United States or Mongolia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"You are surprised to see me here again so soon, Philip," said the judge, as he seated himself in the chair placed for him by the consul. "I cannot see you too often, judge," was the courteous answer. "Hem! This is my friend, Mr. Worth, of the Washington bar. Mr. Worth, Mr. Tourneysee, our consul for the port of Havana," said the judge, with all his old-fashioned formality.
Philip Tourneysee, the American consul for Havana at that time, was the eldest son of that General Tourneysee whom the reader has already met at the house of Judge Merlin in Washington. He had sought his present appointment because a residence in the West Indies had been recommended for his health.
I will bind Mr. Middleton to secrecy before I tell him anything about it." "Yes, and stop a moment! You had better just show him these letters. They will speak for themselves and save you the trouble. Tell him that we know no more than these letters reveal." "I will do so, Judge Merlin." "And now, Ishmael, I must return to my hotel, where I expect to meet my old friend, General Tourneysee.
But Claudia, who, with the viscount, was standing very near, heard and saw all. She saw Ishmael lead his shy young partner up to a place in the set, exactly opposite to where Alfred Burghe with his partner, Miss Tourneysee, stood. And she heard Mr. Burghe whisper to Miss Tourneysee: "Excuse me; and permit me to lead you to a seat.
With the same serious and stately formality, which was certainly not natural to the young Marylander, but which was assumed, in deference to the grave character of Spanish etiquette, Mr. Tourneysee next presented: "Mr. Worth, of the Washington bar." The low obeisance of this visitor was received with even a more gracious smile than had been vouchsafed to that of the judge.
"I do not like him. I do not think he is a gentleman," said Miss Tourneysee. Ishmael did not reply. It was not his way to speak even deserved evil of the absent. But Miss Tourneysee drew a mental comparison between the meanness of Alfred's conduct and the nobility of Ishmael's. And the dance succeeded the conversation. Claudia remained sitting on the sofa beside Mrs.
"Yes; he is the son of the late Commodore Burghe, who was a gallant officer, a veteran of 1812, and did good service during the last War of Independence," said Ishmael generously, uttering not one word against his implacable foe. Miss Tourneysee looked at him wistfully and inquired: "Is the son as good a man as the father?" "I have not known Captain Burghe since we were at school together."
The first one I present you to will be Miss Tourneysee, the daughter of General Tourneysee. You must immediately ask her to dance; etiquette will require you to do so." "But," smiled Ishmael, "I am already engaged to dance the next set with Bee." "You verdant youth. So, probably, is she Miss Tourneysee, I mean engaged ten sets deep.
Just as Burghe turned to lead his partner away, and Ishmael, attracted by the movement, lifted his eyes to see the cause, Claudia gently drew Lord Vincent after her, and going up to the retiring couple said: "Miss Tourneysee, I beg your pardon; but will you and your partner do myself and Lord Vincent the favor to exchange places with us? We particularly desire to form a part of this set."
"I agree with you," said the judge; "but I fear we are greatly trespassing on the time and the official duties of our friend," he added, turning with a smile to the consul. "Oh, not at all! I am sufficiently attentive to my business to afford to take a day now and then, when necessity demands it," replied Mr. Tourneysee pleasantly, as he arose and bid his friends good-evening.
Word Of The Day