felt that he must make the best of the situation, conformably, of
course, with his sense of honour. The description given of this
miscreant by the robber chief indicates his appearance. He was
somewhat below the medium height, and though not stoutly built,
revealed strongly knit shoulders, and muscles enduring as twisted
steel. He had a fawning air, a dark, rolling eye, and most villainous
brows.

'These young women attend to the domestic portion of our labours,'
the chief said, 'This one is our Nancy, and this is Silent Poll.'

Roland bowed to each of the girls in turn; and he perceived that while
both were handsome, they had that bold, free stare, which must always
repel a man of refined or proper feeling. The handsomer of the two was
Nancy; and Roland imagined that he perceived behind the forwardness of
her manner a kind of reckless despair; that indescribable sort of
vivacity which arises when hope, and honour, and everything that is
dear are dead, and only what is worse remains to live for. This girl
had evidently at some time moved in a society different far from this;
for her speech was somewhat refined, and her bearing that of a woman
more or less well-bred.

From the moment of Roland's arrival she seemed to be more thoughtful;
and the melancholy in her eyes became more pronounced! He seemed--if
one could judge of the varying expressions in her face--to call back
within her a thousand memories long dead; to bring before her mind
again a world which she had forgotten. Her eyes were almost constantly
upon him; and when he spoke she listened with eagerness to every
syllable that he uttered.