ter
mouse at this moment, and so Muscipulus went off and nibbled in
opposition.

So it was, however, that a young gentleman, who, in the eyes of his
family, and in his own, doubtless, was looked upon as a consummate hero,
found that the great hero of the day took no more notice of him than of
the smallest drummer in his grace's army. The dowager at Chelsea was
furious against this neglect of her family, and had a great battle with
Lady Marlborough (as Lady Castlewood insisted on calling the duchess). Her
grace was now mistress of the robes to her Majesty, and one of the
greatest personages in this kingdom, as her husband was in all Europe, and
the battle between the two ladies took place in the queen's drawing-room.

The duchess, in reply to my aunt's eager clamour, said haughtily, that she
had done her best for the legitimate branch of the Esmonds, and could not
be expected to provide for the bastard brats of the family.

"Bastards," says the viscountess, in a fury, "there are bastards amongst
the Churchills, as your grace knows, and the Duke of Berwick is provided
for well enough."

"Madam," says the duchess, "you know whose fault it is that there are no
such dukes in the Esmond family too, and how that little scheme of a
certain lady miscarried."

Esmond's friend, Dick Steele, who was in waiting on the prince, heard the
controversy between the ladies at Court, "And faith," says Dick, "I think,
Harry, thy kinswoman had the worst of it."

He could not keep the story quiet; 'twas all over the coffee-houses ere
night; it was printed in a News Letter before a month was over, and "The
Reply of her Grace the Duchess of M-rlb-r-gh, to a Popish Lady of the
Court, once a favourite of the late K-- J-m-s," was printed in half a dozen
places, with a note stating that this duchess, when the head of this
lady's family came by his death lately in a fatal duel, never rested until
she got a pension for the orphan heir, and widow, from her Majesty's
bounty. The squabble did not advance poor Esmond's promotion much, and
indeed made him so ashamed of himself that he dared not show his face at
the commander-in-chief's levees again.

-------------------------------------

During those eighteen months which had passed since Esmond saw his dear
mistress, her good father, the old dean, quitted this life, firm in his
principles to the very last, and enjoining his family always to remember
that the queen's brother, Ki