rom hunting--when I used to fling my head down on her little knees
and cry like a child on her lap--and swear I would reform and drink no
more, and play no more, and follow women no more; when all the men of the
Court used to be following her--when she used to look with her child more
beautiful, by George, than the Madonna in the Queen's Chapel. I am not
good like her, I know it. Who is--by Heaven, who is? I tired and wearied
her, I know that very well. I could not talk to her. You men of wit and
books could do that, and I couldn't--I felt I couldn't. Why, when you was
but a boy of fifteen I could hear you two together talking your poetry and
your books till I was in such a rage that I was fit to strangle you. But
you were always a good lad, Harry, and I loved you, you know I did. And I
felt she didn't belong to me: and the children don't. And I besotted
myself, and gambled, and drank, and took to all sorts of devilries out of
despair and fury. And now comes this Mohun, and she likes him, I know she
likes him."

"Indeed, and on my soul, you are wrong, sir," Esmond cried.

"She takes letters from him," cries my lord--"look here Harry," and he
pulled out a paper with a brown stain of blood upon it. "It fell from him
that day he wasn't killed. One of the grooms picked it up from the ground
and gave it me. Here it is in their d----d comedy jargon. 'Divine
Gloriana--Why look so coldly on your slave who adores you? Have you no
compassion on the tortures you have seen me suffering? Do you vouchsafe no
reply to billets that are written with the blood of my heart.' She had
more letters from him."

"But she answered none," cries Esmond.

"That's not Mohun's fault," says my lord, "and I will be revenged on him,
as God's in heaven, I will."

"For a light word or two, will you risk your lady's honour and your
family's happiness, my lord?" Esmond interposed beseechingly.

"Psha--there shall be no question of my wife's honour," said my lord; "we
can quarrel on plenty of grounds beside. If I live, that villain will be
punished; if I fall, my family will be only the better: there will only be
a spendthrift the less to keep in the world: and Frank has better teaching
than his father. My mind is made up, Harry Esmond, and whatever the event
is I am easy about it. I leave my wife and you as guardians to the
children."

Seeing that my lord was bent upon pursuing this quarrel, and that no
entreaties would draw him from it, Harry Esmon