That feverish1 desire to gain a little reputation which Esmond had had, left him now perhaps that he had attained2 some portion of his wish, and the great motive3 of his ambition was over. His desire for military honor was that it might raise him in Beatrix’s eyes. ’Twas next to nobility and wealth, the only kind of rank she valued. It was the stake quickest won or lost too; for law is a very long game that requires a life to practise; and to be distinguished4 in letters or the Church would not have forwarded the poor gentleman’s plans in the least. So he had no suit to play but the red one, and he played it; and this, in truth, was the reason of his speedy promotion5; for he exposed himself more than most gentlemen do, and risked more to win more. Is he the only man that hath set his life against a stake which may be not worth the winning? Another risks his life (and his honor, too, sometimes,) against a bundle of bank-notes, or a yard of blue ribbon, or a seat in Parliament; and some for the mere6 pleasure and excitement of the sport; as a field of a hundred huntsmen will do, each out-bawling and out-galloping the other at the tail of a dirty fox, that is to be the prize of the foremost happy conqueror7.
When he heard this news of Beatrix’s engagement in marriage, Colonel Esmond knocked under to his fate, and resolved to surrender his sword, that could win him nothing now he cared for; and in this dismal8 frame of mind he determined9 to retire from the regiment10, to the great delight of the captain next in rank to him, who happened to be a young gentleman of good fortune, who eagerly paid Mr. Esmond a thousand guineas for his majority in Webb’s regiment, and was knocked on the head the next campaign. Perhaps Esmond would not have been sorry to share his fate. He was more the Knight11 of the Woful Countenance12 than ever he had been. His moodiness13 must have made him perfectly14 odious15 to his friends under the tents, who like a jolly fellow, and laugh at a melancholy16 warrior17 always sighing after Dulcinea at home.
Both the ladies of Castlewood approved of Mr. Esmond quitting the army, and his kind General coincided in his wish of retirement18 and helped in the transfer of his commission, which brought a pretty sum into his pocket. But when the Commander-inChief came home, and was forced, in spite of himself, to appoint Lieutenant-General Webb to the command of a division of the army in Flanders, the Lieutenant-General prayed Colonel Esmond so urgently to be his aide-de-camp and military secretary, that Esmond could not resist his kind patron’s entreaties19, and again took the field, not attached to any regiment, but under Webb’s orders. What must have been the continued agonies of fears8 and apprehensions20 which racked the gentle breasts of wives and matrons in those dreadful days, when every Gazette brought accounts of deaths and battles, and when the present anxiety over, and the beloved person escaped, the doubt still remained that a battle might be fought, possibly, of which the next Flanders letter would bring the account; so they, the poor tender creatures, had to go on sickening and trembling through the whole campaign. Whatever these terrors were on the part of Esmond’s mistress, (and that tenderest of women must have felt them most keenly for both her sons, as she called them), she never allowed them outwardly to appear, but hid her apprehension21, as she did her charities and devotion. ’Twas only by chance that Esmond, wandering in Kensington, found his mistress coming out of a mean cottage there, and heard that she had a score of poor retainers, whom she visited and comforted in their sickness and poverty, and who blessed her daily. She attended the early church daily (though of a Sunday, especially, she encouraged and advanced all sorts of cheerfulness and innocent gayety in her little household): and by notes entered into a table-book of hers at this time, and devotional compositions writ22 with a sweet artless fervor23, such as the best divines could not surpass, showed how fond her heart was, how humble24 and pious25 her spirit, what pangs26 of apprehension she endured silently, and with what a faithful reliance she committed the care of those she loved to the awful Dispenser of death and life.
