"We are glad," says she, taking her daugh- | and mamma, and I cared for her when you never ter's hand, and speaking in a gentle voice, "that the guest is away.' Beatrix drew back in an instant, looking round her at us three, and as if divining a danger. 'Why glad?" says she, her breast beginning to heave; are you so soon tired of him?" 66 did, when you were away for years with your horses, and your mistress, and your popish wife.” "By ," says my lord, rapping out another oath, “ Clotilda is an angel; how dare you say a word against Clotilda ?" Colonel Esmond could not refrain from a smile, "We think one of us is devilishly too fond of to see how easy Frank's attack was drawn off by him," cries out Frank Castlewood. that feint: "I fancy Clotilda is not the subject "And which is it—you, my lord, or is it mam-in hand," says Mr. Esmond, rather scornfully; ma, who is jealous because he drinks my health? or is it the head of the family (here she turned with an imperious look toward Colonel Esmond) who has taken of late to preach the King sermons." "We do not say you are too free with his Majesty." "I thank you, madam," says Beatrix, with a toss of the head and a courtesy. But her mother continued, with very great calmness and dignity-" At least we have not said so, though we might, were it possible for a mother to say such words to her own daughter, your father's daughter." "Eh! mon père," breaks out Beatrix, "was no better than other persons' fathers ;" and again she looked toward the Colonel. We all felt a shock as she uttered those two or three French words; her manner was exactly imitated from that of our foreign guest. "You had not learned to speak French a month ago, Beatrix," says her mother, sadly, nor to speak ill of your father." Beatrix, no doubt, saw that slip she had made in her flurry, for she blushed crimson: "I have learnt to honor the King," says she, drawing up, " and 'twere as well that others suspected neither his Majesty nor me." "If you respected your mother a little more," Frank said, "Trix, you would do yourself no hurt." 66 "I am no child," says she, turning round on him; we have lived very well these five years without the benefit of your advice or example, and I intend to take neither now. Why does not the head of the house speak?" she went on; "he rules every thing here; when his chaplain has done singing the psalms, will his lordship deliver the sermon? I am tired of the psalms." The Prince had used almost the very same words in regard to Colonel Esmond, that the imprudent girl repeated in her wrath. "You show yourself a very apt scholar, madam," says the Colonel; and turning to his mistress : "Did your guest use these words in your ladyship's hearing, or was it to Beatrix in private that he was pleased to impart his opinion regarding my tiresome sermon?" "Have you seen him alone?" cries my lord, starting up with an oath: "by God, have you seen him alone?" "Were he here, you wouldn't dare so to insult me; no, you would not dare," cries Frank's sister; "keep your oaths, my lord, for your wife; we are not used here to such language. 'Till you came there used to be kindness between me "her ladyship is at Paris, a hundred leagues off, preparing baby-linen. It is about my Lord Castlewood's sister, and not his wife, the ques tion is." "He is not my Lord Castlewood," says Beatrix, "and he knows he is not; he is Colonel Francis Esmond's son, and no more, and he wears a false title; and he lives on another man's land, and he knows it." Here was another desperate sally of the poor beleaguered garrison, and an alerte in another quarter. "Again, I beg your pardon," says Esmond; "if there are no proofs of my claim, I have no claim; if my father acknowledged no heir, yours was his lawful successor. My Lord Castlewood hath as good a right to his rank and small estate as any man in England; but that again is not the question, as you know very well. Let us bring our talk back to it, as you will have me meddle in it. And I will give you frankly my opinion, that a house where a Prince lies all day, who respects no woman, is no house for a young unmarried lady; that you were better in the country than here. That he is here on a great end, from which no folly should divert him; and that having nobly done your part of this morning, Beatrix, you should retire off the scene awhile, and leave it to the other actors of the play." As the Colonel spoke with a perfect calmness and politeness, such as 'tis to be hoped he hath always shown to women,* his mistress stood by him on one side of the table, and Frank Castlewood on the other hemming in poor Beatrix, that was behind it, and as it were, surrounding her with