Will Esmond and herself. And this tale
differed, in some respects, though he is far from saying it is more
authentic than the ingenuous narrative of Mr. Will. The lady was grieved
to think how she had been deceived in her brother-in-law. She feared
that his life about the court and town had injured those high principles
which all the Esmonds are known to be born with; that Mr. Will's words
were not altogether to be trusted; that a loose life and pecuniary
difficulties had made him mercenary, blunted his honour, perhaps even
impaired the high chivalrous courage "which we Esmonds, cousin," the
little lady said, tossing her head, "which we Esmonds must always
possess--leastways, you and me, and my lord, and my cousin Harry have
it, I know!" says the Countess. "Oh, cousin George! and must I confess
that I was led to doubt of yours, without which a man of ancient and
noble family like ours isn't worthy to be called a man! I shall try,
George, as a Christian lady, and the head of one of the first families
in this kingdom and the whole world, to forgive my brother William for
having spoke ill of a member of our family, though a younger branch and
by the female side, and made me for a moment doubt of you. He did so.
Perhaps he told me ever so many bad things you had said of me."

"I, my dear lady!" cries Mr. Warrington.

"Which he said you said of me, cousin, and I hope you didn't, and
heartily pray you didn't; and I can afford to despise 'em. And he paid
me his court, that's a fact; and so have others, and that I'm used to;
and he might have prospered better than he did perhaps (for I did not
know my dear lord, nor come to vally his great and eminent qualities, as
I do out of the fulness of this grateful heart now!), but, oh! I found
William was deficient in courage, and no man as wants that can ever have
the esteem of Lydia, Countess of Castlewood, no more he can! He said
'twas you that wanted for spirit, cousin, and angered me by telling me
that you was always abusing of me. But I forgive you, George, that I
do! And when I tell you that it was he was afraid--the mean skunk!--and
actually sent for them constables to prevent the match between you and
he, you won't wonder I wouldn't vally a feller like that--no, not that
much!" and her ladyship snapped her little fingers. "I say, noblesse
oblige, and a man of our family who hasn't got courage, I don't care not
this pinch of snuff for him--there, now, I don't! Look at our ances