"
And then an open carriage became clearly visible, and in the next
minute, it could be seen that it was occupied by two persons;--a
lady and another figure--an old man apparently--muffled in a huge
blue travelling-cloak.
Then in another instant the travelling-carriage, finding the road
blocked before it, had stopped, and in the next, the Marchese
Lamberto, hat in hand, was standing at the door of it, on the lady's
side;--the two young men standing immediately behind him, and the
horsemen crowded round, craning over the necks of their horses.
Oh! per Bacco! There is no mistake about it; she is startlingly
beautiful. Report had not said half enough. And, somehow or other,
it appeared as if a travelling-costume was specially becoming to
her. At least, it seemed so to the innocent youths who so first saw
her. Had there been any women present their minds would have at once
gone back from the splendid effect produced to all the details of
the artfully combined causes which had gone to the producing of it.
But there were no ladies present, save the "Diva" alone.
Such a Diva! She wore a little blue velvet hat, with a white feather
in it very coquettishly placed on a superb wealth of hair of the
richest auburn tint. She was very delicately fair, with just such an
amount of the loveliest carnation on her cheeks as might be produced
by the perfection of health and joyousness and youth; or might be, a
lady critic would have whispered, by some other equally effectual
means.
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