utes after Esmond's
words had been spoken. If Captain Esmond had put Mohun out of the world,
as he might, a villain would have been punished and spared further
villanies--but who is one man to punish another? I declare upon my honour
that my only thought was to prevent Lord Mohun from mischief with Frank,
and the end of this meeting was, that after half a dozen passes my lord
went home with a hurt which prevented him from lifting his right arm for
three months.

"Oh, Harry, why didn't you kill the villain?" young Castlewood asked. "I
can't walk without a crutch: but I could have met him on horseback with
sword and pistol." But Harry Esmond said, "'Twas best to have no man's
life on one's conscience, not even that villain's"; and this affair, which
did not occupy three minutes, being over, the gentlemen went back to their
wine, and my Lord Mohun to his quarters, where he was laid up with a fever
which had spared mischief had it proved fatal. And very soon after this
affair Harry Esmond and his general left the camp for London; whither a
certain reputation had preceded the captain, for my Lady Castlewood of
Chelsea received him as if he had been a conquering hero. She gave a great
dinner to Mr. Webb, where the general's chair was crowned with laurels;
and her ladyship called Esmond's health in a toast, to which my kind
general was graciously pleased to bear the strongest testimony: and took
down a mob of at least forty coaches to cheer our general as he came out
of the House of Commons, the day when he received the thanks of Parliament
for his action. The mob huzza'ed and applauded him, as well as the fine
company: it was splendid to see him waving his hat, and bowing, and laying
his hand upon his Order of Generosity. He introduced Mr. Esmond to Mr. St.
John and the Right Honourable Robert Harley, Esquire, as he came out of
the House walking between them; and was pleased to make many flattering
observations regarding Mr. Esmond's behaviour during the three last
campaigns.

Mr. St. John (who had the most winning presence of any man I ever saw,
excepting always my peerless young Frank Castlewood) said he had heard of
Mr. Esmond before from Captain Steele, and how he had helped Mr. Addison
to write his famous poem of the _Campaign_.

"'Twas as great an achievement as the victory of Blenheim itself," Mr.
Harley said, who was famous as a judge and patron of letters, and so,
perhaps, it may be--though for my part I think ther