crimson: "I have learnt to honor the King," says she, drawing
up, "and 'twere as well that others suspected neither his Majesty nor
me."

"If you respected your mother a little more," Frank said, "Trix, you
would do yourself no hurt."

"I am no child," says she, turning round on him; "we have lived very
well these five years without the benefit of your advice or example, and
I intend to take neither now. Why does not the head of the house speak?"
she went on; "he rules everything here. When his chaplain has done
singing the psalms, will his lordship deliver the sermon? I am tired of
the psalms." The Prince had used almost the very same words in regard to
Colonel Esmond that the imprudent girl repeated in her wrath.

"You show yourself a very apt scholar, madam," says the Colonel;
and, turning to his mistress, "Did your guest use these words in your
ladyship's hearing, or was it to Beatrix in private that he was pleased
to impart his opinion regarding my tiresome sermon?"

"Have you seen him alone?" cries my lord, starting up with an oath: "by
God, have you seen him alone?"

"Were he here, you wouldn't dare so to insult me; no, you would not
dare!" cries Frank's sister. "Keep your oaths, my lord, for your wife;
we are not used here to such language. Till you came, there used to be
kindness between me and mamma, and I cared for her when you never did,
when you were away for years with your horses and your mistress, and
your Popish wife."

"By ---," says my lord, rapping out another oath, "Clotilda is an angel;
how dare you say a word against Clotilda?"

Colonel Esmond could not refrain from a smile, to see how easy Frank's
attack was drawn off by that feint:--"I fancy Clotilda is not the
subject in hand," says Mr. Esmond, rather scornfully; "her ladyship is
at Paris, a hundred leagues off, preparing baby-linen. It is about my
Lord Castlewood's sister, and not his wife, the question is."

"He is not my Lord Castlewood," says Beatrix, "and he knows he is not;
he is Colonel Francis Esmond's son, and no more, and he wears a false
title; and he lives on another man's land, and he knows it." Here was
another desperate sally of the poor beleaguered garrison, and an alerte
in another quarter. "Again, I beg your pardon," says Esmond. "If there
are no proofs of my claim, I have no claim. If my father acknowledged
no heir, yours was his lawful successor, and my Lord Castlewood hath
as good a right to his rank and small esta