d. Madame
Warrington calls the toast of "The King" stoutly every day; and on
Sundays when Harry reads the Service, and prays for all travellers by
land and by water, she says, "We beseech Thee to hear us," with a
peculiar solemnity.

Mrs. Mountain is constantly on the whimper when George's name is
mentioned, and Harry's face frequently wears a look of the most ghastly
alarm; but his mother's is invariably grave and sedate. She makes more
blunders at piquet and backgammon than you would expect from her; and the
servants find her awake and dressed, however early they may rise. She has
prayed Mr. Dempster to come back into residence at Castlewood. She is not
severe or haughty, as her wont certainly was, with any of the party, but
quiet in her talk with them, and gentle in assertion and reply. She is
forever talking of her father and his campaigns, who came out of them all
with no very severe wounds to hurt him; and so she hopes and trusts will
her eldest son.

George writes frequent letters home to his brother, and, now the army is
on its march, compiles a rough journal, which he forwards as occasion
serves. This document is read with great eagerness by Harry, and more
than once read out in family councils on the long summer nights as Madame
Esmond sits upright at her tea-table; as little Fanny Mountain is busy
with her sewing, as Mr. Dempster and Mrs. Mountain sit over their cards,
as the hushed old servants of the house move about silently in the
gloaming and listen to the words of the young master. Hearken to Harry
Warrington reading out his brother's letter!

"It must be owned that the provinces are acting scurvily by his Majesty
King George, and his representative here is in a flame of fury. Virginia
is bad enough, and poor Maryland not much better, but Pennsylvania is
worst of all. We pray them to send us troops from home to fight the
French; and we propose to maintain the troops when they come. We not only
don't keep our promise, and make scarce any provision for our defenders,
but our people insist upon the most exorbitant prices for their cattle
and stores, and actually cheat the soldiers who are come to fight their
battles. No wonder the General swears, and the troops are sulky. The
delays have been endless. Owing to the failure of the several provinces
to provide their promised stores and means of locomotion, weeks and
months have elapsed, during which time no doubt the French have been
strengthening themselv