"By George—look—quick—there, she's gone!"
"What—where—who's she—where is she gone?" exclaimed the Earl, hurrying to have a sight.
"Wait a minute; she'll be back again, I'll be bound—talk of beauties—I did see a stunner."
"Where? which window?" said the Earl, who dearly loved to see a pretty face.
"There, at that window—the one with the red curtains—get your glass quick, she'll be back in a minute—make haste, here she comes—oh, Gad!"
In a moment the Earl was back, too, with an opera glass, through which he gazed at a stylish girl who stood at the opposite window, apparently unconscious that she was an object of such attention. She was about the average height—slightly inclined to embonpoint, with a full and beautiful bust. She was dressed in black silk, which, drawn tightly over her breast, showed off her figure to perfection. Her hair, black as the raven's wing, and platted in two broad bands, was drawn back behind her small, prettily-shaped ears, from which dropped sparkling pendants, and tied by a scarlet ribbon which contrasted well with the ebon locks it bound;—two tresses were suffered to escape this bandage, and waved in a negligé manner over her bosom. Large lustrous eyes, fringed by long, silken lashes, and the damask hue that tinted her olive cheek betrayed the child of sunnier climes than England. Her lips had a slight pout and saucy expression, and in her hand she fluttered a fan with all the grace of an Andalusian belle.
"Let's have a look, Wentworth—you are monopolizing the glass; confound it! there, she is gone, and I have not had 'ane keek' as old Andrew would say,—hard lines, by Jove!"
"She is evidently Spanish," said the Earl, regardless of the Captain's remark.
"I know that," said he.
"How! you seem to know more of her than you would make believe?"