my table."

"Promise me, then, to bring it to-morrow with you?"

"Certainly," said I, with something of pique in my manner. "If I find such
a means of making my visit an agreeable one, I shall certainly not omit
it."

"You are quite right," said she, either not noticing or not caring for the
tone of my reply. "You will, indeed, be a welcome messenger. Do you know,
he was one of my lovers?"

"One of them, indeed! Then pray how many do you number at this moment?"

"What a question; as if I could possibly count them! Besides, there are
so many absent,--some on leave, some deserters, perhaps,--that I might be
reckoning among my troops, but who, possibly, form part of the forces of
the enemy. Do you know little Howard?"

"I cannot say that we are personally acquainted, but I am enabled through
the medium of a friend to say that his sentiments are not strange to
me. Besides, I have really pledged myself to support the prayer of his
petition."

"How very good of you! For which reason you've forgotten, if not lost, the
lock of hair."

"That you shall have to-morrow," said I, pressing my hand solemnly to my
heart.

"Well, then, don't forget it. But hush; here comes Captain Trevyllian. So
you say Lisbon really pleases you?" said she, in a tone of voice totally
changed, as the dragoon of the preceding evening approached.

"Mr. O'Malley, Captain Trevyllian."

We bowed stiffly and haughtily to each other, as two men salute who are
unavoidably obliged to bow, with every wish on either side to avoid
acquaintance. So, at least, I construed his bow; so I certainly intended my
own.

It requires no common tact to give conversation the appearance of
unconstraint and ease when it is evident that each person opposite is
laboring under excited feelings; so that, notwithstanding the senhora's
efforts to engage our attention by the commonplaces of the day, we remained
almost silent, and after a few observations of no interest, took our
several leaves. Here again a new source of awkwardness arose; for as we
walked together towards the house, where our horses stood, neither party
seemed disposed to speak.

"You are probably returning to Lisbon?" said he, coldly.

I assented by a bow; upon which, drawing his bridle within his arm, he
bowed once more, and turned away in an opposite direction; while I, glad to
be relieved of an unsought-for companionship, returned alone to the town.

CHAPTER XL

THE DINNER.

It was wi