oclaimed at St. Germains, King
of Great Britain, France, and Ireland.

Chapter III. I Take The Queen's Pay In Quin's Regiment

The fellow in the orange-tawny livery with blue lace and facings was in
waiting when Esmond came out of prison, and, taking the young gentleman's
slender baggage, led the way out of that odious Newgate, and by Fleet
Conduit, down to the Thames, where a pair of oars was called, and they
went up the river to Chelsea. Esmond thought the sun had never shone so
bright; nor the air felt so fresh and exhilarating. Temple Garden, as they
rowed by, looked like the garden of Eden to him, and the aspect of the
quays, wharves, and buildings by the river, Somerset House, and
Westminster (where the splendid new bridge was just beginning), Lambeth
tower and palace, and that busy shining scene of the Thames swarming with
boats and barges, filled his heart with pleasure and cheerfulness--as well
such a beautiful scene might to one who had been a prisoner so long, and
with so many dark thoughts deepening the gloom of his captivity. They
rowed up at length to the pretty village of Chelsey, where the nobility
have many handsome country-houses; and so came to my lady viscountess's
house, a cheerful new house in the row facing the river, with a handsome
garden behind it, and a pleasant look-out both towards Surrey and
Kensington, where stands the noble ancient palace of the Lord Warwick,
Harry's reconciled adversary.

Here in her ladyship's saloon, the young man saw again some of those
pictures which had been at Castlewood, and which she had removed thence on
the death of her lord, Harry's father. Specially, and in the place of
honour, was Sir Peter Lely's picture of the Honourable Mistress Isabella
Esmond as Diana, in yellow satin, with a bow in her hand and a crescent in
her forehead; and dogs frisking about her. 'Twas painted about the time
when royal Endymions were said to find favour with this virgin huntress;
and, as goddesses have youth perpetual, this one believed to the day of
her death that she never grew older: and always persisted in supposing the
picture was still like her.

After he had been shown to her room by the groom of the chamber, who
filled many offices besides in her ladyship's modest household; and after
a proper interval, his elderly goddess Diana vouchsafed to appear to the
young man. A blackamoor in a Turkish habit, with red boots and a silver
collar, on which the viscountess's arm