t. Lady Wentworth concurred
heartily and proudly in her son's opinion of himself and encouraged his
uselessness to a point where it became worthlessness. But Sir William
took no pains to conceal his disappointment and disgust. Young William
held a small post at court, and, being supplied with money by his mother,
was one of the evil spirits of the set composed of Crofts, Berkeley,
Little Jermyn, the court lady-killer, and others too numerous and too
vicious to mention. Wentworth was goose to these pluckers and was willing
to give his feathers in exchange for their toleration.

* * * * *

Shortly after I left Sundridge, Sir Richard learned that Roger
intended journeying to London in the course of a month to buy leather,
so he asked him to take Frances with him. To this request Roger gladly
and proudly assented. He usually travelled a-horseback to London, but
this being a state occasion, he brought out his old coach, a huge
lumbering concern, and had it painted a brilliant green in honor of his
fair passenger-to-be. Roger also promised Frances the services of his
sister-in-law with the Duchess of York, a help so great, in Roger's
opinion, that it could not be overestimated.

I had been at home more than a month before Frances started on her
journey. I did not know when she expected to leave Sundridge, as we had
agreed that she should notify me as soon as she reached London.

I had seen George on several occasions after my return from Sundridge,
and although he said little about himself, I knew from others that he
was at least trying to quit his old way of life and to avoid his evil
friends. Soon after my return to court he went to France, and I did
not see him again for several months, although he came home, most
unfortunately, and spent a day or two in London at the time of Frances's
arrival, of which he knew nothing until after his return to France.

All that took place at Sundridge after I left there and the occurrences
on my cousin's journey to London, I learned from her and from Hamilton
afterwards, though I shall write them down now in the order of their
happening.

Early one morning Roger presented himself at my uncle's house with the
huge green coach drawn by two horses so fat that they could hardly
breathe, driven by an old servant, Noah Sullivan, who was so fat that at
times he could not breathe at all.

The season was fair for travelling, and barring a heavy rain, the road