. Almost everything Beatrix did or undid seemed
good, or at least pardonable, to him then, and years afterwards.

It happened, then, that Harry Esmond came home to Castlewood for his last
vacation, with good hopes of a fellowship at his college, and a contented
resolve to advance his fortune that way. 'Twas in the first year of the
present century, Mr. Esmond (as far as he knew the period of his birth)
being then twenty-two years old. He found his quondam pupil shot up into
this beauty of which we have spoken, and promising yet more: her brother,
my lord's son, a handsome high-spirited brave lad, generous and frank, and
kind to everybody, save perhaps his sister, with whom Frank was at war
(and not from his but her fault)--adoring his mother, whose joy he was: and
taking her side in the unhappy matrimonial differences which were now
permanent, while of course Mistress Beatrix ranged with her father. When
heads of families fall out, it must naturally be that their dependants
wear the one or the other party's colour; and even in the parliaments in
the servants' hall or the stables, Harry, who had an early observant turn,
could see which were my lord's adherents and which my lady's, and
conjecture pretty shrewdly how their unlucky quarrel was debated. Our
lackeys sit in judgement on us. My lord's intrigues may be ever so
stealthily conducted, but his valet knows them; and my lady's woman
carries her mistress's private history to the servants' scandal-market,
and exchanges it against the secrets of other abigails.

Chapter XIII. My Lord Leaves Us And His Evil Behind Him

My Lord Mohun (of whose exploits and fame some of the gentlemen of the
University had brought down but ugly reports) was once more a guest at
Castlewood, and seemingly more intimately allied with my lord even than
before. Once in the spring those two noblemen had ridden to Cambridge from
Newmarket, whither they had gone for the horse-racing, and had honoured
Harry Esmond with a visit at his rooms; after which Doctor Montague, the
master of the college, who had treated Harry somewhat haughtily, seeing
his familiarity with these great folks, and that my Lord Castlewood
laughed and walked with his hand on Harry's shoulder, relented to Mr.
Esmond, and condescended to be very civil to him; and some days after his
arrival, Harry, laughing, told this story to Lady Esmond, remarking how
strange it was that men famous for learning and renowned over Europe,
sh