And with another
rumbling cannonade of oaths, Will saluted the reigning member of his
family.

"Well, cousin," says George, looking him queerly in the face, "you let
me off easily, and I dare say I owe my life to you, or at any rate a
whole waistcoat, and I admire your forbearance and spirit. What a pity
that a courage like yours should be wasted as a mere court usher! You
are a loss to his Majesty's army. You positively are!"

"I never know whether you are joking or serious, Mr. Warrington," growls
Will.

"I should think very few gentlemen would dare to joke with you, cousin,
if they had a regard for their own lives or ears! cries Mr. Warrington,
who loved this grave way of dealing with his noble kinsman, and used to
watch, with a droll interest, the other choking his curses, grinding his
teeth because afraid to bite, and smothering his cowardly anger.

"And you should moderate your expressions, cousin, regarding the dear
Countess and my lord your brother," Mr. Warrington resumed. "Of you they
always speak most tenderly. Her ladyship has told me everything."

"What everything?" cries Will, aghast.

"As much as women ever do tell, cousin. She owned that she thought you
had been a little epris with her. What woman can help liking a man who
has admired her?"

"Why, she hates you, and says you were wild about her, Mr. Warrington!"
says Mr. Esmond.

"Spretae injuria formae, cousin!"

"For me--what's for me?" asks the other.

"I never did care for her, and hence, perhaps, she does not love me.
Don't you remember that case of the wife of the Captain of the Guard?"

"Which Guard?" asks Will.

"My Lord Potiphar," says Mr. Warrington.

"Lord Who? My Lord Falmouth is Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard,
and my Lord Berkeley of the Pensioners. My Lord Hobart had 'em before.
Suppose you haven't been long enough in England to know who's who,
cousin!" remarks Mr. William.

But Mr. Warrington explained that he was speaking of a Captain of the
Guard of the King of Egypt, whose wife had persecuted one Joseph for not
returning her affection for him. On which Will said that, as for
Egypt, he believed it was a confounded long way off; and that if Lord
What-d'ye-call's wife told lies about him, it was like her sex, who he
supposed were the same everywhere.

Now the truth is, that when he paid his marriage-visit to Castlewood,
Mr. Warrington had heard from the little Countess her version of the
story of differences between