in the presence of the family, and out of sheer spite and rage, as
it appeared to me. Is he paying his addresses to Miss Lydia, and her
father's ships, negroes, and forty thousand pounds? I should guess so.
The old gentleman is for ever talking about his money, and adores his
granddaughter, and as she is a beautiful little creature, numbers of
folk here are ready to adore her too. Was Will rascal enough to fancy
that I would give up my Theo for a million of guineas, and negroes, and
Venus to boot? Could the thought of such baseness enter into the man's
mind? I don't know that he has accused me of stealing Van den Bosch's
spoons and tankards when we dine there, or of robbing on the highway.
But for one reason or the other he has chosen to be jealous of me,
and as I have parried his impertinences with little sarcastic speeches
(though perfectly civil before company), perhaps I have once or twice
made him angry. Our little Miss Lydia has unwittingly added fuel to the
fire on more than one occasion, especially yesterday, when there was
talk about your worship.

"'Ah!' says the heedless little thing, as we sat over our dessert, ''tis
lucky for you, Mr. Esmond, that Captain Harry is not here.'

"'Why, miss?' asks he, with one of his usual conversational ornaments.
He must have offended some fairy in his youth, who has caused him to
drop curses for ever out of his mouth, as she did the girl to spit out
toads and serpents. (I know some one from whose gentle lips there only
fall pure pearls and diamonds.) 'Why?' says Will, with a cannonade of
oaths.

"'O fie!' says she, putting up the prettiest little fingers to the
prettiest little rosy ears in the world. 'O fie, sir! to use such
naughty words. 'Tis lucky the Captain is not here, because he might
quarrel with you; and Mr. George is so peaceable and quiet, that he
won't. Have you heard from the Captain, Mr. George?'

"'From Cape Breton,' says I. 'He is very well, thank you; that is----'
I couldn't finish the sentence, for I was in such a rage that I scarce
could contain myself.

"'From the Captain, as you call him, Miss Lyddy,' says Will. 'He'll
distinguish himself as he did at Saint Cas! Ho, ho!'

"'So I apprehend he did, sir,' says Will's brother.

"'Did he?' says our dear cousin; 'always thought he ran away; took to
his legs; got a ducking, and ran away as if a bailiff was after him.'

"'La!' says Miss, 'did the Captain ever have a bailiff after him?'

"'Didn't he?