high spirits which they had betrayed throughout the evening. Only near me at the table it was very different. I was placed near the lady who wore the jewels, and I observed that she never tasted food or wine, nor did she ever take her eyes off Felippo and his bride.
‘At length, when white champagne was handed round, the bridegroom drew near to us, and took the seat next but one to the silent lady. Now, indeed, she seemed more animated, and she turned round towards her new neighbour when he addressed her, which she had never done to any one else, and even offered her glass as if she wished him to drink out of it. It was evident, however, that her attention much agitated Felippo. He held up the glass in his left hand, trembling like an aspen leaf, pointed to it, and said—
‘“How comes it that the wine is red? I thought we had no red champagne?”
‘“Red?” said the bride’s father. “What can you mean?”
‘“Look only at the lady’s glass,” answered Felippo.
‘“Well, it is filled with white wine like the rest,” said the old gentleman, and all the bystanders with one voice pronounced the wine white. Felippo, however, would not drink of it.
‘The mysterious whispering which had for some time supplied the place of all lively conversation now became more remarkable when the lady suddenly rose from her place, waved her hand, bowed to the bridegroom, and retreated to the door. The bridegroom’s father, anxious if he could discover anything which would tell him who the mysterious stranger was, followed her. When he got outside she had vanished.
