peaker's own heart, he ventured most
gently to hint to his adored mistress that she was doing her husband
harm by her ill opinion of him, and that the happiness of all the family
depended upon setting her right.

She, who was ordinarily calm and most gentle, and full of smiles and
soft attentions, flushed up when young Esmond so spoke to her, and rose
from her chair, looking at him with a haughtiness and indignation that
he had never before known her to display. She was quite an altered being
for that moment; and looked an angry princess insulted by a vassal.

"Have you ever heard me utter a word in my lord's disparagement?" she
asked hastily, hissing out her words, and stamping her foot.

"Indeed, no," Esmond said, looking down.

"Are you come to me as his ambassador--YOU?" she continued.

"I would sooner see peace between you than anything else in the world,"
Harry answered, "and would go of any embassy that had that end."

"So YOU are my lord's go-between?" she went on, not regarding this
speech. "You are sent to bid me back into slavery again, and inform me
that my lord's favor is graciously restored to his handmaid? He is weary
of Covent Garden, is he, that he comes home and would have the fatted
calf killed?"

"There's good authority for it, surely," said Esmond.

"For a son, yes; but my lord is not my son. It was he who cast me away
from him. It was he who broke our happiness down, and he bids me to
repair it. It was he who showed himself to me at last, as he was, not
as I had thought him. It is he who comes before my children stupid and
senseless with wine--who leaves our company for that of frequenters of
taverns and bagnios--who goes from his home to the City yonder and his
friends there, and when he is tired of them returns hither, and expects
that I shall kneel and welcome him. And he sends YOU as his chamberlain!
What a proud embassy! Monsieur, I make you my compliment of the new
place."

"It would be a proud embassy, and a happy embassy too, could I bring you
and my lord together," Esmond replied.

"I presume you have fulfilled your mission now, sir. 'Twas a pretty
one for you to undertake. I don't know whether 'tis your Cambridge
philosophy, or time, that has altered your ways of thinking," Lady
Castlewood continued, still in a sarcastic tone. "Perhaps you too have
learned to love drink, and to hiccup over your wine or punch;--which is
your worship's favorite liquor? Perhaps you too put up at t