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"My aunt, I shall be a viscountess," replied Miss Merlin. And preparations for the great party were immediately commenced. More than two hundred invitations were sent out. And the aid of the three great ministers of fashion Vourienne, Devizac, and Dureezie were called in, and each was furnished with a carte-blanche as to expenses.
"Vourienne must decorate the rooms." "My dear, his charges are enormous." "So is my fortune, Aunt Middleton," laughed Claudia. "Very well," sighed the lady. "And aunt?" "Yes, dear?" "Devizac must supply the supper." "Claudia, you are mad! Everything that man touches turns to gold for his own pocket." Claudia shrugged her shoulders. "Aunt, what do I care for all that. I can afford it.
On the morning of the day, Vourienne and his imps having completed their fancy papering, painting, and gilding, and put the finishing touches by festooning all the walls and ceilings, and wreathing all the gilded pillars with a profusion of artificial flowers, at last evacuated the premises, just it time to allow Devizac and his army to march in for the purpose of laying the feast.
Brudenell conducted Mrs. Middleton, and the judge led one of the lady guests. The scene they entered upon was one of splendor, beauty, and luxury, never surpassed even by the great Vourienne and Devizac themselves! Painting, gilding, and flowers had not been spared.
As on two former occasions, Miss Merlin called in the aid of her three favorite ministers Vourienne, Devizae, and Dureezie. On the morning of the last day of June Vourienne and his assistants decorated the dining room. On the evening of the same day Devizae and his waiters laid the table for the wedding breakfast. And then the room was closed up until the next day.
As Claudia had determined, Vourienne superintended the decorations of the reception, dancing, and supper rooms; Devizac furnished the refreshment, and Dureezie the music. The élite of the city were present. The guests began to assemble at ten o'clock, and by eleven the rooms were crowded. Among the guests was he for whom all this pageantry had been got up the Viscount Vincent.
For a few days the house was closed to visitors, and given up to suffer the will of the decorator Vourienne and his attendant magicians, who soon contrived to transform the sober mansion of the American judge into something very like the gorgeous palace of an Oriental prince.
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