e principal staircase to reach
it through a long corridor. It occupied the whole length of one of the
wings; was one hundred feet long, and forty-five feet broad, its walls
hung with a collection of choice pictures rich in history; while the
Axminster carpets, the cabinets, carved tables, and variety of easy
chairs, ingeniously grouped, imparted even to this palatian chamber a
lively and habitable air.

Lord Marney was several years the senior of Charles Egremont, yet still
a young man. He was handsome; there was indeed a general resemblance
between the brothers, though the expression of their countenances was
entirely different; of the same height and air, and throughout the
features a certain family cast; but here the likeness ceased. The
countenance of Lord Marney bespoke the character of his mind; cynical,
devoid of sentiment, arrogant, literal, hard. He had no imagination, had
exhausted his slight native feeling, but he was acute, disputatious,
and firm even to obstinacy. Though his early education had been very
imperfect, he had subsequently read a good deal, especially in French
literature. He had formed his mind by Helvetius, whose system he deemed
irrefutable, and in whom alone he had faith. Armed with the principles
of his great master, he believed he could pass through existence in
adamantine armour, and always gave you in the business of life the idea
of a man who was conscious you were trying to take him in, and rather
respected you for it, but the working of whose cold, unkind, eye defied
you.

There never had been excessive cordiality between the brothers even in
their boyish days, and shortly after Egremont's entrance into life, they
had become estranged. They were to meet now for the first time since
Egremont's return from the continent. Their mother had arranged their
reconciliation. They were to meet as if no misunderstanding had ever
existed between them; it was specially stipulated by Lord Marney, that
there was to be no "scene." Apprised of Egremont's impending arrival,
Lord Marney was careful to be detained late that day at petty sessions,
and entered the room only a few minutes before dinner was announced,
where he found Egremont not only with the countess and a young lady who
was staying with her, but with additional bail against any ebullition
of sentiment in the shape of the Vicar of Marney, and a certain Captain
Grouse, who was a kind of aide-de-camp of the earl; killed birds and
carved the