te as any man in England. But
that again is not the question, as you know very well; let us bring our
talk back to it, as you will have me meddle in it. And I will give
you frankly my opinion, that a house where a Prince lies all day, who
respects no woman, is no house for a young unmarried lady; that you were
better in the country than here; that he is here on a great end, from
which no folly should divert him; and that having nobly done your part
of this morning, Beatrix, you should retire off the scene awhile, and
leave it to the other actors of the play."

As the Colonel spoke with a perfect calmness and politeness, such as
'tis to be hoped he hath always shown to women,* his mistress stood by
him on one side of the table, and Frank Castlewood on the other, hemming
in poor Beatrix, that was behind it, and, as it were, surrounding her
with our approaches.

* My dear father saith quite truly, that his manner towards
our sex was uniformly courteous. From my infancy upwards,
he treated me with an extreme gentleness, as though I was a
little lady. I can scarce remember (though I tried him
often) ever hearing a rough word from him, nor was he less
grave and kind in his manner to the humblest negresses on
his estate. He was familiar with no one except my mother,
and it was delightful to witness up to the very last days
the confidence between them. He was obeyed eagerly by all
under him; and my mother and all her household lived in a
constant emulation to please him, and quite a terror lest in
any way they should offend him. He was the humblest man
with all this; the least exacting, the more easily
contented; and Mr. Benson, our minister at Castlewood, who
attended him at the last, ever said--"I know not what
Colonel Esmond's doctrine was, but his life and death were
those of a devout Christian."--R. E. W.

Having twice sallied out and been beaten back, she now, as I expected,
tried the ultima ratio of women, and had recourse to tears. Her
beautiful eyes filled with them; I never could bear in her, nor in any
woman, that expression of pain:--"I am alone," sobbed she; "you are
three against me--my brother, my mother, and you. What have I done, that
you should speak and look so unkindly at me? Is it my fault that the
Prince should, as you say, admire me? Did I bring him here? Did I do
aught but what you bade me, in making him welcome