our approaches. Having twice sallied out, and been beaten back, she now, as I expected, tried the ultima ratio of women, and had recourse to tears. Her beautiful eyes filled with them; I never could bear in her, nor in any woman, that expression of pain: "I am alone," sobbed she; "you are three *My dear father saith quite truly that his manner toward our sex was uniformly courteous. From my infancy upward, he treated me with an extreme gentleness, as though I was a little lady. I can scarce remember (though nor was he less grave and kind in his manner to the humblest negresses on his estate. He was familiar with no one except my mother, and it was delightful to witness I tried him often) ever hearing a rough word from him, up to the very last days the confidence between them. and all her household lived in a constant emulation to He was obeyed eagerly by all under him; and my mother please him, and quite a terror lest in any way they should offend him. He was the humblest man, with all this; the least exacting, the most easily contented; and Mr. Ben son, our minister at Castlewood, who attended him at the last, ever said-"I know not what Colonel Esmond's doctrine was, but his life and death were those of a de vout Christian.”—R.E.W. against me, my brother, my mother, and you. I will go as no one's prisoner. If I wanted to What have I done, that you should speak and look deceive, do you think I could find no means of so unkindly at me? Is it my fault that the evading you? My family suspects me. As Prince should, as you say, admire me? Did I those mistrust me that ought to love me most, bring him here? Did I do aught but what you let me leave them; I will go, but I will go alone : bade me, in making him welcome? Did you to Castlewood, be it. I have been unhappy there not tell me that our duty was to die for him? and lonely enough, let me go back, but spare me Did you not teach me, mother, night and morn- at least the humiliation of setting a watch over ing, to pray for the King, before even ourselves? my misery, which is a trial I can't bear. Let me What would you have of me, cousin, for you are go when you will, but alone, or not at all. You the chief of the conspiracy against me; I know three can stay and triumph over my unhappiness, you are, sir, and that my mother and brother are and I will bear it as I have borne it before. Let acting but as you bid them; whither would you my jailer in chief go order the coach that is to have me go! take me away. I thank you, Henry Esmond, for your share in the conspiracy. All my life long, I'll thank you, and remember you and you brother, and you, mother, how shall I show my gratitude to you for your careful defense of my honor?" I would but remove from the Prince," says Esmond, gravely, a dangerous temptation; Heaven forbid I should say you would yield: I would only have him free of it. Your honor needs no guardian, please God, but his imprudence doth. He is so far removed from all women by his rank, that his pursuit of them can not but be unlawful. We would remove the dearest and fairest of our family from the chance of that insult, and that is why we would have you go, dear Beatrix." "Harry speaks like a book," says Frank, with one of his oaths, "and by- every word he saith is true. You can't help being handsome, Trix, no more can the Prince help following you. My counsel is that you go out of harm's way; for by the Lord, were the Prince to play any tricks with you, King as he is, or is to be, Harry Esmond and I would have justice of him." "Are not two such champions enough to guard me?" says Beatrix, something sorrowfully; "sure, with you two watching, no evil could happen to me." "In faith, I think not, Beatrix," says Colonel Esmond; nor if the Prince knew us would he try." "But does he know you?" interposed Lady Esmond, very quiet; he comes of a country where the pursuit of kings is thought no dishonor to a woman let us go, dearest Beatrix. Shall we go to Walcote or to Castlewood? We are best away from the city; and when the Prince is acknowledged, and our champions have restored him, and he hath his own house at Saint James's or Windsor, we can come back to ours here. Do you not think so, Harry and Frank?" Frank and Harry thought with her, you may be sure. 66 "We will go then," says Beatrix, turning a little pale; Lady Masham is to give me warning to-night how her Majesty is, and to-mor TOW-" "I think we had best go to-day, my dear," says my Lady Castlewood; "we might have the coach and sleep at Hounslow, and reach home to-morrow. 