THE O'HALLORAN LADIES.--THEIR APPEARANCE.--THEIR AGES.--THEIR DRESS.--
THEIR DEMEANOR.--THEIR CULTURE, POLISH, EDUCATION, RANK, STYLE,
ATTAINMENTS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM.
"Leedies," said O'Halloran, "allow me to inthrojuice to ye Captain
Macrorie, an officer on' a gintlemin, an' when I steet that he seeved
me life about a half an hour ago, ye'll see what sintimints of
grateechood are his jew."
With these words O'Halloran entered the room, followed by two ladies
whom he thus introduced, giving my name to them, but in the abstraction
of the moment not mentioning their names to me.
The ladies greeted me with smiles, which at once threw a new charm over
this very comfortable room, and seated themselves opposite on the other
side of the fire, so that I had the best view of them possible.
And now the very first glance that I obtained of these ladies showed me
that I had hit upon a wonderful piece of good luck when I went to that
concert and met my new friend O'Halloran. For in beauty of face, grace
of figure, refinement of manner; in every thing that affects an
impressible man--and what man is not impressible?--these ladies were so
far beyond all others in Quebec, that no comparison could be made. The
Burton girls were nowhere.
The elder of the two might have been--no matter--not over twenty-three
or four at any rate; while the younger was certainly not over eighteen
or nineteen. There was a good deal of similarity in their styles; both
were brunettes; both had abundance of dark, lustrous hair; both had
those dark, hazel eyes which can send such a thrill to the soul of the
impressible. For my part I thrilled, I glowed, I exulted, I rejoiced
and triumphed in the adventure which had led to such a discovery as
this. Were there any other women in Canada, in America, or in the
world, equal to them? I did not believe there were. And then their
voices--low--sweet--musical--voices which spoke of the exquisite
refinement of perfect breeding; those voices would have been enough to
make a man do or dare any thing.
Between them, however, there were some differences. The elder had an
expression of good-natured content, and there was in her a vein of fun
which was manifest, while the younger seemed to have a nature which was
more intense and more earnest, and there was around her a certain
indefinable reserve and _hauteur_.
Which did I admire most?
I declare it's simply impossible to say. I was overwhelmed. I was
crushed with equal admiration. My whole soul became instinct with the
immortal sentiment--How happy could I be with either! while the
cordiality of my reception, which made me at once a friend of this
jewel of a family, caused my situation to assume so delicious an aspect
that it was positively bewildering.
O'Halloran hadn't mentioned their names, but the names soon came out.
They were evidently his daughters. The name of the eldest I found was
Nora, and the name of the younger was Marion. The old gentleman was
lively, and gave a highly-dramatic account of the affair at the
concert, in which he represented my conduct in the most glowing light.
The ladies listened to all this with undisguised agitation,
interrupting him frequently with anxious questions, and regarding my
humble self as a sort of a hero. All this was in the highest degree
encouraging to a susceptible mind; and I soon found myself sliding off
into an easy, a frank, an eloquent, and a very delightful conversation.
Of the two ladies, the elder Miss O'Halloran took the chief share in
that lively yet intellectual intercourse. Marion only put in a word
occasionally; and, though very amiable, still did not show so much
cordiality as her sister. But Miss O'Halloran! what wit! what sparkle!
what mirth! what fun! what repartee! what culture! what refinement!
what an acquaintance with the world! what a knowledge of men and
things! what a faultless accent! what indescribable grace of manner!
what a generous and yet ladylike humor! what a merry, musical laugh!
what quickness of apprehension! what acuteness of perception! what--
words fail. Imagine every thing that is delightful in a first-rate
conversationalist, and every thing that is fascinating in a lady, and
even then you will fail to have a correct idea of Miss O'Halloran. To
have such an idea it would be necessary to see her.
Marion on the other hand was quiet, as I have said. Perhaps this arose
from a reticence of disposition; or perhaps it was merely the result of
her position as a younger sister. Her beautiful face, with its calm,
self-poised expression, was turned toward us, and she listened to all
that was said, and at times a smile like a sunbeam would flash over her
lovely features; but it was only at times, when a direct appeal was
made to her, that she would speak, and then her words were few, though
quite to the point. I had not, therefore, a fair chance of comparing
her with Miss O'Halloran.
In their accent there was not the slightest sign of that rich Leinster
brogue which was so apparent in their father. This, however, may have
arisen from an English mother, or an English education. Suffice it to
say that in no respect could they be distinguished from English ladies,
except in a certain vivacity of manner, which in the latter is not
common. O'Halloran was evidently a gentleman, and his house showed that
he was at least in comfortable circumstances. What his business now
might be I could not tell. What his past had been was equally
uncertain. Was he an exiled Young Irelander? Had he been driven from
his home, or had he left it voluntarily? Whatever he was, his
surroundings and his belongings showed unmistakable signs of culture
and refinement; and as to his daughters, why, hang it! a peer of the
realm couldn't have shown more glorious specimens of perfect womanhood
than these which smiled on me in that pleasant parlor.
Meanwhile, as I flung myself headlong into a lively conversation with
Miss O'Halloran, the old gentleman listened for a time and made
occasional remarks, but at length relapsed into himself, and after some
minutes of thought he reached out his hand and drew from among the
periodicals lying on the table--