in his own county and the six adjoining ones, who, having made a love-
match in his prime, and lost wife and heir but a year after his nuptials,
had been the despair of every maid and mother who knew him, because he
would not be melted to a marriageable mood. After the hunt ball this
mourning nobleman, who was by this time of ripe years, had appeared in
the world again as he had not done for many years. Before many months
had elapsed, it was known that his admiration of the new beauty was
confessed, and it was believed that he but waited further knowledge of
her to advance to the point of laying his title and estates at her feet.

But though, two years before, the entire county would have rated low
indeed the wit and foresight of the man who had even hinted the
possibility of such honour and good fortune being in prospect for the
young lady, so great was Mistress Clorinda's brilliant and noble beauty,
and with such majesty she bore herself in these times, that there were
even those who doubted whether she would think my lord a rich enough
prize for her, and if, when he fell upon his knees, she would deign to
become his countess, feeling that she had such splendid wares to dispose
of as might be bartered for a duke, when she went to town and to court.

During the length of more than one man's lifetime after, the reign of
Mistress Clorinda Wildairs was a memory recalled over the bottle at the
dining-table among men, some of whom had but heard their fathers vaunt
her beauties. It seemed as if in her person there was not a single flaw,
or indeed a charm, which had not reached the highest point of beauty. For
shape she might have vied with young Diana, mounted side by side with her
upon a pedestal; her raven locks were of a length and luxuriance to
clothe her as a garment, her great eye commanded and flashed as Juno's
might have done in the goddess's divinest moments of lovely pride, and
though it was said none ever saw it languish, each man who adored her was