'Tis twelve o'clock; bid the coach, cousin, be ready at one." She swept out of the room with the air of an Empress, flinging glances of defiance at us all, and leaving us conquerors of the field, but scared, and almost ashamed of our victory. It did indeed seem hard and cruel that we three should have conspired the banishment and humiliation of that fair creature. We looked at each other in silence; 'twas not the first stroke by many of our actions in that unlucky time, which being done, we wished undone. We agreed it was best she should go alone, speaking stealthily to one another, and under our breaths, like persons engaged in an act they felt ashamed in doing. 66 In a half hour, it might be, after our talk, she came back, her countenance wearing the same defiant air which it had borne when she left us. She held a shagreen-case in her hand; Esmond knew it as containing his diamonds which he had given to her for her marriage with Duke Hamilton, and which she had worn so splendidly on the inauspicious night of the Prince's arrival. "I have brought back," says she, to the Marquis of Esmond the present he deigned to make me in days when he trusted me better than now. I will never accept a benefit or a kindness from Henry Esmond more, and I give back these family diamonds, which belonged to one king's mistress, to the gentleman that suspected I would be another. Have you been upon your message of coach-caller, my Lord Marquis? Will you send your valet to see that I do not run away?" We were right: yet, by her manner, she had put us all in the wrong; we were conquerors, yet the honors of the day seemed to be with the poor oppressed girl. That luckless box containing the stones had first been ornamented with a Baron's coronet, when Beatrix was engaged to the young gentleman from whom she parted, and afterward the gilt crown of a Duchess figured on the cover, which also poor Beatrix was destined never to wear. Lady Castlewood opened the case mechanically "For shame," burst out Beatrix, in a passion and scarce thinking what she did; and behold, of tears and mortification: "You disgrace me by besides the diamonds, Esmond's present, there your cruel precautions; my own mother is the lay in the box the enameled miniature of the first to suspect me, and would take me away as late Duke, which Beatrix had laid aside with her my jailer. I will not go with you, mother; I mourning when the King came into the house; and which the poor heedless thing very likely had will go well. forgotten. "Do you leave this, too, poor Beatrix?" says her mother taking the miniature out, and with a cruelty she did not very often show; but there are some moments when the tenderest women are cruel, and some triumphs which angels can't forego.* Let my Lord Castlewood be ready against we send for him." "There At night there came a second billet : hath been a great battle in Council; Lord Treasurer hath broke his Staff, and hath fallen never to rise again; no successor is appointed. Lord B― receives a great Whig company to-night at Golden Square. If he is trimming others are true; the Queen hath no more fits, but is a-bed now, and more quiet. Be ready against morn Having delivered this stab, Lady Esmond was frightened at the effect of her blow. It went to poor Beatrix's heart; she flushed up and pass-ing, when I still hope all will be well." ed a handkerchief across her eyes, and kissed the miniature, and put it into her bosom :-"I had forgot it," says she; "my injury made me forget my grief, my mother has recalled both to Farewell, mother, I think I never can forgive you, something hath broke between us that no tears nor years can repair; I always said I was alone, you never loved me, never, and were jealous of me from the time I sat on my father's knee. Let me go away, the sooner the better, I can bear to be with you no more." me. 66 "Go child," says her mother still very stern, go and bend your proud knees and ask forgiveness, go pray in solitude for humility and repentance. 'Tis not your reproaches that make me unhappy, 'tis your hard heart, my poor Beatrix; may God soften it, and teach you one day to feel for your mother." If my mistress was cruel, at least she never could be got to own as much. Her haughtiness quite over-topped Beatrix's; and if the girl had a a proud spirit, I very much fear it came to her by inheritance. CHAPTER XI. The Prince came home shortly after the messenger who bore this billet had left the house. His Royal Highness was so much the better for the Bishop's liquor, that to talk affairs to him now was of little service. He was helped to the Royal bed; he called Castlewood familiarly by his own name; he quite forgot the part upon the acting of which his crown, his safety depended. 