s conversion,
lending him books of piety, which he promised dutifully to study. With
her my lord talked of reform, of settling into quiet life, quitting the
court and town, and buying some land in the neighborhood--though it
must be owned that, when the two lords were together over their Burgundy
after dinner, their talk was very different, and there was very little
question of conversion on my Lord Mohun's part. When they got to their
second bottle, Harry Esmond used commonly to leave these two noble
topers, who, though they talked freely enough, heaven knows, in his
presence (Good Lord, what a set of stories, of Alsatia and Spring
Garden, of the taverns and gaming-houses, of the ladies of the
court, and mesdames of the theatres, he can recall out of their godly
conversation!)--although, I say, they talked before Esmond freely, yet
they seemed pleased when he went away, and then they had another
bottle, and then they fell to cards, and then my Lord Mohun came to her
ladyship's drawing-room; leaving his boon companion to sleep off his
wine.

'Twas a point of honor with the fine gentlemen of those days to lose
or win magnificently at their horse-matches, or games of cards and
dice--and you could never tell, from the demeanor of these two lords
afterwards, which had been successful and which the loser at their
games. And when my lady hinted to my lord that he played more than she
liked, he dismissed her with a "pish," and swore that nothing was more
equal than play betwixt gentlemen, if they did but keep it up long
enough. And these kept it up long enough, you may be sure. A man of
fashion of that time often passed a quarter of his day at cards, and
another quarter at drink: I have known many a pretty fellow, who was
a wit too, ready of repartee, and possessed of a thousand graces, who
would be puzzled if he had to write more than his name.

There is scarce any thoughtful man or woman, I suppose, but can look
back upon his course of past life, and remember some point, trifling
as it may have seemed at the time of occurrence, which has nevertheless
turned and altered his whole career. 'Tis with almost all of us, as
in M. Massillon's magnificent image regarding King William, a grain de
sable that perverts or perhaps overthrows us; and so it was but a light
word flung in the air, a mere freak of perverse child's temper, that
brought down a whole heap of crushing woes upon that family whereof
Harry Esmond formed a part.