A Masked Ball

The author is in the middle of working when he suddenly gets a visitor - a friend, whose face is completely pale. The author is no longer irritated by the interruption; he wants to know what has happened. The friend calms down and starts to tell a story of himself ending up in a vicious party where everyone hid their faces behind a mask... 'A Masked Ball' is a masterful short story written by Alexandre Dumas.