purity. {52} That these qualities were not unaccompanied by a
considerable amount of hauteur, is shown by her uncompromising rejection
of the ceremonial advances made to her by that accomplished courtier, the
man in black.

"Lovely virgin," said he, with a graceful bow and stretching out his
hand, "allow me to salute your fingers."

"I am not in the habit of shaking hands with strangers," said Belle.

"I did not presume to request to shake hands with you," said the man
in black. "I merely wished to be permitted to salute with my lips the
extremities of your two forefingers."

"I never permit anything of the kind," said Belle. "I do not approve
of such unmanly ways."

His importunity is rebuked more forcibly upon another occasion, when the
nymph bids the priest with asperity to "hold his mumping gibberish."

The striking beauty of Belle, especially that of her blue eyes and flaxen
hair, and the impressiveness of her demeanour, calm and proud, which
compelled the similitude to a serious and queenly heroine, such as 'Queen
Theresa of Hungary, or Brynhilda, the Valkyrie, the beloved of Sigurd,
the serpent-killer,' is emphasised by the contrast drawn between her and
the handsome brunette Mrs. Petulengro, who is for the nonce subjugated by
Isopel's beauty, and craves the privilege of acting as her tire-woman.

Alas, as is so often the case in life, Lavengro and the reader are only
just beginning to realise the beauty and the value of the "bellissima,"