this marriage my father had four sons and two daughters; Richard, the
eldest; Charles, the second; myself, the third; and Philip, the
fourth; and my sisters, who came last, were named Janet and Mabel. At
the time of my mother's death, my eldest brother was serving with the
army, which he had entered from a love of the profession, although,
as heir to the baronetcy and estates, which are a clear 4,000_l._ per
annum, he of course had no occasion for a profession. My second
brother, Charles, being of an adventurous turn, had gone out to the
East Indies in a high position, as servant to the Company. I was still
at home, as well as Philip, who is four years my junior, and my
sisters were of course at home. I pass over my regrets at my mother's
death, and will now speak more of my father. He was a good-tempered,
weak man, easily led, and although, during my mother's lifetime, he
was so well led that it was of little consequence, the case proved
very different at her death. For a year my father remained quiet in
the house, content with superintending his improvements on his
property, and he had lately become infirm, and had given up the hounds
and rural sports in general. The dairy was one of his principal
hobbies; and it so happened that a young girl, the daughter of a
labourer, was one of the females employed in that part of the
establishment. She was certainly remarkably good-looking; her features
were very small, and she did not show that robust frame which people
in her class of life generally do. She was about seventeen years old,
slight in figure, and certainly a person that you would not pass
without making some commendatory remark upon her good looks and modest
appearance. She was not, however, what she appeared; she was beyond
measure cunning and astute, and, as it proved, inordinately ambitious.
My father, who was naturally of an amorous disposition, was attracted
by her, and very soon was constantly in the dairy, and his attentions
were so marked, that the other servants used to call her 'my lady.' A
few months after my father had shown a preference for this girl, he
was seized with his first attack of gout. It did not last him long,
and in six weeks he was about again, and resumed his attentions to
her. Philip and I, who were at our tutor's, when we came home, heard
from others what was going on, and very foolishly played the girl many
tricks, and annoyed her as much as we could. After we returned, my
father had