gracefully drunk as my Lord Castlewood? I would give anything to carry my
wine (though, indeed, Dick bore his very kindly, and plenty of it, too)
like this incomparable young man. When he is sober he is delightful; and
when tipsy, perfectly irresistible." And referring to his favourite,
Shakespeare (who was quite out of fashion until Steele brought him back
into the mode), Dick compared Lord Castlewood to Prince Hal, and was
pleased to dub Esmond as ancient Pistol.

The mistress of the robes, the greatest lady in England after the queen,
or even before her Majesty, as the world said, though she never could be
got to say a civil word to Beatrix, whom she had promoted to her place as
maid of honour, took her brother into instant favour. When young
Castlewood, in his new uniform, and looking like a prince out of a
fairy-tale, went to pay his duty to her grace, she looked at him for a
minute in silence, the young man blushing and in confusion before her,
then fairly burst out a-crying, and kissed him before her daughters and
company. "He was my boy's friend," she said, through her sobs. "My
Blandford might have been like him." And everybody saw, after this mark of
the duchess's favour, that my young lord's promotion was secure, and
people crowded round the favourite's favourite, who became vainer and
gayer, and more good-humoured than ever.

Meanwhile Madam Beatrix was making her conquests on her own side, and
amongst them was one poor gentleman, who had been shot by her young eyes
two years before, and had never been quite cured of that wound; he knew,
to be sure, how hopeless any passion might be, directed in that quarter,
and had taken that best, though ignoble, _remedium amoris_, a speedy
retreat from before the charmer, and a long absence from her; and not
being dangerously smitten in the first instance, Esmond pretty soon got
the better of his complaint, and if he had it still, did not know he had
it, and bore it easily. But when he returned after Blenheim, the young
lady of sixteen, who had appeared the most beautiful object his eyes had
ever looked on two years back, was now advanced to a perfect ripeness and
perfection of beauty, such as instantly enthralled the poor devil, who had
already been a fugitive from her charms. Then he had seen her but for two
days, and fled; now he beheld her day after day, and when she was at
Court, watched after her; when she was at home, made one of the family
party; when she went a