The lady looked up as Honain and his companion entered. She was very
young, as youthful as Alroy. Her long light brown hair, drawn off a high
white forehead covered with blue veins, fell braided with pearls over
each shoulder. Her eyes were large and deeply blue; her nose small, but
high and aquiline. The fairness of her face was dazzling, and, when she
looked up and greeted Honain, her lustrous cheeks broke into dimples,
the more fascinating from their contrast with the general expression of
her countenance, which was haughty and derisive. The lady was dressed
in a robe of crimson silk girded round her waist by a green shawl, from
which peeped forth the diamond hilt of a small poniard.[33] Her round
white arms looked infinitely small, as they occasionally flashed forth
from their large loose hanging sleeves. One was covered with jewels, and
the right arm was quite bare.
Honain advanced, and, bending, kissed the lady's proffered hand. Alroy
fell into the background.
'They told me that the Rose of the World drooped this morning,' said the
physician, bending again as he smiled, 'and her slave hastened at her
command to tend her.'
'It was a south wind. The wind has changed, and the Rose of the World is
better,' replied the lady laughing.
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