, turned to the wrong hand, and called to him to take the other
way, which circumstance convinced all present that he was domestically
familiar with the labyrinths of the building; and the consequence was,
that, during dinner, not one of the officers spoke to him, some from
embarrassment and others from pride.

The earl perceiving their demeanour, enquired of the colonel, when they
had returned from the table to the drawing-room, as to the cause of such
a visible alienation, and Colonel Cavendish, who was much of the
gentleman, explaining it, expressing his grief that so unpleasant a
discovery had been made to the prejudice of so worthy a man, my lord was
observed to stand some time in a thoughtful posture, after which he went
and spoke in a whisper to the countess, who advised him, as her ladyship
in the sequel told me herself, to send for me, as a wary and prudent man.
Accordingly a servant was secretly dispatched express to the town on that
errand; my lord and my lady insisting on the officers staying to spend
the evening with them, which was an unusual civility at the _pro forma_
dinners at the castle.

When I arrived, the earl took me into his private library, and we had
some serious conversation about the captain's sister; and, when I had
related the circumstantialities of her end to him, he sent for the
captain, and with great tenderness, and a manner most kind and gracious,
told him what he had noticed in the conduct of the officers, offering his
mediation to appease any difference, if it was a thing that could be
done.

While my lord was speaking, the captain preserved a steady and unmoved
countenance: no one could have imagined that he was listening to any
thing but some grave generality of discourse; but when the earl offered
to mediate, his breast swelled, and his face grew like his coat, and I
saw his eyes fill with water as he turned round, to hide the grief that
could not be stifled. The passion of shame, however, lasted but for a
moment. In less time than I am in writing these heads, he was again
himself, and with a modest fortitude that was exceedingly comely, he
acknowledged who he was, adding, that he feared his blameless disgrace
entailed effects which he could not hope to remove, and therefore it was
his intention to resign his commission. The earl, however, requested
that he would do nothing rashly, and that he should first allow him to
try what could be done to convince his brother officers t