The girls were for a while abashed at the
presence of the strangers; but, with a hospitality spurred on by
curiosity, soon recovered themselves, and encumbered the ladies with
their attentions. Strangers they seldom saw, and these outlandish
ladies were as strange to them as if they had dropped from the moon.
Under pretence of assisting the travelers to rid themselves of their
outer garment of dust, they examined the texture and fashion of their
dresses, veils and gloves, spread out Lady Mabel's shawl to admire the
pattern, and asked more questions than she could answer or understand.
They were closely inspecting the rings on her fingers, and wondering
at the whiteness of her hand, when their father coming in, rebuked
their obtrusiveness. He made them gather up the pile of flax, with the
spindles and distaffs now lying idle on the floor, and invited the
ladies to take possession of the cushions, which, after a Moorish
custom still lingering here, the girls had used as seats.
L'Isle coming in and finding father and daughters bestirring
themselves to make their guests comfortable, suggested that their most
urgent want was water. One of the girls at once brought a cup, and
one from among several jars, and, while the ladies were drinking,
L'Isle called their attention to the peculiarities of the vessel, of
so porous a nature, that the water, always oozing through it, kept the
outside wet, the constant evaporation of a part cooling what remained
within.
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