As the night was cold and the Peruvian gentleman came from the tropics, he was established in a well padded arm-chair close to the sea-coal fire, and with her own fair hands Mrs.Jasher gave him a cup of fragrant coffee, which was rendered still more agreeable to the palate by the introduction of a vanilla bean.

With this and with a good cigar--for the ladies gave the gentlemen permission to smoke--Don Pedro felt very happy and easy, and complimented Mrs.Jasher warmly on her capability of making her fellow-creatures comfortable.
"It is altogether comfortable, madame," said Don Pedro, rising to make a courtly bow.

In fact, so agreeable was the foreigner that Mrs.Jasher dreamed for one swift moment of throwing over the dry-as-dust scientist to become a Spanish lady of Lima.
"You flatter me, Don Pedro," she said, waving a wholly unnecessary fan out of compliment to her guest's Spanish extraction.

"Indeed, I am very glad that you are pleased with my poor little house." "Pardon, madame, but no house can be poor when it is a casket to contain such a jewel." "There!" said Lucy somewhat satirically to the young men, while Mrs.Jasher blushed and bridled, "what Englishman could turn such a compliment?
It reminds one of Georgian times." "We are more sober now than my fathers were then," said Hope, smiling, "and I am sure if Random thought for a few minutes he could produce something pretty.

Go on, Random." "My brain is not equal to the strain after dinner," said Sir Frank.
As for Donna Inez, she did not speak, but sat smiling quietly in her corner of the room, looking remarkably handsome.