u should be old
enough to understand reason, at any rate. You think this money belonged
of right to Lady Maria Warrington and her children? I tell you that in
three months more every shilling would have found its way to White's
macco-table, and that it is much better spent in paying my debts. So
much for your ladyship's anger, and tears, and menaces, and naughty
language. See! I am a good brother, and repay them with reason and kind
words."

"My good brother might have given a little more than kind words to the
lad from whom he has just taken hundreds," interposed the sister of this
affectionate brother.

"Great heavens, Maria! Don't you see that even out of this affair,
unpleasant as it seems, a clever woman may make her advantage," cries my
lord. Maria said she failed to comprehend.

"As thus. I name no names; I meddle in no person's business, having
quite enough to do to manage my own cursed affairs. But suppose I happen
to know of a case in another family which may be applicable to ours. It
is this. A green young lad of tolerable expectations, comes up from the
country to his friends in town--never mind from what country: never
mind to what town. An elderly female relative, who has been dragging her
spinsterhood about these--how many years shall we say?--extort a promise
of marriage from my young gentleman, never mind on what conditions."

"My lord, do you want to insult your sister as well as to injure your
cousin?" asks Maria.

"My good child, did I say a single word about fleecing or cheating, or
pigeoning, or did I fly into a passion when you insulted me? I know the
allowance that must be made for your temper, and the natural folly of
your sex. I say I treated you with soft words--I go on with my story.
The elderly relative extracts a promise of marriage from the young lad,
which my gentleman is quite unwilling to keep. No, he won't keep it.
He is utterly tired of his elderly relative: he will plead his mother's
refusal: he will do anything to get out of his promise."

"Yes; if he was one of us Esmonds, my Lord Castlewood. But this is a
man of honour we are speaking of," cried Maria, who, I suppose, admired
truth in others, however little she saw it in her own family.

"I do not contradict either of my dear sister's remarks. One of us
would fling the promise to the winds, especially as it does not exist in
writing."

"My lord!" gasps out Maria.

"Bah! I know all. That little coup of Tunbridge was play