Was the captain aware of this blot on his beauty?
Certainly that scarred side of his face was not half so often seen as the other, and Leicester, who was observant as well as quiet, noticed that when he was spoken to, the captain invariably turned his left side with a smile to the speaker, and kept it turned until the speaker's gaze was withdrawn.
But Leicester was not allowed to continue his silent examination of Mr. Murpoint's features long, for that gentleman, having blunted his appetite upon the greater portion of a fowl, with a tact which was remarkable, soon engaged the whole table in conversation.
Then he found that he could not only smile well, but talk well also.
He started a topic, chased and ran it to death in a light, graceful way, then raised another.
The spirits of the party, which had grown somewhat low, rose rapidly.
The captain was humorous, and made Miss Mildmay laugh.
Then, with a graceful ease, he veered round into the pathetic--some little Indian story--and the ladies sighed sympathetically.
As suddenly he managed to engage Mr. Leicester Dodson in a discussion on the catacombs, and proved to that gentleman, who knew the East pretty thoroughly, that Egyptian antiquities were also not quite hidden mysteries to the wonderful captain.
All the time he managed to eat in a noiseless, well-bred way about three times as much as any one else, and contrived to divert to his own plate the nice cuts and choice corners of the poultry and saddle of mutton.
He drank, too, with a quiet enjoyment of the good wine, which met with a hearty sympathy from the butler.
"This wine," he said, lifting his glass and bowing to Miss Mildmay with infinite grace, "this wine, my dear friend brought from India--eh? my dear young lady?" turning to Violet. "Many and many glasses have your father and I drank in the hot sunset. I have a wonderful memory for wine and faces. Do you know," he broke off, suddenly, addressing Leicester, who was regarding him with his quiet, earnest gaze, "I fancy that I have seen you before? Have I?"
"I can't say. 'Tis possible," said Leicester. "Have you any recollection beyond the indistinct surmise?"
"N--o," said the captain, hesitating. "Were you ever in India?"