for three days to Sark, and bring back my Lord Mohun
to Castlewood--where indeed his lordship made himself very welcome to all
persons, having a joke or a new game at romps for the children, all the
talk of the town for my lord, and music and gallantry and plenty of the
_beau langage_ for my lady, and for Harry Esmond, who was never tired of
hearing his stories of his campaigns and his life at Vienna, Venice,
Paris, and the famous cities of Europe which he had visited both in peace
and war. And he sang at my lady's harpsichord, and played cards or
backgammon, or his new game of billiards with my lord (of whom he
invariably got the better); always having a consummate good humour, and
bearing himself with a certain manly grace, that might exhibit somewhat of
the camp and Alsatia perhaps, but that had its charm and stamped him a
gentleman: and his manner to Lady Castlewood was so devoted and
respectful, that she soon recovered from the first feelings of dislike
which she had conceived against him--nay, before long, began to be
interested in his spiritual welfare, and hopeful of his conversion,
lending him books of piety, which he promised dutifully to study. With her
my lord talked of reform, of settling into quiet life, quitting the Court
and town, and buying some land in the neighbourhood--though it must be
owned that, when the two lords were together over their burgundy after
dinner, their talk was very different, and there was very little question
of conversion on my Lord Mohun's part. When they got to their second
bottle, Harry Esmond used commonly to leave these two noble topers, who,
though they talked freely enough, Heaven knows, in his presence (Good
Lord, what a set of stories, of Alsatia and Spring Garden, of the taverns
and gaming-houses, of the ladies of the Court, and mesdames of the
theatres, he can recall out of their godly conversation!)--although I say
they talked before Esmond freely, yet they seemed pleased when he went
away, and then they had another bottle, and then they fell to cards, and
then my Lord Mohun came to her ladyship's drawing-room; leaving his boon
companion to sleep off his wine.

'Twas a point of honour with the fine gentlemen of those days to lose or
win magnificently at their horse-matches, or games of cards and dice--and
you could never tell, from the demeanour of these two lords afterwards,
which had been successful and which the loser at their games. And when my
lady hinted to my l