James', in
this place. One might swear, looking at you, madam, that this was
Almack's."
"Sir, you speak to one that never saw St. James' but in imagination,"
said Margaret, coolly. "Sure one can be white, and moderately civil,
and yet be of New York."
"The deuce, madam! A native? You?"
"Ay, sir, of the aborigines; the daughter of a red Indian!"
"'Fore God, then, 'tis no wonder the American colonists make war upon
the Indian race. Their wives and daughters urge 'em to it, out of
jealousy of the red men's daughters."
"Why, if they wished the red ladies exterminated, they couldn't do
better than send a number of king's officers among 'em--famous
lady-killers, I've heard."
"Madam, I know naught of that; nor of the art of lady-killing itself,
which I never desired to possess until this evening."
The captain's eyes, so languid with melancholy or ennui a short while
before, now had the glow of pre-determined conquest; his face shone
with that resolve; and by this transformation, as well as by the
inconsistency of his countenance with the soft tone and playful matter
of his words, which inconsistency betrayed the gentleness to be
assumed, I read the man through once for all: selfish, resolute,
facile, versatile, able to act any part thoroughly and in a moment,
constant to his object till it was won, then quick to leave it for
another; unscrupulous, usually invincible, confident of his proven
powers rather than vain of fancied ones; good-natured when not
crossed, and with an irresistible charm of person and manner.
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