g man) he returned to the side of his
charmer. Madame de Bernstein was not sorry to leave the home of her
father. She began to talk more freely as we got away from the place.
What passed during that interview in which the battle-royal between her
and her niece occurred, she never revealed. But the old lady talked
no more of forming cette petite, and, indeed, when she alluded to her,
spoke in a nervous, laughing way, but without any hostility towards the
young Countess. Her nephew Eugene, she said, was doomed to be henpecked
for the rest of his days that she saw clearly. A little order brought
into the house would do it all the good possible. The little old
vulgar American gentleman seemed to be a shrewd person, and would act
advantageously as a steward. The Countess's mother was a convict, she
had heard, sent out from England, where no doubt she had beaten hemp in
most of the gaols; but this news need not be carried to the town-crier;
and, after all, in respect to certain kind of people, what mattered what
their birth was? The young woman would be honest for her own sake now:
was shrewd enough, and would learn English presently; and the name to
which she had a right was great enough to get her into any society. A
grocer, a smuggler, a slave-dealer, what mattered Mr. Van den Bosch's
pursuit or previous profession? The Countess of Castlewood could afford
to be anybody's daughter, and as soon as my nephew produced her, says
the old lady, it is our duty to stand by her.

The ties of relationship binding Madame de Bernstein strongly to her
nephew, Mr. Warrington hoped that she would be disposed to be equally
affectionate to her niece; and spoke of his visit to Mr. Hagan and his
wife, for whom he entreated her aunt's favour. But the old lady was
obdurate regarding Lady Maria; begged that her name might never be
mentioned, and immediately went on for two hours talking about no one
else. She related a series of anecdotes regarding her niece, which, as
this book lies open virginibus puerisque, to all the young people of the
family, I shall not choose to record. But this I will say of the kind
creature, that if she sinned, she was not the only sinner of the family,
and if she repented, that others will do well to follow her example.
Hagan, 'tis known, after he left the stage, led an exemplary life,
and was remarkable for elegance and eloquence in the pulpit. His lady
adopted extreme views, but was greatly respected in the sect whi