he 'Rose'
on your way to London, and have your acquaintances in Covent Garden. My
services to you, sir, to principal and ambassador, to master and--and
lackey."

"Great heavens! madam," cried Harry. "What have I done that thus, for a
second time, you insult me? Do you wish me to blush for what I used to
be proud of, that I lived on your bounty? Next to doing you a service
(which my life would pay for), you know that to receive one from you is
my highest pleasure. What wrong have I done you that you should wound me
so, cruel woman?"

"What wrong?" she said, looking at Esmond with wild eyes. "Well,
none--none that you know of, Harry, or could help. Why did you bring
back the small-pox," she added, after a pause, "from Castlewood village?
You could not help it, could you? Which of us knows whither fate leads
us? But we were all happy, Henry, till then." And Harry went away from
this colloquy, thinking still that the estrangement between his patron
and his beloved mistress was remediable, and that each had at heart a
strong attachment to the other.

The intimacy between the Lords Mohun and Castlewood appeared to increase
as long as the former remained in the country; and my Lord of Castlewood
especially seemed never to be happy out of his new comrade's sight.
They sported together, they drank, they played bowls and tennis: my Lord
Castlewood would go for three days to Sark, and bring back my Lord Mohun
to Castlewood--where indeed his lordship made himself very welcome to
all persons, having a joke or a new game at romps for the children, all
the talk of the town for my lord, and music and gallantry and plenty of
the beau langage for my lady, and for Harry Esmond, who was never tired
of hearing his stories of his campaigns and his life at Vienna, Venice,
Paris, and the famous cities of Europe which he had visited both in
peace and war. And he sang at my lady's harpsichord, and played cards
or backgammon, or his new game of billiards with my lord (of whom he
invariably got the better) always having a consummate good-humor, and
bearing himself with a certain manly grace, that might exhibit somewhat
of the camp and Alsatia perhaps, but that had its charm, and stamped
him a gentleman: and his manner to Lady Castlewood was so devoted and
respectful, that she soon recovered from the first feelings of dislike
which she had conceived against him--nay, before long, began to be
interested in his spiritual welfare, and hopeful of hi