as to be for my poor brother, who had nothing,
who would never have spent his own means had he not imagined himself to
be sole heir of the Virginian property, as he would have been--the good
lady took care to emphasise this point in many of her letters--but for a
half-hour's accident of birth. He was now distinguishing himself in
the service of his king and country. To purchase his promotion was his
mother's, she should suppose his brother's duty! When I had finished my
bar-studies and my dramatic amusements, Madam Esmond informed me that I
was welcome to return home and take that place in our colony to which my
birth entitled me. This statement she communicated to me more than once
through Mountain, and before the news of my marriage had reached her.

There is no need to recall her expressions of maternal indignation when
she was informed of the step I had taken. On the pacification of Canada,
my dear Harry asked for leave of absence, and dutifully paid a visit to
Virginia. He wrote, describing his reception at home, and the splendid
entertainments which my mother made in honour of her son. Castlewood,
which she had not inhabited since our departure for Europe, was thrown
open again to our friends of the colony; and the friend of Wolfe, and
the soldier of Quebec, was received by all our acquaintance with every
becoming honour. Some dismal quarrels, to be sure, ensued, because my
brother persisted in maintaining his friendship with Colonel Washington,
of Mount Vernon, whose praises Harry never was tired of singing.
Indeed I allow the gentleman every virtue; and in the struggles which
terminated so fatally for England a few years since, I can admire as
well as his warmest friends, General Washington's glorious constancy and
success.

If these battles between Harry and our mother were frequent, as, in his
letters, he described them to be, I wondered, for my part, why he should
continue at home? One reason naturally suggested itself to my mind,
which I scarcely liked to communicate to Mrs. Warrington; for we had
both talked over our dear little Hetty's romantic attachment for my
brother, and wondered that he had never discovered it. I need not say, I
suppose, that my gentleman had found some young lady at home more to his
taste than our dear Hester, and hence accounted for his prolonged stay
in Virginia.

Presently there came, in a letter from him, not a full confession but an
admission of this interesting fact. A person