And the black domino at that moment bent down, and, in a low, smothered voice, asked me if I would dance. I declined very quickly, and turned away my head. "Miss Churchill, will you dance this set with me?" asked a gentleman, in French, approaching me. Disguised as the voice was, there was something familiar in it. I gave him my hand, and we took our places at the head of the room. It very soon became evident that he had mistaken me for Miss Churchill, and I determined to keep up the character. It was not very difficult; we were exactly the same size, and I had always been a good mimic, so that, in five minutes, I was coquetting, twisting my fan, and taking off Josephine to the life. It was not so easy to find out who I was quizzing. He was evidently a master of the art of deception, disguised his voice, his step, his manner, and was never off his guard an instant. He did not answer to anybody's description exactly, though I was constantly convinced, by his familiarity with us all, that he was "one of us." I tried to bait him with allusions to all our acquaintance, but he was too wary to rise to any of them. "How did you find me out so easily?" I said, with a laugh so like Josephine's that I was absolutely startled myself. "I thought I was disguised beyond all detection." "Not from me." "Ah, you are so clever!" I said, putting my head on one side, with an affectation characteristic of Josephine. "Now help me to discover some of the others. Who is our vis-à-vis in the Spanish dress?" "_You_ should not have to ask." "_Mais qui?_" "Mr. Arbuthnot, _sans doute_." "Ah! my heart should have told me Phil! Which is the captain?" "'Ivanhoe,' there by the door, talking with the 'Father of his Country.'" "And oh! tell me, for I am dying to know, have you found out my cousin?" "I do not think she is in the room." "Impossible! Then she must be ill." "Indifferent, more probably." "Ah! perhaps. 'There is but one with whom she has heart to be gay!' But has nobody been up to see what has become of her?" "No one, I fancy." "Had I better go?" "That's as you please," with a slight shrug. "Well, I'll see, after this dance. Who is that black domino, pray?" "That is more than I can tell you. He is the only man in the room whom I have not detected. He has not danced, nor spoken to any one, I think. I shall watch him closely and be near him when he unmasks." "Yes, but that's rather uncertain. He may leave the room before then." "That's very possible. He seems to be hovering near us. Suppose, after this dance, you draw him into conversation, and try to make him out? He seems to avoid me, and I am really very curious to know him." "Very well, to gratify you, I will try to detect him; but my cousin--will you take that duty off my hands?" "Yes, I will send a servant to inquire, and report the result to you." "Thank you. How _kind_ you always are! I should know that goodness of heart under twenty dominoes, and among a thousand people!"