“Ryan, I want to take a break.” As midnight approached, the ball became increasingly lively, and after dancing all night, she felt a bit breathless.
“Alright, let’s go to the terrace for a drink.” He released her hand and led her to the balcony.
He picked up a glass of red wine from a server’s tray and handed it to Khanyi, then poured himself a glass. However, he found it difficult to open his mouth with the headpiece on. “Wearing this headpiece makes everything inconvenient.” He bent down to gently place the wine glass on a small table beside the rattan chair. “Darling, wait for me here for a moment; I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.” She nodded obediently, taking a handkerchief from her small handbag to wipe the sweat from her neck, having danced too vigorously just now. Several men had already been captivated by her petite and charming figure and graceful dance, lingering around her. Khanyi saw the desire behind those masks, and although she wanted to try dancing with different partners at the ball, after much consideration, she dismissed the thought. So, before they could muster the courage to invite her, she swiftly darted across the crowd like a nimble antelope, escaping to the other side of the dance floor. Khanyi quietly murmured as she glanced toward the side exit of the ballroom, “How long can Ryan take in the bathroom?”
“Beautiful lady, may I have the honor of dancing with you?” A deep, bell-like voice rang out above her.
She turned around abruptly, almost colliding with a black wall. The man was very tall, draped in a black cloak that enveloped his robust body, revealing only his straight shoulders. She slowly raised her head to look at his face and gasped, covering her mouth to stifle a scream. What a face it was! A strange, ugly big nose, a geometric face, a horseshoe-shaped mouth, uneven teeth, a single eye, large ears, and brown, linen-like hair. She took a step back, scanning him from head to toe, noticing that he had something behind him, making him appear hunchbacked.
“Are you dressed as Quasimodo?” Khanyi couldn’t help but ask. The dance floor was filled with elegantly dressed kings, dukes, and princes, and his outfit stood out as particularly unique. Upon closer inspection, especially that fake hooked nose, it looked quite comical.
“Yes, I am Quasimodo, and I would like to invite the beautiful Esmeralda to dance.” His voice came from beneath the mask, sounding somewhat muffled.
“Sorry, I…” Khanyi struggled to suppress her laughter, realizing she couldn’t escape. He stood before her like a black wall. She pondered how to politely decline his invitation; in such a setting, a lady couldn’t easily refuse a gentleman’s request. Just as she was about to explain that she had danced all night and was tired…
“What a pity! Girls always judge by appearances; they don’t want to dance with the ugly Quasimodo,” he paused and said, “But you are different. You’ve been dancing all night with an ugly little gnome.”
“No, it’s not like that. I actually came with him,” Khanyi explained, glancing again toward the exit, still not seeing his figure.
“Oh, I see. I thought I had encountered a girl who doesn’t judge by appearances. It seems I was daydreaming.” He feigned a dejected look, muttering, “The world is truly unfair; God only bestows blessings upon the most beautiful…”
“Alright, I’ll dance with you, but this song has already started. Please forgive me; I can only accompany you for half a dance.” Khanyi sighed lightly, thinking that this gentleman, perhaps due to his ugly appearance, hadn’t danced a single dance all night.
“Quasimodo will be very honored,” he bowed to her, making a gesture of invitation with one hand. She reached out her arm, just about to rest it on his forearm, but hesitated slightly. “This is a tango; is that alright? Otherwise, let’s wait for the next one.” She noticed that due to the difficulty of the steps, the number of people on the dance floor had suddenly decreased.
“It’s fine; this is a piece of cake for me.” “Quasimodo” said confidently.
This man was even taller than his stature; she could hardly reach his shoulders. Standing on her tiptoes, he, draped in the strange black cloak, twirled her, the petite beauty, around the dance floor, as if enacting a chase between Beauty and the Beast.
