"That was one of the peculiar charms of her manner, Jack," said I.
"Peculiar, indeed!" said he, letting out a cloud of smoke from his well-mustachioed lip.
"In public, she distinguished none in particular, but was alike gay with all."
"And in private, who was said generally to be the happy Lothario?"
I made no reply, but knocked the ashes away from the 'very superior' cabana, with which he had just favoured me.
"It was said to be a certain person known as Dick Ramble of 'Ours'," continued Slingsby, in his bantering way; "but I am deuced glad it is all over, like any other flirtation, and you are 'free to win and free to wed another;' I don't like Spaniards--and never shall. In fact, I have hated them ever since that unpleasant adventure I had at Malaga last year, and about which I shall tell you some other time; but here come Shafton, Morton, and some more of 'Ours,' and as soon as we leave the mess, we shall adjourn to the billiard table."
What this 'unpleasant adventure,' to which Slingsby referred--and to which I had often heard him refer before--might have been I cared not then to inquire; but walked on, more chilled than consoled by his rattling manner and by that mess-room raillery, which I have known to laugh many a wiser man than your humble servant, out of an honest and sincere passion; while it has also been the saving of many an inflammable "Newcome," or unfledged, but amatory ensign, from the lures of those passé garrison belles, whose feathers are beginning to moult, and whose brilliance is beginning to fade, after a long career of close flirtation, round-dancing, supper-crushes, cold fowl, ices, pink champagne, affectionate farewells in the grey morning, when the drowsy drum-boys beat reveillie, or when the route arrived, and each lover--a lover alas! but for the time--departed with his regiment to return no more.
Of Paulina de Lucena (such a pretty name it is!) I had seen much during her short residence in Gibraltar, and had become--what shall I term it, for 'Ours' were not marrying men--charmed by her sweetness of temper and piquant manner, as well as by her acknowledged beauty.
Jack Slingsby stigmatised this under the denomination of "being spooney;" but as I have a proper abhorrence of all that slang phraseology which is peculiar to the university, the barrack, the clubhouse, and the turf, I believe I shall quote honest Jack no more, but proceed in my own fashion.