"Why, I scarcely noticed the little lady, do you know, De Walden?"--He certainly seemed not to have known it.--"She is a nice little person--rather too petite, however, for my taste, and not very sylph-like; a fine skin, certainly, and beautiful hair--but then her high nose--and her eyes are not very good either--much too small and light--besides, she is shortsighted." De Walden's smile showed he was not, at any rate. "And as for eyebrows, why, the superb arch of Miss Duquesné's is infinitely finer, and beats them hollow--her neck and throat tolerable, certainly; and the kindliness of her manner!--why, she comports herself like a little matron beside a sick-bed; and the way she handles little Dicky!--didn't you notice it, De Walden? No wonder he called her mamma, poor little fellow." "Did you ever hear her sing, sir?" "No, unless it was her voice I heard but just now in the other room." "You guess rightly. Miss Duquesné sang the second to her first. Two voices never did in this world blend so sweetly." "Ah!" said I, fearing he was again cruising too near me, "the pipe was good enough--liquid and musical-glass like; but Miss Sophie Duquesné's--_that_ was a voice indeed--so deep for a woman, so clear, so full-bodied." "Pray, sir," said De Walden, archly, "are you speaking of the qualities of London porter, or Mademoiselle Duquesné's voice?" I looked at the young midshipman; and, darkened as the room was, I saw the rogue laughing heartily in his sleeve. "You seem to have noted a good many of Miss Hudson's peculiarities, however, my dear sir; considering you paid so _little attention_ to her, and had so short a time to take your observation." "I don't know," said I. "Has she been often in my room since I was wounded, for I have dreamed of such a being, I will not deny?" A low "Hush" was here breathed from the boudoir. De Walden gave an intelligent nod, and I became suddenly afflicted with deafness, and overtaken by a fidgety fit; so I asked him to assist me to change my position, as it was becoming uneasy, and we both with one accord hauled our wind on the other tack. "But whose was the male voice that joined so beautifully in the song?" "Mr Listado's, sir." "Moin--moy voice--oh, Lord!"--said some one in subdued Tipperary in the next room. "Come," said De Walden, laughing aloud, "no eavesdropping, if you please." "Pray, Mr De Walden," said I, "did you perceive the earthquake early this morning? How peculiar the sensation--how undefinable the mysterious noise preceding the shock!" "I did, sir. We have had several slight shocks lately here, but no one seems to mind them. I was afraid it would disturb you, sir." "Why, it did so, certainly; but I soon fell asleep again."--A long pause.--"No appearance of Gazelle yet, _Mister_ De Walden?" borrowing the stiff formula of the quarterdeck, to rub out, as it were, any little familiarity that had passed. "No, sir."