A BALL ON BOARD. 
161 
wise, their brawling mouths stopped with nosegays ; 
while portraits of the Emperor and the Empress, busts, 
colours draped with Parisian cunning, gave to the 
scene an appearance of festivity that looked quite 
fairy-like in so sombre a region. As for our gallant 
host, I never saw such spirits; he is a fine old grey¬ 
headed blow-hard of fifty odd, talking English like 
a native, and combining the frank open-hearted cor¬ 
diality of a sailor with that graceful winning gaiety 
peculiar to Frenchmen. I never saw anything more 
perfect than the kind—almost fatherly courtesy, with 
which he welcomed each blooming bevy of maidens 
that trooped up his ship’s side. About two o’clock 
we had supper on the main-deck. I had the honour 
of taking down Miss Thora, of Bessestad; and some¬ 
how—this time, I no longer found myself wandering 
back in search of the pale face of the old world Thora, 
being, I suppose, sufficiently occupied by the soft, 
gentle eyes of the one beside me. With the other 
young ladies I did not make much acquaintance, as I 
experienced a difficulty in finding befitting remarks 
on the occasion of being presented to them. Once or 
twice, indeed, I hazarded, through their fathers, some 
M 