'Twas lucky that my Lady Castlewood's servants were out of the way, and only those heard him who would not betray him. He inquired after the adorable Beatrix, with a royal hiccup in his voice; he was easily got to bed, and in a minute or two plunged in that deep slumber and forgetfulness with which Bacchus rewards the votaries of that God. We wished Beatrix had been there to see him in his cups. We regretted, perhaps, that she was gone. One of the party at Kensington Square was fool enough to ride to Hounslow that night, coram latronibus, and to the inn which the family used ordinarily in their journeys out of London. Esmond desired my landlord not to acquaint Madam Beatrix with his coming, and had the grim satisfaction of passing by the door of the chamber where she lay with her maid, and OUR GUEST QUITS US AS NOT BEING HOSPITABLE of watching her chariot set forth in the early ENOUGH. BEATRIX's departure took place within an hour, her maid going with her in the post-chaise, and a man armed on the coach-box to prevent any danger of the road. Esmond and Frank thought of escorting the carriage, but she indignantly refused their company, and another man was sent to follow the coach, and not to leave it till it had passed over Hounslow Heath on the next day. And these two forming the whole of Lady Castlewood's male domestics, Mr. Esmond's faithful John Lockwood came to wait on his mistress during their absence, though he would have preferred to escort Mrs. Lucy, his sweetheart, on her journey into the country. morning. He saw her smile and slip money into the man's hand who was ordered to ride behind the coach as far as Bagshot. The road being open, and the other servant armed, it appeared she dispensed with the escort of a second domestic; and this fellow bidding his young mistress adieu with many bows, went and took a pot of ale in the kitchen, and returned in company with his brother-servant, John Coachman, and his horses back to London. They were not a mile out of Hounslow when the two worthies stopped for more drink, and here they were scared by seeing Colonel Esmond gallop by them. The man said in reply to Colonel Esmond's stern question, that his young mistress had sent her duty, only that, no other message: she had had a very good night, and would reach Castlewood by nightfall. The Colonel had no time for further colloquy, and galloped on swiftly to London, having business of great importance there, as my reader very well knoweth. The thought of Beatrix riding away from the danger soothed his mind not a little. His horse was at Kensington Square (honest Dapple knew the way thither well enough), beher daughter; but from a sense of duty alone pointed out fore the tipsy guest of last night was awake and We had a gloomy and silent meal; it seemed as if a darkness was over the house, since the bright face of Beatrix had been withdrawn from it. In the afternoon came a message from the favorite to relieve us somewhat from this despondency. "The Queen hath been much shaken," the note said; "she is better now, and all things * This remark shows how unjustly and contemptuously even the best of men will sometimes judge of our sex. Lady Esmond had no intention of triumphing over her deplorable wrong.-R. E. sober. The account of the previous evening was known all over the town early next day. A violent altercation had taken place before the Queen in the Council-Chamber; and all the coffee-houses had their version of the quarrel. The news brought my Lord Bishop early to Kensington Square, where he awaited the waking of his Royal master above stairs, and spoke confidently of having him proclaimed as Prince of Wales and heir to the throne before that day was over. The Bishop had entertained on the previous afternoon certain of the most influential gentlemen of the true British party. His Royal Highness had charmed all, both Scots and English, Papists and Churchmen. "Even Quakers," says he, were at our meeting, and if the stranger took a little too much British punch and ale, he will soon grow more accustomed to those liquors; and my Lord Castlewood," says the Bishop, with a laugh, "must bear the cruel charge of having been for once in his life a little tipsy. He toasted your lovely sister a dozen times, at which we all laughed," says the Bishop, "admiring so much fraternal affection. Where is that charming nymph, and why doth she not adorn your ladyship's tea-table with her bright eyes?" 66 Her ladyship said, drily, that Beatrix was not at home that morning; my Lord Bishop was too busy with great affairs to trouble himself much about the presence or absence of any lady, however beautiful. We were yet at table when Dr. A- came from the Palace with a look of great alarm; the shocks the Queen