The Duke did not view the forgotten scene of youth
without emotion. It was a palace worthy of the heroine on whom he had
been musing. The carriage gained the lofty portal. Luigi and Spiridion,
who had preceded their master, were ready to receive the Duke, who was
immediately ushered to the rooms prepared for his reception. He was
later than he had intended, and no time was to be unnecessarily lost in
his preparation for his appearance.
His Grace's toilet was already prepared: the magical dressing-box
had been unpacked, and the shrine for his devotions was covered
with richly-cut bottles of all sizes, arranged in all the elegant
combinations which the picturesque fancy of his valet could devise,
adroitly intermixed with the golden instruments, the china vases, and
the ivory and rosewood brushes, which were worthy even of Delcroix's
exquisite inventions.
The Duke of St. James was master of the art of dress, and consequently
consummated that paramount operation with the decisive rapidity of one
whose principles are settled. He was cognisant of all effects, could
calculate in a second all consequences, and obtained his result with
that promptitude and precision which stamp the great artist.
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