Our Reporter himself takes up the narrative, and relates what followed in his own words. The beautiful widow was overcome by shame at the revelation she had to make, and it was only by considerate and skilful persuasion that our representative was able to elicit from her the full particulars of what she rightly called a dreadful, sinful infatuation.
The ball was a perfect success; there were many beautiful women among the guests, but the most beautiful of all was the hostess herself. A gentleman asked her to dance, and she handed him her card.
"How annoying!" he exclaimed. "You are engaged for every waltz."
She glanced at her card, and found that Frederick had placed his name against every one of the six waltzes comprised in the programme.
"The foolish fellow!" she cried, "I promised him two, and he has appropriated six!"
"In that case," observed the gentleman, "as you are much too precious to be monopolised, I may take the liberty of erasing Mr. Frederick Holdfast's name from one waltz at least, and writing my own in its place."
"Yes," said Mrs. Holdfast, "I will promise you one."
Just as the gentleman had made the alteration in the card Frederick came up, and protested against being deprived of the waltz.
"You made me promise to stop and dance," he said, "and I will dance with no other lady in the room but you."
"Why," said Mrs. Holdfast, "there are fifty pretty girls here, who will be delighted to dance with you."
"I have no eyes for any lady but yourself," he said, offering her his arm. "You wear the crown of beauty."
Surprised as she was at this sudden change in him, it was so much better than the systematically cold manner in which he had hitherto treated her, that she humoured him and was quite disposed to yield to his caprices. He told her during the evening that he was jealous of any person dancing with her but himself; he paid her a thousand compliments; he was most devoted in his attentions.
"Frederick is a changed man," she said to her husband, when he came from the whist to inquire how she was enjoying herself; "he has been the most attentive of cavaliers."
Mr. Holdfast expressed his satisfaction to his son.
"You have commenced your new leaf well, Frederick," he said; "I hope you will go on as you have begun."