Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/299

CH. XIX.] for me, this was not the case, in the present instance: my partner, who was one of the prettiest in the room, was also an admirable dancer: she was lively and chatty: the delicacy of her situation appeared to have no effect upon her: she seemed as if she was, either, a stranger to the tender passion or in the habit of being perfectly familiarised with it: but, to speak fairly, neither one nor the other was the case; for, "Oh!" said she, in answer to some questions which I put to her, "I have been engaged these three years to Don Juan: and my brother, with whom you were talking, has only, this evening, withdrawn his dissent from our union"!

I have related this anecdote, because, trifling as it is, it may serve to exculpate the ladies of these countries, in some degree, from the opprobrium which has been so unreservedly thrown upon them. That they are fond of gallantry and are careless in the manner of evincing their disposition