gh was in exile), and in the first-named place Harry found
his dear young Benedict, the married man, who appeared to be rather
out of humor with his matrimonial chain, and clogged with the obstinate
embraces which Clotilda kept round his neck. Colonel Esmond was not
presented to her; but Monsieur Simon was, a gentleman of the Royal
Cravat (Esmond bethought him of the regiment of his honest Irishman,
whom he had seen that day after Malplaquet, when he first set eyes on
the young King); and Monsieur Simon was introduced to the Viscountess
Castlewood, nee Comptesse Wertheim; to the numerous counts, the Lady
Clotilda's tall brothers; to her father the chamberlain; and to the lady
his wife, Frank's mother-in-law, a tall and majestic person of large
proportions, such as became the mother of such a company of grenadiers
as her warlike sons formed. The whole race were at free quarters in the
little castle nigh to Bruxelles which Frank had taken; rode his horses;
drank his wine; and lived easily at the poor lad's charges. Mr. Esmond
had always maintained a perfect fluency in the French, which was his
mother tongue; and if this family (that spoke French with the twang
which the Flemings use) discovered any inaccuracy in Mr. Simon's
pronunciation, 'twas to be attributed to the latter's long residence
in England, where he had married and remained ever since he was taken
prisoner at Blenheim. His story was perfectly pat; there were none there
to doubt it save honest Frank, and he was charmed with his kinsman's
scheme, when he became acquainted with it; and, in truth, always admired
Colonel Esmond with an affectionate fidelity, and thought his cousin
the wisest and best of all cousins and men. Frank entered heart and soul
into the plan, and liked it the better as it was to take him to Paris,
out of reach of his brothers, his father, and his mother-in-law, whose
attentions rather fatigued him.

Castlewood, I have said, was born in the same year as the Prince of
Wales; had not a little of the Prince's air, height, and figure; and,
especially since he had seen the Chevalier de St. George on the occasion
before-named, took no small pride in his resemblance to a person so
illustrious; which likeness he increased by all means in his power,
wearing fair brown periwigs, such as the Prince wore, and ribbons, and
so forth, of the Chevalier's color.

This resemblance was, in truth, the circumstance on which Mr. Esmond's
scheme was founded; and