"You won't call it petty larceny, Everly, when you pour maledictions
on his head. 'Pon my heart it's too bad of him to carry off the most
precious freight of the ballroom; thereby causing two forlorn
individuals, whom he has defrauded of their rights, to wonder about
like disembodied spirits with distended eyes, and white of visage. I
can assure you, Mlle. Vernon, Everly, in our search for your fair
person, peered into passages where the darkness might be felt, it was
in this way. Passing one of the _salons_ I saw a group of ladies and
gentlemen, and thinking you might be one of the number, and the music
just striking up for my dance with you, _la belle de la nuit_, I
entered the _salon_, gazing eagerly amongst them, coming away, as you
know, disappointed. Sir Tilton in this way distanced me. I took no
thought of the whereabouts of such an insignificant atom as he,
continued De Vesey, laughing; but, continuing my search for you, came
suddenly upon a queer bit of architecture, a many-sided sort of
landing wherefrom there were three staircases and three landings;
which was I to choose? I was meditating, when from the wall close
beside me proceeded a most plaintive wail, rather, on my honour, like
an infantine donkey.
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