Some of them removed their wigs, and asked the perruquier to give
them an extra powdering; others got at the cosmetic boxes upon the
toilet table, and gave a touch of carmine to cheeks which the
night's revel had left wan. Some gave infinite pains to the
arrangement of a patch to resemble a dimple; and all desired to dip
their handkerchiefs in the silver bowl of rare scent which was
offered almost the last thing to the master of all these luxuries.
Tom sat in his corner and looked on in amaze. He had felt himself a
very pretty dandy whilst being arrayed in his new clothes in Cale's
shop, but he felt like a raven amongst peacocks in this company;
and it would have taken nothing short of the testimony of his own
eyes to convince him that these were men and not women engaged in
all this pranking and personal adornment.
Many curious glances had been thrown in his direction at the first;
and a few of the guests sauntered up from time to time, and entered
into conversation with him. Tom observed, with some satisfaction,
that there was respect, if not admiration, in their manner, and he
wondered what had caused this; for yesterday he had received
mockery and taunts as his portion from men of much less distinction
than Lord Claud's friends.
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