The
spurs were on cavalry boots, guarding the knee, and met by white
buckskins, both so little dusty that there could have been no journey
that morning. The bright gold-laced scarlet coat of the Household
troops entirely effaced the Major's old Austrian uniform; and over
it, the hair, of a light golden brown, was brushed back, tied with
black ribbon, and hung down far behind in a queue, only leaving
little gold rings curling on the brow and temples. The face was
modelled like a cameo, faultless in the outlines, with a round
peach-like fresh contour and bloom on the fair cheek, which had
much of the child, though with a firmness in the lip, and strength
in the brow, that promised manliness. Indeed there was a wonderful
blending of the beauty of manhood and childhood about the youth;
and his demeanour was perfectly decorous and reverent, no small
merit in a young officer and London beau. Indeed Betty could
almost have forgotten his presence, if gleams from his glittering
equipments had not kept glancing before her eyes, turn them where
she would, and if Mr. Arden's sermon had not been of Solomon's
extent of natural philosophy, and so full of Hebrew, Greek, and
Latin that she could not follow it at all.
After the blessing, the young gentleman, with a bow, the pink of
courtesy, offered a hand to lead her out, nor could she refuse, though,
to use her own expression, she hated the absurdity of mincing down the
aisle with a fine young spark looking like her grandson; while her poor
father had to put up with Harriet's arm.
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