Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/263

CH. XVII.] at this time, in the capital, with his two eldest sons. She had had nine or ten children, all very pretty and engaging, but as varied, in complexion, as a bunch of sweet peas. In passing down the town, I saw two or three of them, as they were squatting on the high window-seats, amusing themselves with their playthings: they poked their little faces through the iron bars of the lattice, and I stopped to regard them: their beauty and innocence had attracted me; but, after gazing at them, an instant, I passed on.

Having taken up my quarters at the Marquess's, I strolled about the town, and made inquiries for the house of Doña Joanita, not having been aware that it was the same as that in which the children had excited my attention. I made several inquiries and, at length, entered the dwelling of one of her relations, who lived nearly opposite to her, and found myself introduced to her three cousins, who were, I afterwards discovered, considered the belles