EVENING PARTY. 



203 



in the centre of the court ; nor would he gain 

 more information from the girls, who would draw 

 up and become as prim and starch as possible, 

 the moment they beheld a stranger ; they would 

 pout at him, and transfix him with their coal- 

 black eyes, but would not utter a single word. 

 Mustering courage he might enter the sala or 

 drawing-room ; in an instant all the gentlemen 

 would rise and stand before their chairs like sta- 

 tues; but as neither the mistress of the house, 

 nor any other lady, ever thinks of rising in those 

 countries to receive or take leave of a gentleman, 

 our friend would be apt to conceive his reception 

 somewhat cold. He could have no time to make 

 minute remarks, and would scarcely notice the 

 unevenly paved brick floor — the bare plastered 

 walls — the naked beams of the roof, through 

 which the tiles might be counted — indeed, the 

 feebleness of the light would greatly perplex his 

 observations. The elegant dresses, the hand- 

 some looks, and the lady-like appearance of the 

 women, would naturally lead him to imagine he 

 was in respectable company ; but, when he dis- 

 covered all the ladies smoking segars— and heard 



