any observer who knows the game, to see that Lord Mohun is by far
the stronger of the two."

"I know he is," says my lady, still with exceeding good humour; "he is not
only the best player, but the kindest player in the world."

"Madam, madam," Esmond cried, transported and provoked. "Debts of honour
must be paid some time or other; and my master will be ruined if he goes
on."

"Harry, shall I tell you a secret?" my lady replied, with kindness and
pleasure still in her eyes. "Francis will not be ruined if he goes on; he
will be rescued if he goes on. I repent of having spoken and thought
unkindly of the Lord Mohun when he was here in the past year. He is full
of much kindness and good: and 'tis my belief that we shall bring him to
better things. I have lent him Tillotson and your favourite Bishop Taylor,
and he is much touched, he says; and as a proof of his repentance--(and
herein lies my secret)--what do you think he is doing with Francis? He is
letting poor Frank win his money back again. He hath won already at the
last four nights; and my Lord Mohun says that he will not be the means of
injuring poor Frank and my dear children."

"And in God's name, what do you return him for this sacrifice?" asked
Esmond, aghast; who knew enough of men, and of this one in particular, to
be aware that such a finished rake gave nothing for nothing. "How, in
Heaven's name, are you to pay him?"

"Pay him! With a mother's blessing and a wife's prayers!" cries my lady,
clasping her hands together. Harry Esmond did not know whether to laugh,
to be angry, or to love his dear mistress more than ever for the obstinate
innocency with which she chose to regard the conduct of a man of the
world, whose designs he knew better how to interpret. He told the lady,
guardedly, but so as to make his meaning quite clear to her, what he knew
in respect of the former life and conduct of this nobleman; of other women
against whom he had plotted, and whom he had overcome; of the conversation
which he Harry himself had had with Lord Mohun, wherein the lord made a
boast of his libertinism, and frequently avowed that he held all women to
be fair game (as his lordship styled this pretty sport), and that they
were all, without exception, to be won. And the return Harry had for his
entreaties and remonstrances was a fit of anger on Lady Castlewood's part,
who would not listen to his accusations, she said, and retorted that he
himself must be very wicked and p