horse, and armed servants riding before and behind her.
And, but that it was unpleasant to see Lady Castlewood's face, it was
amusing to watch the behavior of the two enemies: the frigid patience
of the younger lady, and the unconquerable good-humor of the elder--who
would see no offence whatever her rival intended, and who never ceased
to smile and to laugh, and to coax the children, and to pay compliments
to every man, woman, child, nay dog, or chair and table, in Castlewood,
so bent was she upon admiring everything there. She lauded the children,
and wished as indeed she well might--that her own family had been
brought up as well as those cherubs. She had never seen such a
complexion as dear Beatrix's--though to be sure she had a right to
it from father and mother--Lady Castlewood's was indeed a wonder of
freshness, and Lady Sark sighed to think she had not been born a fair
woman; and remarking Harry Esmond, with a fascinating superannuated
smile, she complimented him on his wit, which she said she could see
from his eyes and forehead; and vowed that she would never have HIM at
Sark until her daughter were out of the way.

CHAPTER XII.

MY LORD MOHUN COMES AMONG US FOR NO GOOD.

There had ridden along with this old Princess's cavalcade, two
gentlemen: her son, my Lord Firebrace, and his friend, my Lord Mohun,
who both were greeted with a great deal of cordiality by the hospitable
Lord of Castlewood. My Lord Firebrace was but a feeble-minded
and weak-limbed young nobleman, small in stature and limited in
understanding to judge from the talk young Esmond had with him; but
the other was a person of a handsome presence, with the bel air, and a
bright daring warlike aspect, which, according to the chronicle of those
days, had already achieved for him the conquest of several beauties and
toasts. He had fought and conquered in France, as well as in Flanders;
he had served a couple of campaigns with the Prince of Baden on the
Danube, and witnessed the rescue of Vienna from the Turk. And he spoke
of his military exploits pleasantly, and with the manly freedom of a
soldier, so as to delight all his hearers at Castlewood, who were little
accustomed to meet a companion so agreeable.

On the first day this noble company came, my lord would not hear of
their departure before dinner, and carried away the gentlemen to amuse
them, whilst his wife was left to do the honors of her house to the old
Marchioness and her daught