ouse, whom his fond mother had been for so many years
without seeing. Both ladies were perfect housewives, having the greatest
skill in the making of confections, scented waters, &c., and keeping a
notable superintendence over the kitchen. Calves enough were killed to
feed an army of prodigal sons, Esmond thought, and laughed when he came
to wait on the ladies, on the day when the guests were to arrive, to
find two pairs of the finest and roundest arms to be seen in England (my
Lady Castlewood was remarkable for this beauty of her person), covered
with flour up above the elbows, and preparing paste, and turning
rolling-pins in the housekeeper's closet. The guest would not arrive
till supper-time, and my lord would prefer having that meal in his own
chamber. You may be sure the brightest plate of the house was laid out
there, and can understand why it was that the ladies insisted that they
alone would wait upon the young chief of the family.

Taking horse, Colonel Esmond rode rapidly to Rochester, and there
awaited the King in that very town where his father had last set his
foot on the English shore. A room had been provided at an inn there for
my Lord Castlewood and his servant; and Colonel Esmond timed his ride so
well that he had scarce been half an hour in the place, and was looking
over the balcony into the yard of the inn, when two travellers rode in
at the inn gate, and the Colonel running down, the next moment embraced
his dear young lord.

My lord's companion, acting the part of a domestic, dismounted, and was
for holding the viscount's stirrup; but Colonel Esmond, calling to his
own man, who was in the court, bade him take the horses and settle with
the lad who had ridden the post along with the two travellers, crying
out in a cavalier tone in the French language to my lord's companion,
and affecting to grumble that my lord's fellow was a Frenchman, and did
not know the money or habits of the country:--"My man will see to the
horses, Baptiste," says Colonel Esmond: "do you understand English?"
"Very leetle!" "So, follow my lord and wait upon him at dinner in his
own room." The landlord and his people came up presently bearing the
dishes; 'twas well they made a noise and stir in the gallery, or they
might have found Colonel Esmond on his knee before Lord Castlewood's
servant, welcoming his Majesty to his kingdom, and kissing the hand
of the King. We told the landlord that the Frenchman would wait on
his master