Unable to shake
her decision Leander then retires to devise plans, with the aid of his
clever valet, to overcome the formidable obstacles in his way--more than
ever determined not to give up the fair Isabelle, and promising her to
return in the evening and report progress.
Isabelle retires from her balcony and closes her window, and a moment
after Captain Matamore strides fiercely upon the stage--his appearance
is greeted with peals of laughter--his tall, attenuated figure is
encased in an absurd costume, in which the bright red and yellow
stripes of his tunic meet in points in front and behind, whilst they
run spirally round his long, thin arms and legs, producing the most
preposterously comical effect imaginable; a stiffly-starched ruff,
immensely broad, encircles his neck, upon which his head seems to be
set, like that of John the Baptist on the charger; a large felt hat,
turned up at one side, and ornamented with a huge tuft of red and yellow
feathers, is stuck jauntily on his head, and a short cloak of the same
colour, fastened round his neck and thrown back from his shoulders,
floats behind him. He wears an enormous sword, whose heavily weighted
hilt keeps the point always raised and standing out prominently behind
him, whilst from it dangles a clever imitation of a spider's web--a
convincing proof of how much he is in the habit of making use of this
formidable weapon.
Pages:
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134