d with which my Lord was serving as
a volunteer. There were some of my kind friends who persisted still in
attributing all sorts of wicked intentions to me. Lord Tiptoff would
never believe that I would pay any bill, much more any bill of Lord
Bullingdon's; old Lady Betty Grimsby, his sister, persisted in declaring
the bill was a forgery, and the poor dear lord dead; until there came a
letter to her Ladyship from Lord Bullingdon himself, who had been at New
York at headquarters, and who described at length the splendid festival
given by the officers of the garrison to our distinguished chieftains,
the two Howes.

In the meanwhile, if I HAD murdered my Lord, I could scarcely have been
received with more shameful obloquy and slander than now followed me in
town and country. 'You will hear of the lad's death, be sure,' exclaimed
one of my friends. 'And then his wife's will follow,' added another. 'He
will marry Jenny Jones,' added a third; and so on. Lavender brought me
the news of these scandals about me: the country was up against me. The
farmers on market-days used to touch their hats sulkily, and get out of
my way; the gentlemen who followed my hunt now suddenly seceded from it,
and left off my uniform; at the county ball, where I led out Lady Susan
Capermore, and took my place third in the dance after the duke and the
marquis, as was my wont, all the couples turned away as we came to them,
and we were left to dance alone. Sukey Capermore has a love of dancing
which would make her dance at a funeral if anybody asked her, and I had
too much spirit to give in at this signal instance of insult towards me;
so we danced with some of the very commonest low people at the bottom of
the set--your apothecaries, wine-merchants, attorneys, and such scum as
are allowed to attend our public assemblies.

The bishop, my Lady Lyndon's relative, neglected to invite us to the
palace at the assizes; and, in a word, every indignity was put upon me
which could by possibility be heaped upon an innocent and honourable
gentleman.

My reception in London, whither I now carried my wife and family, was
scarcely more cordial. On paying my respects to my Sovereign at
St. James's, His Majesty pointedly asked me when I had news of Lord
Bullingdon. On which I replied, with no ordinary presence of mind, 'Sir,
my Lord Bullingdon is fighting the rebels against your Majesty's crown
in America. Does your Majesty desire that I should send another regiment