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George Esmond, when this little matter was referred to him, and his
mother vehemently insisted that he should declare himself, was of the
opinion of Mr. Washington and Mr. Draper, the London lawyer. The boy said
he could not help himself. He did not want the money; he would be very
glad to give the money to his mother if he had the power. But Madame
Esmond would not hear of these reasons. Here was a chance of making
Harry's fortune--dear Harry, who was left with such a slender younger
brother's pittance--and the wretches in London would not help him; his
own brother, who inherited all his papa's estate, would not help him. To
think of a child of hers being so mean at _fourteen years of age_!
Into this state of mind the incident plunged Madame Warrington, and no
amount of reasoning could bring her out of it. On account of the
occurrence she at once set to work saving for her younger son, for whom
she was eager to make a fortune. The fine buildings were stopped as well
as the fine fittings which had been ordered for the interior of the new
home. No more books were bought; the agent had orders to discontinue
sending wine. Madame Esmond deeply regretted the expense of a fine
carriage which she had from England, and only rode in it to church,
crying out to the sons sitting opposite to her, "Harry, Harry! I wish I
had put by the money for thee, my poor portionless child; three hundred
and eighty guineas of ready money to Messieurs Hatchett!"
"You will give me plenty while you live, and George will give me plenty
when you die," says Harry gaily.
"Not until he changes in _spirit_, my dear," says the lady grimly,
glancing at her elder boy. "Not unless Heaven softens his heart and
teaches him _charity_, for which I pray day and night; as Mountain knows;
do you not, Mountain?"
Mrs. Mountain, Ensign Mountain's widow, who had been a friend of Rachel
Esmond in her school days, and since her widowhood had been Madame
Esmond's companion in Castlewood house, serving to enliven many dull
hours for that lady and enjoying thoroughly the home which Castlewood
afforded her and her child. Mrs. Mountain, I say, who was occupying the
fourth seat in the family coach, said, "Humph! humph! I know you are
always disturbing yourself about this legacy, and I don't see that there
is any need."
"Oh, no! no need!" cries the widow, rustling in her silks; "of course I
have no need to be disturbed, because my eldest born is _a disobedient
son and an unkind brother;_ because he has an estate, and my poor Harry,
bless him, but a _mess of pottage_."
George looked despairingly at his mother until he could see her no more
for eyes welled up with tears. "I wish you would bless me, too, O my
mother!" he said, and burst into a passionate fit of weeping. Harry's
arms were in a moment round his brother's neck, and he kissed George a
score of times.
"Never mind, George. I know whether you are a good brother or not. Don't
mind what she says. She don't mean it."
"I do mean it, child," cries the mother. "Would to Heaven--"
"_Hold your tongue, I say_!" roars out Harry. "It's a shame to speak so
to him, ma'am."
"And so it is, Harry," says Mrs. Mountain, shaking his hand. "You never
said a truer word in your life."
"Mrs. Mountain, do you dare to set my children against me?" cries the
widow. "From this very day, madam--"
"Turn me and my child into the street? Do," says Mrs. Mountain. "That
will be a fine revenge because the English lawyer won't give you the
boy's money. Find another companion who will tell you black is white, and
flatter you; it is not my way, madam. When shall I go? I shan't be long
a-packing. I did not bring much into Castlewood house, and I shall not
take much out."
"Hush! the bells are ringing for church, Mountain. Let us try, if you
please, and compose ourselves," said the widow, and she looked with eyes
of extreme affection, certainly at one, perhaps at both, of her children.
George kept his head down, and Harry, who was near, got quite close to
him during the sermon, and sat with his arm round his brother's neck.
From these incidents it may be clearly seen that Madame Esmond besides
being a brisk little woman at business and ruling like a little queen in
Castlewood was also a victim of many freaks and oddities, among them one
of the most prominent being a great desire for flattery. There was no
amount of compliment which she could not graciously receive and take as
her due, and it was her greatest delight to receive attention from
suitors of every degree. Her elder boy saw this peculiarity of his
mother's disposition and chafed privately under it. From a very early
day he revolted when compliments were paid to the little lady, and
strove to expose them with his youthful satire; so that his mother would
say gravely, "the Esmonds were always of a jealous disposition, and my
poor boy takes after my father and mother in this."
One winter after their first tutor had been dismissed Madame Esmond took
them to Williamsburg for such education as the schools and colleges there
afforded, and there they listened to the preaching and became acquainted
with the famous Mr. Whitfield, who, at Madame Esmond's request, procured
a tutor for the boys, by name Mr. Ward. For weeks Madame Esmond was never
tired of hearing Mr. Ward's utterances of a religious character, and
according to her wont she insisted that her neighbours should come and
listen to him and ordered them to be converted to the faith which he
represented. Her young favourite, Mr. George Washington, she was
especially anxious to influence; and again and again pressed him to come
and stay at Castlewood and benefit by the spiritual advantages there to
be obtained. But that young gentleman found he had particular business
which called him home or away from home, and always ordered his horse of
evenings when the time was coming for Mr. Ward's exercises. And--what
boys are just towards their pedagogue?--the twins grew speedily tired and
even rebellious under their new teacher.
They found him a bad scholar, a dull fellow, and ill-bred to boot. George
knew much more Latin and Greek than his master; Harry, who could take
much greater liberties than were allowed to his elder brother, mimicked
Ward's manner of eating and talking, so that Mrs. Mountain and even
Madame Esmond were forced to laugh, and little Fanny Mountain would crow
with delight. Madame Esmond would have found the fellow out for a vulgar
quack but for her son's opposition, which she, on her part, opposed with
her own indomitable will.