had had the day before had acted on her severely; he had been sent for, and had ordered her to be blooded. The surgeon of Long Acre had come to cup the Queen, and her Majesty was now more easy and breathed more freely. What made us start at the name of Mr. Aymé? "Il faut étre aimable pour être aimé," says the merry Doctor; Esmond pulled his sleeve, and bade him hush. It was to Aymé's house, after his fatal duel, that my dear Lord Castlewood, Frank's father, had been carried to die. Rochester passed many hours of this day composing proclamations and addresses to the country, to the Scots, to the Clergy, to the People of London and England; announcing the arrival of the exiled descendant of three sovereigns, and his acknowledgment by his sister, as heir to the throne. Every safeguard for their liberties, the Church and People could ask, was promised to them. The Bishop could answer for the adhesion of very many prelates, who besought of their flocks and brother ecclesiastics to recognize the sacred right of the future sovereign, and to purge the country of the sin of rebellion. During the composition of these papers, more messengers than one came from the Palace, regarding the state of the august Patient there lying. At mid-day she was somewhat better; at evening the torpor again seized her, and she wandered in her mind. At night Dr. Awith us again, with a report rather more favorable: no instant danger at any rate was apprehended. In the course of the last two years her Majesty had had many attacks similar, but more severe. was By this time we had finished a half dozen of Proclamations (the wording of them so as to offend no parties, and not to give umbrage to Whigs or Dissenters, required very great caution), and the young Prince, who had, indeed, shown, during a long day's labor, both alacrity at seizing the information given him, and ingenuity and skill in turning the phrases which were to go out signed by his name, here exhibited a good-humor and thoughtfulness that ought to be set down to his credit. "Were these papers to be mislaid," says he, "or our scheme to come to mishap, my Lord Esmond's writing would bring him to a place where I heartily hope never to see him; and so, by your leave, I will copy the papers myself, though I am not very strong in spelling; and if they are found they will implicate none but the person they most concern;" and so, having carefully copied the Proclamations out, the Prince burned those in Colonel Esmond's handwriting. "And now, and now, gentlemen," says he, "let No second visit could be paid to the Queen us go to supper, and drink a glass with the laon that day at any rate; and when our guest dies. My Lord Esmond, you will sup with us above gave his signal that he was awake, the to-night; you have given us of late too little of Doctor, the Bishop, and Colonel Esmond, wait-your company." the chamber which had been Beatrix's bed-room, adjoining that in which he slept. And the dutiful practice of his entertainers was to wait until their royal guest bade them take their places at table before they sat down to partake of the On this night, as you may suppose, only ed upon the Prince's levee, and brought him The Prince's meals were commonly served in their news, cheerful or dubious. The Doctor had to go away presently, but promised to keep the Prince constantly acquainted with what was taking place at the Palace hard by. His counsel was, and the Bishop's, that as soon as ever the Queen's malady took a favorable turn, the Prince meal. should be introduced to her bed-side; the Coun- Frank Castlewood and his mother were in waitcil summoned; the guard at Kensington and St. James's, of which two regiments were to be entirely relied on, and one known not to be hostile would declare for the Prince, as the Queen would before the Lords of her Council, designating him as the heir to her throne. With locked doors, and Colonel Esmond acting as secretary, the Prince and his Lordship of ing when the supper was announced to receive the Prince; who had passed the whole of the day in his own apartment, with the Bishop as his Minister of State, and Colonel Esmond officiating as Secretary of his Council. The Prince's countenance wore an expression by no means pleasant; when looking toward the little company assembled, and waiting for him, he did not see Beatrix's bright face there as usual to greet him. He asked Lady Esmond for his fair introducer of yesterday: her ladyship only cast her eyes down, and said quietly, Beatrix could not be of the supper that night; nor did she show the least sign of confusion, whereas Castlewood turned red, and Esmond was no less embarrassed. I think women have an