Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 02
General
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 02
Scottish Borders (Scotland) -- Fiction
Saying this, he took Donald's arm, in order to act as his conductor,
and, after leading him through two or three streets, brought him to the
door of a very large and handsome house. Don Antonio having knocked at
this door, it was immediately opened by a servant in splendid livery,
who, on recognising his master--for such was Donald's friend--instantly
stepped aside, and respectfully admitted the pair. In the vestibule, or
passage, which was exceedingly magnificent, were a number of other
serving men in rich liveries, who drew themselves up on either side, in
order to allow their master and his friend to pass; and much did they
marvel at the strange garb in which that friend appeared. Don Antonio
now conducted Donald up the broad marbled staircase, splendidly
illuminated with a variety of elegant lamps, in which the vestibule
terminated; and, on reaching the top of the first flight, ushered him
into a large and gorgeously-furnished apartment, in which were two
ladies dressed in deep mourning. To these ladies, one of whom was the
mother, the other the sister of Don Antonio, the latter introduced his
amazed and awe-stricken companion, as a person to whom he was indebted
for his life. He then explained to his relations what had occurred, and
did not fail to give Donald's promptitude and courage a due share of his
laudations. With a gratitude not less earnest than his own had been, the
mother and sister of Don Antonio took Donald by the hand; the one
taking the right, and the other the left, and, looking in his face,
with an expression of the utmost kindness, thanked him for the great
obligation he had conferred on them. These thanks were expressed in
Spanish; but, on Don Antonio's mentioning that Donald was a native of
Britain, and that he did not, as he rather thought, understand the
Spanish language, his sister, a beautiful girl of one or two-and-twenty,
repeated them, in somewhat minced, but perfectly intelligible English.
Great as Donald's perturbation was at finding himself so suddenly and
unexpectedly placed in a situation so much at variance with anything
he had been accustomed to, it did not prevent him marking, in a very
special manner, the dark sparkling eyes and rich sable tresses of Donna
Nunnez, the name of Don Antonio's sister. Nor, we must add, did the
former look with utter indifference on the manly form, so advantageously
set off as it was by his native dress, of Donald Gorm. But of this anon.
In a short time after, a supper, corresponding in elegance and splendour
to all the other elegances and splendours of this lordly mansion, was
served up; and, on its conclusion, Donald was conducted, by Don Antonio
himself, to a sleeping apartment, furnished with the same magnificence
that prevailed throughout the whole house. Having ushered him into his
apartment, Donald's host bade him a kind good-night, and left him to his
repose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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