"
The heart of the little damsel was touched by the distress of the
page. It was a thousand pities he should be ruined for the want of
so trifling a boon. Surely too he could not be one of those
dangerous beings whom her aunt had described as a species of cannibal,
ever on the prowl to make prey of thoughtless damsels; he was gentle
and modest, and stood so entreatingly with cap in hand, and looked
so charming.
The sly page saw that the garrison began to waver, and redoubled his
entreaties in such moving terms that it was not in the nature of
mortal maiden to deny him; so the blushing little warden of the
tower descended, and opened the door with a trembling hand, and if the
page had been charmed by a mere glimpse of her countenance from the
window, he was ravished by the full length portrait now revealed to
him.
Her Andalusian bodice and trim basquina set off the round but
delicate symmetry of her form, which was as yet scarce verging into
womanhood. Her glossy hair was parted on her forehead with
scrupulous exactness, and decorated with a fresh-plucked rose,
according to the universal custom of the country. It is true her
complexion was tinged by the ardor of a southern sun, but it served to
give richness to the mantling bloom of her cheek, and to heighten
the lustre of her melting eyes.
Ruyz de Alarcon beheld all this with a single glance, for it
became him not to tarry; he merely murmured his acknowledgments, and
then bounded lightly up the spiral staircase in quest of his falcon.
Pages:
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340