ancestor, nor add another thousand to the account at
their banker's;--as to the last, rather indeed the contrary! There was a
decided elegance about the Baron's house and his dinner. If he had been
one of the lawful kings of the dandies, you would have cried, "What
perfect taste!"--but such is human nature, that the dandies who dined
with him said to each other, "He pretend to imitate D----! vulgar dog!"
There was little affectation of your more showy opulence. The furniture
in the rooms was apparently simple, but, in truth, costly, from its
luxurious comfort--the ornaments and china scattered about the commodes
were of curious rarity and great value; and the pictures on the walls
were gems. At dinner, no plate was admitted on the table. The Russian
fashion, then uncommon, now more prevalent, was adopted--fruits and
flowers in old Sevre dishes of priceless _vertu_, and in sparkling
glass, of Bohemian fabric. No livery servant was permitted to wait;
behind each guest stood a gentleman dressed so like the guest himself,
in fine linen and simple black, that guest and lacquey seemed
stereotypes from one plate.

The viands were exquisite; the wine came from the cellars of deceased
archbishops and ambassadors. The company was select; the party did not
exceed eight. Four were the eldest sons of peers (from a baron to a
duke); one was a professed wit, never to be got without a month's
notice, and, where a _parvenu_ was host, a certainty of green pease and
peaches--out of season; the sixth, to Randal's astonishment, was Mr.
Richard Avenel; himself and the Baron made up the complement.

The eldest sons recognized each other with a meaning smile; the most
juvenile of them, indeed, (it was his first year in London,) had the
grace to blush and look sheepish. The others were more hardened; but
they all united in regarding with surprise both Randal and Dick Avenel.
The former was known most of them personally; and to all, by repute, as
a grave, clever, promising young man, rather prudent than lavish, and
never suspected to have got into a scrape. What the deuce did he do
there? Mr. Avenel puzzled them yet more. A middle-aged man, said to be
in business, whom they had observed "about town" (for he had a
noticeable face and figure)--that is, seen riding in the park, or
lounging in the pit at the opera, but never set eyes on at a recognized
club, or in the coteries of their 'set';--a man whose wife gave horrid
third-rate parties, that t