Was she married? Could it be? Impossible! Yet there was a richness in
her costume which was not usual for unmarried women. A diamond arrow had
pierced her clustering and auburn locks; she wore, indeed, no necklace;
with such a neck it would have been sacrilege; no ear-rings, for
her ears were too small for such a burthen; yet her girdle was of
brilliants; and a diamond cross worthy of Belinda and her immortal bard
hung upon her breast.
The Duke seized hold of the first person he knew: it was Lord Bagshot.
'Tell me,' he said, in the stern, low voice of a despot; 'tell me who
that creature is.'
'Which creature?' asked Lord Bagshot.
'Booby! brute! Bag, that creature of light and love!'
'Where?'
'There!
'What, my mother?'
'Your mother! cub! cart-horse! answer me, or I will run you through.'
'Who do you mean?'
'There, there, dancing with that raw-boned youth with red hair.'
'What, Lord St. Jerome! Lor! he is a Catholic. I never speak to them. My
governor would be so savage.'
'But the girl?'
'Oh! the girl! Lor! she is a Catholic, too.'
'But who is she?'
'Lor! don't you know?'
'Speak, hound; speak!'
'Lor! that is the beauty of the county; but then she is a Catholic.
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