And he had a daughter
who was said to be the prettiest young woman either in Europe or
America at the present time.
Isabel Boncassen was certainly a very pretty girl. I wish that my
reader would believe my simple assurance. But no such simple
assurance was ever believed, and I doubt even whether any
description will procure for me from the reader that amount of
faith which I desire to achieve. But I must make the attempt.
General opinion generally considered Miss Boncassen to be small,
but she was in truth something above the average height of English
women. She was slight, without that look of slimness which is
common to girls, and especially to American girls. That her figure
was perfect the reader may believe my word, as any detailed
description of her arms, feet, bust, and waist, would be
altogether ineffective. Her hair was dark brown and plentiful; but
it added but little to her charms, which depended on other
matters. Perhaps what struck the beholder first was the excessive
brilliancy of her complexion. No pink was every pinker, no
alabaster whiteness was ever more like alabaster; but under and
around and through it all there was a constant changing hue which
gave a vitality to her countenance which no fixed colours can
produce.
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