di Castelmare.
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