WYLDER'S HAJVD.
16
— but a blackness with a dull rich shadow through it. I
had only a general impression of large dusky eyes and
very exquisite features — more delicate than the Grecian
models, and with a wonderful transparency, like tinted
marble; and a surperb haughtiness, quite unaffected. She
held forth her hand, which I did little more then touch.
There was a peculiarity in her greeting, which I felt a
little overawing, without exactly discovering in what it
consisted; and it was, I think, that she did not smile.
She never took that trouble for form's sake, like other
women.
So, as Wylder had set a chair for me. I could not avoid
sitting upon it, though I should much have preferred
standing, after the manner of man, and retaining my liberty.
CHAPTER III.
OUR DINNER PARTY AT BRANDON.
I was curious. I had heard a great deal of her beauty,
and it had exceeded all I heard; so I talked my sublimest
and brightest chitchat, in my most musical tones, and was
rather engaging and amusing, I ventured to hope. But
the best man cannot manage a dialogue alone. Miss
Brandon was plainly not a person to make any sort of
exertion towards what is termed keeping up a conversation j
at all events she did not, and after a while the present one
got into a decidedly sinking condition. An acquiescence,
a faint expression of surprise, a fainter smile — she con-
tributed little more, after the first few questions of courtesy
had been asked, in her low silvery tones, and answered by
me. To me the natural demise of a tSte-d-tete discourse