f a man
who has three deaths, and who knows how many hidden shames, and lusts,
and crimes on his conscience. He bowed with a sickly low bow, and slunk
away when our host presented us round to one another. Frank Castlewood
had not known him till then, so changed was he. He knew the boy well
enough.

'Twas curious to look at the two--especially the young man, whose face
flushed up when he heard the hated name of the other; and who said in
his bad French and his brave boyish voice--"He had long been anxious to
meet my Lord Mohun." The other only bowed, and moved away from him. I do
him justice, he wished to have no quarrel with the lad.

Esmond put himself between them at table. "D--- it," says Frank, "why
do you put yourself in the place of a man who is above you in degree? My
Lord Mohun should walk after me. I want to sit by my Lord Mohun."

Esmond whispered to Lord Mohun, that Frank was hurt in the leg at
Oudenarde; and besought the other to be quiet. Quiet enough he was for
some time; disregarding the many taunts which young Castlewood flung at
him, until after several healths, when my Lord Mohun got to be rather in
liquor.

"Will you go away, my lord?" Mr. Esmond said to him, imploring him to
quit the table.

"No, by G--," says my Lord Mohun. "I'll not go away for any man;" he was
quite flushed with wine by this time.

The talk got round to the affairs of yesterday. Webb had offered to
challenge the Commander-in-Chief: Webb had been ill-used: Webb was the
bravest, handsomest, vainest man in the army. Lord Mohun did not know
that Esmond was Webb's aide-de-camp. He began to tell some stories
against the General; which, from t'other side of Esmond, young
Castlewood contradicted.

"I can't bear any more of this," says my Lord Mohun.

"Nor can I, my lord," says Mr. Esmond, starting up. "The story my Lord
Mohun has told respecting General Webb is false, gentlemen--false, I
repeat," and making a low bow to Lord Mohun, and without a single word
more, Esmond got up and left the dining-room. These affairs were common
enough among the military of those days. There was a garden behind
the house, and all the party turned instantly into it; and the two
gentlemen's coats were off and their points engaged within two minutes
after Esmond's words had been spoken. If Captain Esmond had put Mohun
out of the world, as he might, a villain would have been punished
and spared further villanies--but who is one man to punish another?