instinct of dissimulation; they know by nature how to disguise their emotions far better than the most consummate male courtiers can do. Is not the better part of the life of many of them spent in hiding their feelings, in cajoling their tyrants, in making over with fond smiles and artful gayety their doubt, or their grief, or their terror? Our guest swallowed his supper very sulky; it was not till the second bottle his Highness began to rally; when Lady Castlewood asked leave to depart, he sent a message to Beatrix, hoping she would be present at the next day's dinner, and applied himself to drink, and to talk afterward, for which there was subject in plenty. The next day, we heard from our informer at Kensington, that the Queen was somewhat better, and had been up for an hour, though she was not well enough yet to receive any visitor. Bah, bah, Monsieur! we need not be a conjurer to see that. It makes itself seen at all moments. You are jealous, my lord, and the Maid of Honor can not look at another face without yours beginning to scowl. That which you do is unworthy, Monsieur; is inhospitable, is At dinner a single cover was laid for his Royal lâche, yes, lâche :" (he spoke rapidly in French, Highness; and the two gentlemen alone waited his rage carrying him away with each phrase :) on him. We had had a consultation in the morn-"I come to your house; I risk my like; I pass ing with Lady Castlewood, in which it had been it in ennui; I repose myself on your fidelity; I determined, that should his Highness ask further have no company, but your lordship's sermons questions about Beatrix he should be answered or the conversations of that adorable young lady, by the gentlemen of the house. and you take her from me; and you, you rest! Merci, Monsieur! I shall thank you when I have the means; I shall know how to recompense a devotion, a little importunate, my lord-a little importunate. For a month past your airs of protector have annoyed me beyond measure. You deign to offer me the crown, and bid me take it on my knees like King John, eh! I know my history, Monsieur, and mock myself of frowning barons. I admire your mistress, and you send her to a bastile of the province; I enter your house and you mistrust me. I will leave it, Monsieur; from to-night I will leave it. I have other friends, whose loyalty will not be so ready to question mine. If I have garters to give away, 'tis to noblemen who are not so ready to think evil. Bring me a coach, and let me quit this place, or let the fair Beatrix return to it. I will not have your hospitality at the expense of the freedom of that fair creature." He was evidently disturbed and uneasy, looking toward the door constantly, as if expecting some one. There came, however, nobody, except honest John Lockwood, when he knocked with a dish, which those within took from him; so the meals were always arranged, and, I believe, the council in the kitchen were of opinion, that my young lord had brought over a priest, who had converted us all into Papists, and that Papists were like Jews, eating together, and not choosing to take their meals in the sight of Christians. The Prince tried to cover his displeasure; he was but a clumsy dissembler at that time, and when out of humor, could with difficulty keep a serene countenance; and having made some foolish attempts at trivial talk, he came to his point presently, and in as easy a manner as he could, saying to Lord Castlewood he hoped, he requested, his lordship's mother and sister would be of the supper that night. As the time hung heavy on him, and he must not go abroad, would not Miss Beatrix hold him company at a game of cards? At this, looking up at Esmond, and taking the signal from him, Lord Castlewood informed his Royal Highness* that his sister Beatrix was not at Kensington; and that her family had thought it best she should quit the town. "Not at Kensington!" says he; “is she ill? * In London we addressed the Prince as Royal High ness, invariably; though the women persisted in giving him the title of King. This harangue was uttered with rapid gesticulations such as the French use, and in the language of that nation. The Prince striding up and down the room; his face flushed, and his hands trembling with anger. He was very thin and frail from repeated illness and a life of pleasure. Either Castlewood or Esmond could have broke him across their knee, and in half a minute's struggle put an end to him; and here he was insulting us both, and scarce deigning to hide from the two whose honor it most concerned, the passion he felt for the young lady of our family. My Lord Castlewood replied to the Prince's tirade very nobly and simply. |