ly experience, and
remorse afterwards. Oh! Henry, she will make no man happy who loves her.
Go away, my son: leave her: love us always, and think kindly of us: and
for me, my dear, you know that these walls contain all that I love in
the world."

In after life, did Esmond find the words true which his fond mistress
spoke from her sad heart? Warning he had: but I doubt others had warning
before his time, and since: and he benefited by it as most men do.

My young Lord Viscount was exceeding sorry when he heard that Harry
could not come to the cock-match with him, and must go to London, but no
doubt my lord consoled himself when the Hampshire cocks won the match;
and he saw every one of the battles, and crowed properly over the
conquered Sussex gentlemen.

As Esmond rode towards town his servant, coming up to him, informed him
with a grin, that Mistress Beatrix had brought out a new gown and blue
stockings for that day's dinner, in which she intended to appear, and
had flown into a rage and given her maid a slap on the face soon after
she heard he was going away. Mistress Beatrix's woman, the fellow said,
came down to the servants' hall crying, and with the mark of a blow
still on her cheek: but Esmond peremptorily ordered him to fall back
and be silent, and rode on with thoughts enough of his own to occupy
him--some sad ones, some inexpressibly dear and pleasant.

His mistress, from whom he had been a year separated, was his dearest
mistress again. The family from which he had been parted, and which he
loved with the fondest devotion, was his family once more. If Beatrix's
beauty shone upon him, it was with a friendly lustre, and he could
regard it with much such a delight as he brought away after seeing the
beautiful pictures of the smiling Madonnas in the convent at Cadiz, when
he was despatched thither with a flag; and as for his mistress, 'twas
difficult to say with what a feeling he regarded her. 'Twas happiness to
have seen her; 'twas no great pang to part; a filial tenderness, a love
that was at once respect and protection, filled his mind as he thought
of her; and near her or far from her, and from that day until now, and
from now till death is past and beyond it, he prays that sacred flame
may ever burn.

CHAPTER IX.

I MAKE THE CAMPAIGN OF 1704.

Mr. Esmond rode up to London then, where, if the Dowager had been angry
at the abrupt leave of absence he took, she was mightily pleased at his
speedy