kiss her finger-tips from the window, where she
stood laughing with the other ladies, and chanced to see him as he made
his way to the "Toy". The dowager at Chelsea was not sorry to part with
him this time. "_Mon cher, vous etes triste comme un sermon_," she did him
the honour to say to him; indeed, gentlemen in his condition are by no
means amusing companions, and besides, the fickle old woman had now found
a much more amiable favourite, and _raffole_'d for her darling lieutenant
of the Guard. Frank remained behind for a while, and did not join the army
till later, in the suite of his grace the commander-in-chief. His dear
mother, on the last day before Esmond went away, and when the three dined
together, made Esmond promise to befriend her boy, and besought Frank to
take the example of his kinsman as of a loyal gentleman and brave soldier,
so she was pleased to say; and at parting, betrayed not the least sign of
faltering or weakness, though, God knows, that fond heart was fearful
enough when others were concerned, though so resolute in bearing its own
pain.

Esmond's general embarked at Harwich. 'Twas a grand sight to see Mr. Webb
dressed in scarlet on the deck, waving his hat as our yacht put off, and
the guns saluted from the shore. Harry did not see his viscount again,
until three months after, at Bois-le-Duc, when his grace the duke came to
take the command, and Frank brought a budget of news from home: how he had
supped with this actress, and got tired of that; how he had got the better
of Mr. St. John, both over the bottle, and with Mrs. Mountford, of the
Haymarket Theatre (a veteran charmer of fifty, with whom the young
scapegrace chose to fancy himself in love); how his sister was always at
her tricks, and had jilted a young baron for an old earl. "I can't make
out Beatrix," he said; "she cares for none of us--she only thinks about
herself; she is never happy unless she is quarrelling; but as for my
mother--my mother, Harry, is an angel." Harry tried to impress on the young
fellow the necessity of doing everything in his power to please that
angel; not to drink too much; not to go into debt; not to run after the
pretty Flemish girls, and so forth, as became a senior speaking to a lad.
"But Lord bless thee!" the boy said; "I may do what I like, and I know she
will love me all the same;" and so, indeed, he did what he liked.
Everybody spoiled him, and his grave kinsman as much as the rest.

Chapter XII. I G