She had forgotten to expect the turn when the carriage wheeled under the arched entry of her father’s house.  All was gloom and stillness, except where a little light shone in a sort of porter’s lodge upon the eager negro features of two blacks, with much gesticulation, playing at dice.  They came out hastily at the sound of the carriage; and as Mr. Ward handed out Mary, and inquired for Mr. Ponsonby, she recognised and addressed the white-woolled old Xavier, the mayor domo.  Poor old Xavier!  Often had she hunted and teased him, and tried to make him understand ‘cosas de Inglalerra,’ and to make him cease from his beloved dice; but no sooner did he see her face than, with a cry of joy, ‘La Senorita Maria! la Seniorita Maria!’ down he went upon his knees, and began kissing the hem of her dress.

All the rest of the negro establishment came round, capering and chattering Spanish; and, in the confusion, Mary could not get her question heard—­Where was her father? and Xavier’s vehement threats and commands to the others to be silent, did not produce a calm.  At last, bearing a light, there came forward a faded, sallow dame, with a candle in her hand, who might have sat for the picture of the Duena Rodriguez, and at her appearance the negroes subsided.  She was an addition to the establishment since Mary’s departure; but in her might be easily recognised the Tia, the individual who in Limenian households holds a position between companion and housekeeper.  She introduced herself by the lugubrious appellation of Senora Dolores, and, receiving Mary with obsequious courtesy, explained that the Senor and Senora were at a tertulia, or evening party.  She lighted Mary and Mr. Ward into the quadra; and there Mr. Ward, shaking hands with her as if he would thereby compensate for all that was wanting in her welcome, promised to go and inform her father of her arrival.

Mary stood in the large dark room, with the soft matted floor, and the windows high up near the carved timbered ceiling, the single lamp, burning in rum, casting a dim gleam over the well-known furniture, by which her mother had striven to give an English appearance to the room.  It was very dreary, and she would have given the world to be alone with her throbbing head, her dull heartache, and the weariness of spirits over-long wound up for the meeting; but her own apartment could be no refuge until it had been cleansed and made ready, and Dolores and Xavier were persecuting her every moment with their hospitality and their inquiries.  Then came a quick, manly tread, and for a moment her heart almost seemed to stand still, in the belief that it was her father; but it was only Robson, hurrying in to offer his services and apologies.  Perhaps he was the very last person she could bear to see, feeling, as she did, that if he had been more explicit all the offence would have been spared.  He was so much aware of all family matters, and was accustomed to so much confidence from her father, that she could not believe him unconscious; and there was something hateful to her in the plausible frankness and deferential familiarity of his manners, as, brushing up his sandy hair upon his forehead, he poured forth explanations that Mr. Ponsonby would be delighted, but grieved that no one had met her--Valdivia not expected so soon—­not anticipated the pleasure—­if they had imagined that Miss Ponsonby was a passenger—­