o engross her attention. Major
Conway had left a wife in England, which shut out any feelings of
rivalry with him. L'Isle was thus quite at his ease, and showed to
much advantage; for it is surprising how agreeable some people can
make themselves when they are bent upon it. He combined the qualities
of a good talker and a good listener; was communicative to the major;
yet more attentive to his lordship; and most careful, above all
things, to turn the conversation to topics interesting to Lady Mabel,
who, while listening, asking questions, and offering an occasional
remark, was fast coming to the conclusion that L'Isle, young as he
was, was by far the best informed and most considerate man in the
brigade. She more particularly wondered how, while tied down to his
military duties, he had found time to master the languages, history,
topography, and even the antiquities of the peninsula. He knew
personally many a Spaniard and Portuguese who had made himself
conspicuous for good or ill, at this fearful crisis of his country's
history. He thoroughly understood the people, with all their virtues
and their vices, that perhaps outweigh those virtues; yet he seemed by
no means to despise them. Amidst the too common baseness and
corruption, he could paint vividly their nobler traits, and illustrate
them by many a pointed anecdote and thrilling narrative. Lady Mabel
could not help thinking what a delightful companion he would be on a
tour through these countries, if she found so much pleasure in merely
listening to his account of what he had seen and witnessed there.

"Traveling is my passion," said Lady Mabel. "From childhood I have
longed to see foreign lands, and to find myself surrounded by
outlandish people. I suppose it is owing to my having been kept close
at home, yet encouraged to follow the footsteps of travelers over page
after page of their rambles. My journey hither, through the wilderness
of Alemtejo, has but whetted my appetite. And there is something
peculiarly fascinating in the idea of traveling in Spain, the land of
adventure and romance."

"Just now is no good time for such a journey," said L'Isle; "there are
too many French and other robbers besetting the roads."

"There would be too little of romance and too much of adventure in
meeting with them," said she. "It is most provoking to be thus
tantalized; the cup at my lips, and I cannot taste of it; Spain in
sight, and I cannot explore it. I am eager to visit