Fortwohoursmycompanion，whowasamusicalfanatico，gavehisundividedattentiontothestage；and，inthemeantime，Iamusedmyselfbyobservingtheaudience，whichconsisted，inchiefpart，oftheveryeliteofthecity。Havingsatisfiedmyselfuponthispoint，Iwasaboutturningmyeyestotheprimadonna，whentheywerearrestedandrivetedbyafigureinoneoftheprivateboxeswhichhadescapedmyobservation。
IfIliveathousandyears，IcanneverforgettheintenseemotionwithwhichIregardedthisfigure。Itwasthatofafemale，themostexquisiteIhadeverbeheld。Thefacewassofarturnedtowardthestagethat，forsomeminutes，Icouldnotobtainaviewofitbuttheformwasdivine；nootherwordcansufficientlyexpressitsmagnificentproportionandeventheterm“divine“seemsridiculouslyfeebleasIwriteit。
ThemagicofalovelyforminwomanthenecromancyoffemalegracefulnesswasalwaysapowerwhichIhadfounditimpossibletoresist，butherewasgracepersonified，incarnate，thebeauidealofmywildestandmostenthusiasticvisions。Thefigure，almostallofwhichtheconstructionoftheboxpermittedtobeseen，wassomewhatabovethemediumheight，andnearlyapproached，withoutpositivelyreaching，themajestic。Itsperfectfullnessandtournureweredelicious。Theheadofwhichonlythebackwasvisible，rivalledinoutlinethatoftheGreekPsyche，andwasratherdisplayedthanconcealedbyanelegantcapofgazeaerienne，whichputmeinmindoftheventumtextilemofApuleius。Therightarmhungoverthebalustradeofthebox，andthrilledeverynerveofmyframewithitsexquisitesymmetry。Itsupperportionwasdraperiedbyoneofthelooseopensleevesnowinfashion。Thisextendedbutlittlebelowtheelbow。Beneathitwaswornanunderoneofsomefrailmaterial，close-fitting，andterminatedbyacuffofrichlace，whichfellgracefullyoverthetopofthehand，revealingonlythedelicatefingers，upononeofwhichsparkledadiamondring，whichIatoncesawwasofextraordinaryvalue。Theadmirableroundnessofthewristwaswellsetoffbyabraceletwhichencircledit，andwhichalsowasornamentedandclaspedbyamagnificentaigretteofjewels-telling，inwordsthatcouldnotbemistaken，atonceofthewealthandfastidioustasteofthewearer。
Igazedatthisqueenlyapparitionforatleasthalfanhour，asifI
hadbeensuddenlyconvertedtostone；and，duringthisperiod，Ifeltthefullforceandtruthofallthathasbeensaidorsungconcerning“loveatfirstsight。”MyfeelingsweretotallydifferentfromanywhichIhadhithertoexperienced，inthepresenceofeventhemostcelebratedspecimensoffemaleloveliness。Anunaccountable，andwhatIamcompelledtoconsideramagnetic，sympathyofsoulforsoul，seemedtorivet，notonlymyvision，butmywholepowersofthoughtandfeeling，upontheadmirableobjectbeforeme。IsawIfelt