George Esmond, when this little matter was referred to him, and his

mother vehemently insisted that he should declare himself, was of the

opinion of Mr. Washington and Mr. Draper, the London lawyer. The boy said

he could not help himself. He did not want the money; he would be very

glad to give the money to his mother if he had the power. But Madame

Esmond would not hear of these reasons. Here was a chance of making

Harry's fortune--dear Harry, who was left with such a slender younger

brother's pittance--and the wretches in London would not help him; his

own brother, who inherited all his papa's estate, would not help him. To

think of a child of hers being so mean at _fourteen years of age_!

Into this state of mind the incident plunged Madame Warrington, and no

amount of reasoning could bring her out of it. On account of the

occurrence she at once set to work saving for her younger son, for whom

she was eager to make a fortune. The fine buildings were stopped as well

as the fine fittings which had been ordered for the interior of the new

home. No more books were bought; the agent had orders to discontinue

sending wine. Madame Esmond deeply regretted the expense of a fine

carriage which she had from England, and only rode in it to church,

crying out to the sons sitting opposite to her, "Harry, Harry! I wish I

had put by the money for thee, my poor portionless child; three hundred

and eighty guineas of ready money to Messieurs Hatchett!"

"You will give me plenty while you live, and George will give me plenty

when you die," says Harry gaily.

"Not until he changes in _spirit_, my dear," says the lady grimly,

glancing at her elder boy. "Not unless Heaven softens his heart and

teaches him _charity_, for which I pray day and night; as Mountain knows;

do you not, Mountain?"

Mrs. Mountain, Ensign Mountain's widow, who had been a friend of Rachel

Esmond in her school days, and since her widowhood had been Madame

Esmond's companion in Castlewood house, serving to enliven many dull

hours for that lady and enjoying thoroughly the home which Castlewood

afforded her and her child. Mrs. Mountain, I say, who was occupying the

fourth seat in the family coach, said, "Humph! humph! I know you are

always disturbing yourself about this legacy, and I don't see that there

is any need."

"Oh, no! no need!" cries the widow, rustling in her silks; "of course I

have no need to be disturbed, because my eldest born is _a disobedient

son and an unkind brother;_ because he has an estate, and my poor Harry,

bless him, but a _mess of pottage_."

George looked despairingly at his mother until he could see her no more

for eyes welled up with tears. "I wish you would bless me, too, O my

mother!" he said, and burst into a passionate fit of weeping. Harry's

arms were in a moment round his brother's neck, and he kissed George a

score of times.

"Never mind, George. I know whether you are a good brother or not. Don't

mind what she says. She don't mean it."

"I do mean it, child," cries the mother. "Would to Heaven--"

"_Hold your tongue, I say_!" roars out Harry. "It's a shame to speak so

to him, ma'am."

"And so it is, Harry," says Mrs. Mountain, shaking his hand. "You never

said a truer word in your life."

"Mrs. Mountain, do you dare to set my children against me?" cries the

widow. "From this very day, madam--"

"Turn me and my child into the street? Do," says Mrs. Mountain. "That

will be a fine revenge because the English lawyer won't give you the

boy's money. Find another companion who will tell you black is white, and

flatter you; it is not my way, madam. When shall I go? I shan't be long

a-packing. I did not bring much into Castlewood house, and I shall not

take much out."

"Hush! the bells are ringing for church, Mountain. Let us try, if you

please, and compose ourselves," said the widow, and she looked with eyes

of extreme affection, certainly at one, perhaps at both, of her children.

George kept his head down, and Harry, who was near, got quite close to

him during the sermon, and sat with his arm round his brother's neck.

From these incidents it may be clearly seen that Madame Esmond besides

being a brisk little woman at business and ruling like a little queen in

Castlewood was also a victim of many freaks and oddities, among them one

of the most prominent being a great desire for flattery. There was no

amount of compliment which she could not graciously receive and take as

her due, and it was her greatest delight to receive attention from

suitors of every degree. Her elder boy saw this peculiarity of his

mother's disposition and chafed privately under it. From a very early

day he revolted when compliments were paid to the little lady, and

strove to expose them with his youthful satire; so that his mother would

say gravely, "the Esmonds were always of a jealous disposition, and my

poor boy takes after my father and mother in this."

One winter after their first tutor had been dismissed Madame Esmond took

them to Williamsburg for such education as the schools and colleges there

afforded, and there they listened to the preaching and became acquainted

with the famous Mr. Whitfield, who, at Madame Esmond's request, procured

a tutor for the boys, by name Mr. Ward. For weeks Madame Esmond was never

tired of hearing Mr. Ward's utterances of a religious character, and

according to her wont she insisted that her neighbours should come and

listen to him and ordered them to be converted to the faith which he

represented. Her young favourite, Mr. George Washington, she was

especially anxious to influence; and again and again pressed him to come

and stay at Castlewood and benefit by the spiritual advantages there to

be obtained. But that young gentleman found he had particular business

which called him home or away from home, and always ordered his horse of

evenings when the time was coming for Mr. Ward's exercises. And--what

boys are just towards their pedagogue?--the twins grew speedily tired and

even rebellious under their new teacher.

They found him a bad scholar, a dull fellow, and ill-bred to boot. George

knew much more Latin and Greek than his master; Harry, who could take

much greater liberties than were allowed to his elder brother, mimicked

Ward's manner of eating and talking, so that Mrs. Mountain and even

Madame Esmond were forced to laugh, and little Fanny Mountain would crow

with delight. Madame Esmond would have found the fellow out for a vulgar

quack but for her son's opposition, which she, on her part, opposed with

her own indomitable will.