her a warm
walk up the hill, and, upon arriving at the cathedral, I stopped
awhile in the cool airy porch to rest, brush the dust from my boots,
arrange my hair and neckcloth, and adjust my wounded arm in its sling
in the most interesting manner. Just as I had finished these nice
little preliminaries, a volante drove up to the door, which contained,
why, to be sure, only a woman, but yet the loveliest woman I have
ever seen in any part of the world. Yes, Bill, your little dancer at
Valetta ought not to be thought of the same day.

"Well, boys, I fell in love incontinently at first sight, and was
taken all aback, but inspired by a stiff glass of eau-de-vie which I
had taken with my pineapple after dinner, I forged alongside, before
the negro postillion, cased to his hips in jack-boots, could dismount,
and offered my hand to assist the lady to alight from the carriage.
She at first gave me a haughty stare, but finally putting one of the
two fairest hands in the world into my brown paw, she reached terra
firma safely.

"'Thank you, senor,' said she, with a low courtesy, after I had led
her into the church.

"'Entirely welcome, ma'am,' I replied, as my mother had taught me to
do upon like occasions, 'and the more welcome, as I perceive you speak
English so fluently, that you must be either an English woman or my
own countrywoman.'

"'I am a Cubanos, senor,' said the lady, with a smile, 'but my mother
was an American, and I learned the language in the nursery--but,
senor, again I thank you for your gallantry, and so _adios_.' She
dipped her finger in the holy-water vase, crossed herself, and then
looking at me from under her dark fringed eyelids with a most
bewildering glance, and a smile which displayed two dazzling rows of
pearls between her ruby lips, she glided into the church.

"'Who is your mistress?' cried I, turning to the negro postillion, but
that sable worthy could not understand my question. The most
expressive pantomimes were as unavailable as words, and so in despair
I turned again into the porch, and stood in a reverie. I was clearly a
fathom deep in love, and as my extreme height is but five feet eleven
and a half, that is equivalent to saying that I was over head and ears
in love with the strange lady. I began to talk to myself. 'By Venus!'
said I, aloud, 'but she is an angel, regular built, and if I only
could find out her name and--'

"A smothered laugh behind me reminded me that so public a place