y complete melody, seemed to sport itself in rivalship of the silver
sound of the instrument.

"A creature so well educated," said the Duke, "with the sense she is
said to possess, would, rustic as she is, laugh at the assumed rants
of Oroondates. It is the vein of Dorimont--once, Buckingham, thine
own--that must here do the feat, besides that the part is easier."

So thinking, he entered the room with that easy grace which
characterised the gay courtiers among whom he flourished, and approached
the fair tenant, whom he found seated near a table covered with books
and music, and having on her left hand the large half-open casement,
dim with stained glass, admitting only a doubtful light into this lordly
retiring-room, which, hung with the richest tapestry of the Gobelines,
and ornamented with piles if china and splendid mirrors, seemed like a
bower built for a prince to receive his bride.

The splendid dress of the inmate corresponded with the taste of the
apartment which she occupied and partook of the Oriental costume which
the much-admired Roxalana had the brought into fashion. A slender foot
and ankle, which escaped from the wide trowser of richly ornamented and
embroidered blue satin, was the only part of her person distinctly seen;
the rest was enveloped, from head to foot, in a long veil of silver
gauze, which, like a feathery and light mist on a beautiful landscape,
suffered you to perceive that what it concealed was rarely lovely, yet
induced the imagination even to enhance the charms it shaded. Such part
of the dress as could be discovered was, like the veil and the trowsers,
in the Oriental taste; a rich turban, and splendid caftan, were rather
indicated than distinguished through the folds of the former. The whole
attire argued at least coquetry on the part of the fair one, who must
have expected, from her situation, a visitor of some pretension; and
induced Buckingham to smile internally at Christian's account of the
extreme simplicity and purity of his niece.

He approached the lady _en cavalier_, and addressed her with the air
of being conscious, while he acknowledged his offences, that his
condescending to do so formed a sufficient apology for them. "Fair
Mistress Alice," he said, "I am sensible how deeply I ought to sue for
pardon for the mistaken zeal of my servants, who, seeing you deserted
and exposed without protection during an unlucky affray, took it upon
them to bring you under the roof of one