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"I shall have women enough henceforth to be dull with," she said.
"Thou art but a poor match-maker, Dad, or wouldst have thought of it
for me. But not once has it come into thy pate that I have no
mother to angle in my cause and teach me how to cast sheep's eyes at
bachelors. Long-tailed petticoats from this time for me, and hoops
and patches, and ogling over fans--until at last, if I play my cards
well, some great lord will look my way and be taken by my shape and
my manners."
"With thy shape, Clo, God knows every man will," laughed Sir
Jeoffry, "but I fear me not with thy manners. Thou hast the manners
of a baggage, and they are second nature to thee."
"They are what I was born with," answered Mistress Clorinda. "They
came from him that begot me, and he has not since improved them.
But now"--making a great sweeping curtsey, her impudent bright
beauty almost dazzling his eyes--"now, after my birth-night, they
will be bettered; but this one night I will have my last fling."
When the men trooped into the black oak wainscotted dining-hall on
the eventful night, they found their audacious young hostess
awaiting them in greater and more daring beauty than they had ever
before beheld. She wore knee-breeches of white satin, a pink satin
coat embroidered with silver roses, white silk stockings, and shoes
with great buckles of brilliants, revealing a leg so round and
strong and delicately moulded, and a foot so arched and slender, as
surely never before, they swore one and all, woman had had to
display. She met them standing jauntily astride upon the hearth,
her back to the fire, and she greeted each one as he came with some
pretty impudence. Her hair was tied back and powdered, her black
eyes were like lodestars, drawing all men, and her colour was that
of a ripe pomegranate. She had a fine, haughty little Roman nose, a
mouth like a scarlet bow, a wonderful long throat, and round cleft
chin. A dazzling mien indeed she possessed, and ready enough she
was to shine before them. Sir Jeoffry was now elderly, having been
a man of forty when united to his conjugal companion. Most of his
friends were of his own age, so that it had not been with unripe
youth Mistress Clorinda had been in the habit of consorting. But
upon this night a newcomer was among the guests. He was a young
relation of one of the older men, and having come to his kinsman's
house upon a visit, and having proved himself, in spite of his
youth, to be a young fellow of humour, high courage in the hunting-field,
and by no means averse either to entering upon or discussing
intrigue and gallant adventure, had made himself something of a
favourite. His youthful beauty for a man almost equalled that of
Mistress Clorinda herself. He had an elegant, fine shape, of great
strength and vigour, his countenance was delicately ruddy and
handsomely featured, his curling fair hair flowed loose upon his
shoulders, and, though masculine in mould, his ankle was as slender
and his buckled shoe as arched as her own.
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