as is the
way often, his idol had idols of her own, and never thought of or
suspected the admiration of her little adorer.

My Lady had on her side three idols: first and foremost, [v]Jove and
supreme ruler, was her lord, Harry's patron, the good [v]Viscount of
Castlewood. All wishes of his were laws with her. If he had a headache,
she was ill. If he frowned, she trembled. If he joked, she smiled and
was charmed. If he went a-hunting, she was always at the window to see
him ride away. She made dishes for his dinner; spiced his wine for him;
hushed the house when he slept in his chair, and watched for a look when
he woke. Her eyes were never tired of looking at his face and wondering
at its perfection. Her little son was his son, and had his father's look
and curly brown hair. Her daughter Beatrix was his daughter, and had his
eyes--were there ever such beautiful eyes in the world? All the house
was arranged so as to bring him ease and give him pleasure.

Harry Esmond was happy in this pleasant home. The happiest period of all
his life was this; and the young mother, with her daughter and son, and
the orphan lad whom she protected, read and worked and played, and were
children together. If the lady looked forward--as what fond woman does
not?--toward the future, she had no plans from which Harry Esmond was
left out; and a thousand and a thousand times, in his passionate and
impetuous way, he vowed that no power should separate him from his
mistress; and only asked for some chance to happen by which he might
show his [v]fidelity to her.

The second fight which Harry Esmond had was at fourteen years of age,
with Bryan Hawkshaw, Sir John Hawkshaw's son, who, advancing the opinion
that Lady Castlewood henpecked my Lord, put Harry in so great a fury
that Harry fell on him and with such rage that the other boy, who was
two years older and far bigger than he, had by far the worst of the
assault. It was interrupted by Doctor Tusher, the clergyman, who was
just walking out of the dinner-room.

Bryan Hawkshaw got up bleeding at the nose, having indeed been
surprised, as many a stronger man might have been, by the fury of the
attack on him.

"You little beggar," he said, "I'll murder you for this."

And indeed he was big enough.

"Beggar or not," said Harry, grinding his teeth, "I have a couple of
swords, and if you like to meet me, as man to man, on the terrace
to-night--"

And here, the doctor coming up, the [v]colloquy