osom himself to his brother, and lay before his elder
an account of his private affairs. He gave up all the family of
Castlewood--my lord, not for getting the better of him at play; for
Harry was a sporting man, and expected to pay when he lost, and receive
when he won; but for refusing to aid the chaplain in his necessity, and
dismissing him with such false and heartless pretexts. About Mr. Will he
had made up his mind, after the horse-dealing matter, and freely
marked his sense of the latter's conduct upon Mr. Will's eyes and nose.
Respecting the Countess and Lady Fanny, Harry spoke in a manner more
guarded, but not very favourable. He had heard all sorts of stories
about them. The Countess was a card-playing old cat; Lady Fanny was a
desperate flirt. Who told him? Well, he had heard the stories from a
person who knew them both very well indeed. In fact, in those days
of confidence, of which we made mention in the last volume, Maria had
freely imparted to her cousin a number of anecdotes respecting her
stepmother and her half-sister, which were by no means in favour of
those ladies.

But in respect to Lady Maria herself, the young man was staunch and
hearty. "It may be imprudent: I don't say no, George. I may be a fool:
I think I am. I know there will be a dreadful piece of work at home, and
that Madam and she will fight. Well! we must live apart. Our estate is
big enough to live on without quarrelling, and I can go elsewhere than
to Richmond or Castlewood. When you come to the property, you'll give me
a bit--at any rate, Madam will let me off at an easy rent--or I'll make
a famous farmer or factor. I can't and won't part from Maria. She has
acted so nobly by me, that I should be a rascal to turn my back on her.
Think of her bringing me every jewel she had in the world, dear
brave creature! and flinging them into my lap with her last
guineas,--and--and--God bless her!" Here Harry dashed his sleeve across
his eyes, with a stamp of his foot, and said, "No, brother, I won't part
with her--not to be made Governor of Virginia tomorrow; and my dearest
old George would never advise me to do so, I know that."

"I am sent here to advise you," George replied. "I am sent to break the
marriage off, if I can: and a more unhappy one I can't imagine. But I
can't counsel you to break your word, my boy."

"I knew you couldn't! What's said is said, George. I have made my bed,
and must lie on it," says Mr. Harry, gloomily.

Such had