8 What indeed? Psm. xci. 2, 3, 7.— R. E.
As for her ladyship at Chelsey, Esmond’s newly adopted mother, she was now of an age when the danger of any second party doth not disturb the rest much. She cared for trumps27 more than for most things in life. She was firm enough in her own faith, but no longer very bitter against ours. She had a very good-natured, easy French director, Monsieur Gauthier by name, who was a gentleman of the world, and would take a hand of cards with Dean Atterbury, my lady’s neighbor at Chelsey, and was well with all the High Church party. No doubt Monsieur Gauthier knew what Esmond’s peculiar28 position was, for he corresponded with Holt, and always treated Colonel Esmond with particular respect and kindness; but for good reasons the Colonel and the Abbe never spoke29 on this matter together, and so they remained perfect good friends.
All the frequenters of my Lady of Chelsey’s house were of the Tory and High Church party. Madame Beatrix was as frantic30 about the King as her elderly kinswoman: she wore his picture on her heart; she had a piece of his hair; she vowed31 he was the most injured, and gallant32, and accomplished33, and unfortunate, and beautiful of princes. Steele, who quarrelled with very many of his Tory friends, but never with Esmond, used to tell the Colonel that his kinswoman’s house was a rendezvous34 of Tory intrigues35; that Gauthier was a spy; that Atterbury was a spy; that letters were constantly going from that house to the Queen at St. Germains; on which Esmond, laughing, would reply, that they used to say in the army the Duke of Marlborough was a spy too, and as much in correspondence with that family as any Jesuit. And without entering very eagerly into the controversy36, Esmond had frankly37 taken the side of his family. It seemed to him that King James the Third was undoubtedly38 King of England by right: and at his sister’s death it would be better to have him than a foreigner over us. No man admired King William more; a hero and a conqueror, the bravest, justest, wisest of men — but ’twas by the sword he conquered the country, and held and governed it by the very same right that the great Cromwell held it, who was truly and greatly a sovereign. But that a foreign despotic Prince, out of Germany, who happened to be descended39 from King James the First, should take possession of this empire, seemed to Mr. Esmond a monstrous40 injustice41 — at least, every Englishman had a right to protest, and the English Prince, the heir-at-law, the first of all. What man of spirit with such a cause would not back it? What man of honor with such a crown to win would not fight for it? But that race was destined42. That Prince had himself against him, an enemy he could not overcome. He never dared to draw his sword, though he had it. He let his chances slip by as he lay in the lap of opera-girls, or snivelled at the knees of priests asking pardon; and the blood of heroes, and the devotedness43 of honest hearts, and endurance, courage, fidelity44, were all spent for him in vain.
But let us return to my Lady of Chelsey, who, when her son Esmond announced to her ladyship that he proposed to make the ensuing campaign, took leave of him with perfect alacrity45, and was down to piquet with her gentlewoman before he had well quitted the room on his last visit. “Tierce to a king,” were the last words he ever heard her say: the game of life was pretty nearly over for the good lady, and three months afterwards she took to her bed, where she flickered46 out without any pain, so the Abbe Gauthier wrote over to Mr. Esmond, then with his General on the frontier of France. The Lady Castlewood was with her at her ending, and had written too, but these letters must have been taken by a privateer in the packet that brought them; for Esmond knew nothing of their contents until his return to England.
My Lady Castlewood had left everything to Colonel Esmond, “as a reparation for the wrong done to him;” ’twas writ in her will. But her fortune was not much, for it never had been large, and the honest viscountess had wisely sunk most of the money she had upon an annuity47 which terminated with her life. However, there was the house and furniture, plate and pictures at Chelsey, and a sum of money lying at her merchant’s, Sir Josiah Child, which altogether would realize a sum of near three hundred pounds per annum, so that Mr. Esmond found himself, if not rich, at least easy for life. Likewise there were the famous diamonds which had been said to be worth fabulous48 sums, though the goldsmith pronounced they would fetch no more than four thousand pounds. These diamonds, however, Colonel Esmond reserved, having a special use for them: but the Chelsey house, plate, goods, &c., with the exception of a few articles which he kept back, were sold by his orders; and the sums resulting from the sale invested in the public securities so as to realize the aforesaid annual income of three hundred pounds.
