A FESTIMONY OF EMOTIONS
The dance was going on with great joy. Music was taking over Dalton's village, and people were enjoying the evening with satisfaction. Some danced while others took the opportunity to chat under the light of the stars and the torches and stoves that decorated the garden.
Blaine and Nick, watching with interest and enthusiasm the guests who were masked by the garden. Suddenly, Don David, hidden by a mask that covered his entire face, approaches Blaine and, with a bow asks, "Will you, my young boy, dance with a friend?", Which was promptly answered softly " If you ask politely and friendly, I am at your disposal. "
"With all respect and admiration, I ask you to accompany me!" continued Don David, extending his hand towards Blaine, as if in a request to be accompanied. Blaine in turn, a little self-conscious, accepts the hand of the masked prince and accompanies him to the center of the dance floor.
Elsewhere in the party:
Trent, Don David's servant, interested in getting to know the young Blaine's tutor and friend better, courted the young Wes "I wish you liked me.", Which was answered with malice "Well, I don't; I say this in your own interest, because I am endowed with terrible qualities. " And entering the playful conversation, Trent asked "What would they be, for example?", Smiling Wes replied "I say my prayers out loud." And he was already moving away from Trent, who in an unthinking act reached Wes' wrist and held it, saying softly "One more reason for me to dedicate you love: the listeners will be able to say" Amen! "
With a light laugh, Wes raised his arms to the heavens and exclaimed: "God grant me a good pair for the dance!", To which Trent answered, with his hands joined as in prayer "Amen!"
"And put it out of my sight, after the contradiction is over!" continued Wes, the joke tone "Come on, answer soon, altar boy!", frowning looking at Trent, who with a malicious smile replied taking Wes's hand and dragging him to the dance floor "Enough of words; the altar boy already got an answer. "
In another corner of the garden, a little further from the festivities, Nick found herself watching those dancing happily, when she was surprised by one of the masked lords of the prince's party, whispering something in her ear.
"Can't you tell me who told you that?" asked the masked Nick, who was none other than Jeff. However, disguising his voice, so as not to be recognized by his disaffection, he replied "I apologize, but it is impossible."
A little irritated, Nick continued to question the masked "And you will not tell me what you are called?" who promptly replied that it was not yet time to reveal his identity. "That I am disdainful, and that my tongue is sharper than a thousand swords ..." ... I already know who told you that was Mr. Jeff! It can only. " Nick continued, trying to get the truth out of his masked companion.
Pretending to be unaware of the name, the masked man asks Nick "Who is this Jeff?" earning a kind of grunt from Nick in response "I'm sure you know him perfectly."
Insisting on the farce, the masked (Jeff) says to Nick "No ... I don't know. Tell me, please, who is he? " receiving in response, with a certain venom in Nick's tone of voice "Why, he's the prince's court jester, a poor devil with no grace whatsoever, who only knows how to invent absurd calumnies to make himself funny in the eyes of others. Only libertines are looking for him, and even so, not because of his spirit, but because of his villains, because he distracts and irritates listeners at the same time, who, after laughing at his expense, hit him. I'm sure he is part of the fleet; I wish he had approached me. "
Jeff, hearing such a description of his own being with such unpleasant words, swallowed his pride and continued in his disguise "If I get to know this gentleman, I will be pleased to tell you your opinion of him, young man."
Nodding his head, and trying not to look bothered by the strange conversation that went on with the masked man, Nick replies, "Don't stop; and you can be sure that he will not pass up the opportunity to throw me a comparison or two, and if by any chance anyone notices them or doesn't laugh at such defamations, he will be a poor man and will hide in the prince's pants "
Feeling somewhat disenchanted when he saw how he was seen by the young boy, Jeff clapped his hands as a sign to end the disconcerting conversation, and suggested "Do we accompany those who dance so happily?" Nick, for his part, somewhat reluctantly, accepts the invitation "Let us follow, as long as they do not take the wrong direction, otherwise I will leave them on the first lap." and went to the dance floor together.
In another part of the garden, young Kurt was standing next to the food and drink table, watching the prince dancing with the object of his affection, Blaine. Kurt was anxious to know what was going to happen in such a conversation.
Suddenly, Kurt overhears two people nearby initiating a conversation that, for him, would be cruel: "It is certain that my brother is in love with young Blaine ... he even called his father aside to ask him to marry him." Don Sebastian confided to colleague Hunter, who pretended not to notice Kurt so close, replies with false intention to prevent the prince from making gossip "Don't talk like that, my dear. Kurt can listen and be upset. "
Pretending to be surprised, Don Sebastian goes to Kurt who was masked, and says "Aren't you Mr. Jeff, friend of Mr. Kurt?" to which, to get answers to the questions that arose in his mind and heart, Kurt replied, "You know me well; I am himself. " Believing that you are deceiving don Sebastian.
Lowering his tone a little, as if in confidence, don Sebastian tells Kurt "Sir, you hold a high position in my brother's esteem. He is in love with young Blaine; try, I beg you, to dissuade him from that purpose, that he is of inferior birth to his. In doing so, you will proceed as an honest and faithful man to my brother and your friend. "
Kurt, in turn, trying to hide the agony of his voice, asks don Sebastian "How do you know he's in love with Blaine?" who realizes that the young man had fallen into his trap, shoots "I heard when he swore eternal love to him, and promised marriage.", confirmed by Hunter who said with certainty "I heard you too!" and completed, with great cynicism "... he swore that he would marry her tonight, enjoying the party as an engagement party!"
And so, as if it was nothing, Don Sebastian slaps Kurt on the shoulder and says, "Please, play your faithful friend, that my good brother already did for warning you." And turning his back on Kurt to hide his sarcastic smile, Don Sebastian beckons Hunter to join him, and says, "Let's go to the banquet, my friend, I'm hungry! Leaving poor Kurt to his conflicted thoughts.
As soon as Don Sebastian and Hunter leave, Kurt looks around to make sure he is alone and with a plaintive sigh, ducks his head and whispers to himself "To answer Count Sebastian I was Jeff, but the bad news was told in the ears of Kurt. Yes, it is true: the prince made the court on his own. Friendship is constant in everything but love matters. Therefore, lovers should use their own language, using their eyes to take advantage of business, without resorting to agents, that beauty is a cunning witch who has filters to change loyalty in blood. It is a fact that I should have predicted. So, Blaine, see you.
