The woman who sat next to Juan Belvidero looked at him with a feverish glitter in her eyes. Forgetful of the past, with the intoxication of yesterday's rapture still upon me, I drink deep of life-a whole lifetime of pleasure and of love!" "Give me a joyous life!" she cried "I begin life afresh each day with the dawn. But I love you, I love you so that I can sacrifice my hereafter to you." "I feel remorse in the depths of my heart! I am a Catholic, and afraid of hell. One seemed to be saying-"The frozen heart of age might kindle at my beauty."Īnother-"I love to lounge upon cushions, and think with rapture of my adorers."Ī third, a neophyte at these banquets, was inclined to blush.
They differed neither in their ideas nor in their language but the expression of their eyes, their glances, occasional gestures, or the tones of their voices supplied a commentary, dissolute, wanton, melancholy, or satirical, to their words. Clad in satin, glittering with gold, and covered with gems less brilliant than their eyes, each told a tale of energetic passions as diverse as their styles of beauty. The white marble of the noble works of art about them stood out against the red stucco walls, and made strong contrasts with the rich Turkey carpets. Seated about a table lit up with perfumed tapers, seven laughter-loving women were interchanging sweet talk. A banquet in those times was a marvelous spectacle which only royal wealth or the power of a mightly lord could furnish forth. One winter evening, in a princely palace at Ferrara, Don Juan Belvidero was giving a banquet to a prince of the house of Este.
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