themotherwasthinkingofherson,andnowemilygaveherowninterpretationtothosewords.yes,georgewascertainlywithheronherbirthday.

ithappenedthatthenextdaywasanotherbirthdayinthathouse,thegeneral'sbirthday.hehadbeenbornthedayafterhisdaughter,butbeforeherofcourse-manyyearsbeforeher.manypresentsarrived,andamongthemcameasaddleofexquisiteworkmanship,acomfortableandcostlysaddle-oneoftheprinceshadjustsuchanother.now,fromwhommightthissaddlecome?thegeneralwasdelighted.therewasalittlenotewiththesaddle.nowifthewordsonthenotehadbeen"manythanksforyesterday'sreception,"wemighteasilyhaveguessedfromwhomitcame.butthewordswere"fromsomebodywhomthegeneraldoesnotknow."

"whomintheworlddoinotknow?"exclaimedthegeneral."iknoweverybody;"andhisthoughtswanderedallthroughsociety,forhekneweverybodythere."thatsaddlecomesfrommywife!"hesaidatlast."sheisteasingme-charming!"

butshewasnotteasinghim;thosetimeswerepast.

againtherewasafeast,butitwasnotinthegeneral'shouse,itwasafancyballattheprince's,andmaskswereallowedtoo.

thegeneralwentasrubens,inaspanishcostume,withalittleruffroundhisneck,aswordbyhisside,andastatelymanner.thegeneral'sladywasmadamerubens,inblackvelvetmadehighroundtheneck,exceedinglywarm,andwithamill-stoneroundherneckintheshapeofagreatruff-accuratelydressedafteradutchpictureinthepossessionofthegeneral,inwhichthehandswereespeciallyadmired.theywerejustlikethehandsofthegeneral'slady.

emilywaspsyche.inwhitecrapeandlaceshewaslikeafloatingswan.shedidnotwantwingsatall.sheonlyworethemasemblematicofpsyche.

brightness,splendor,lightandflowers,wealthandtasteappearedattheball;therewassomuchtosee,thatthebeautifulhandsofmadamerubensmadenosensationatall.

ablackdomino,withanacaciablossominhiscap,dancedwithpsyche.

"whoisthat?"askedthegeneral'slady.

"hisroyalhighness,"repliedthegeneral."iamquitesureofknewhimdirectlybythepressureofhishand."

thegeneral'sladydoubtedit.

generalrubenshadnodoubtsaboutit.hewentuptotheblackdominoandwrotetheroyallettersinthemask'shand.theseweredenied,butthemaskgavehimahint.

thewordsthatcamewiththesaddle:"onewhomyoudonotknow,general."

"butidoknowyou,"saidthegeneral."itwasyouwhosentmethesaddle."

thedominoraisedhishand,anddisappearedamongtheotherguests.

"whoisthatblackdominowithwhomyouweredancing,emily?"askedthegeneral'slady.

"ididnotaskhisname,"shereplied,"becauseyouknewit.itistheprofessor.yourprotegeishere,count!"shecontinued,turningtothatnobleman,whostoodcloseby."ablackdominowithacaciablossomsinhiscap."

"verylikely,mydearlady,"repliedthecount."butoneoftheprinceswearsjustthesamecostume."

"iknewthepressureofthehand,"saidthegeneral."thesaddlecamefromtheprince.iamsocertainofitthaticouldinvitethatdominotodinner."

"doso.ifitbetheprincehewillcertainlycome,"repliedthecount.

"andifitistheotherhewillnotcome,"saidthegeneral,andapproachedtheblackdomino,whowasjustspeakingwiththegeneralgaveaveryrespectfulinvitation"thattheymightmakeeachother'sacquaintance,"andhesmiledinhiscertaintyconcerningthepersonhewasinviting.hespokeloudanddistinctly.

thedominoraisedhismask,anditwasgeorge."doyourepeatyourinvitation,general?"