Having now something to leave, he made a will and despatched it home. The army was now in presence of the enemy; and a great battle expected every day. ’Twas known that the General-inChief was in disgrace, and the parties at home strong against him, and there was no stroke this great and resolute50 player would not venture to recall his fortune when it seemed desperate. Frank Castlewood was with Colonel Esmond; his General having gladly taken the young nobleman on to his staff. His studies of fortifications at Bruxelles were over by this time. The fort he was besieging51 had yielded, I believe, and my lord had not only marched in with flying colors, but marched out again. He used to tell his boyish wickednesses with admirable humor, and was the most charming young scapegrace in the army.
’Tis needless to say that Colonel Esmond had left every penny of his little fortune to this boy. It was the Colonel’s firm conviction that the next battle would put an end to him: for he felt aweary of the sun, and quite ready to bid that and the earth farewell. Frank would not listen to his comrade’s gloomy forebodings, but swore they would keep his birthday at Castlewood that autumn, after the campaign. He had heard of the engagement at home. “If Prince Eugene goes to London,” says Frank, “and Trix can get hold of him, she’ll jilt Ashburnham for his Highness. I tell you, she used to make eyes at the Duke of Marlborough, when she was only fourteen, and ogling52 poor little Blandford. I wouldn’t marry her, Harry53 — no, not if her eyes were twice as big. I’ll take my fun. I’ll enjoy for the next three years every possible pleasure. I’ll sow my wild oats then, and marry some quiet, steady, modest, sensible viscountess; hunt my harriers; and settle down at Castlewood. Perhaps I’ll represent the county — no, damme, YOU shall represent the county. You have the brains of the family. By the Lord, my dear old Harry, you have the best head and the kindest heart in all the army; and every man says so — and when the Queen dies, and the King comes back, why shouldn’t you go to the House of Commons, and be a Minister, and be made a Peer, and that sort of thing? YOU be shot in the next action! I wager54 a dozen of Burgundy you are not touched. Mohun is well of his wound. He is always with Corporal John now. As soon as ever I see his ugly face I’ll spit in it. I took lessons of Father — of Captain Holt at Bruxelles. What a man that is! He knows everything.” Esmond bade Frank have a care; that Father Holt’s knowledge was rather dangerous; not, indeed, knowing as yet how far the Father had pushed his instructions with his young pupil.
The gazetteers55 and writers, both of the French and English side, have given accounts sufficient of that bloody56 battle of Blarignies or Malplaquet, which was the last and the hardest earned of the victories of the great Duke of Marlborough. In that tremendous combat near upon two hundred and fifty thousand men were engaged, more than thirty thousand of whom were slain57 or wounded (the Allies lost twice as many men as they killed of the French, whom they conquered): and this dreadful slaughter58 very likely took place because a great general’s credit was shaken at home, and he thought to restore it by a victory. If such were the motives59 which induced the Duke of Marlborough to venture that prodigious60 stake, and desperately61 sacrifice thirty thousand brave lives, so that he might figure once more in a Gazette, and hold his places and pensions a little longer, the event defeated the dreadful and selfish design, for the victory was purchased at a cost which no nation, greedy of glory as it may be, would willingly pay for any triumph. The gallantry of the French was as remarkable62 as the furious bravery of their assailants. We took a few score of their flags, and a few pieces of their artillery63; but we left twenty thousand of the bravest soldiers of the world round about the intrenched lines, from which the enemy was driven. He retreated in perfect good order; the panic-spell seemed to be broke, under which the French had labored64 ever since the disaster of Hochstedt; and, fighting now on the threshold of their country, they showed an heroic ardor65 of resistance, such as had never met us in the course of their aggressive war. Had the battle been more successful, the conqueror might have got the price for which he waged it. As it was, (and justly, I think,) the party adverse66 to the Duke in England were indignant at the lavish67 extravagance of slaughter, and demanded more eagerly than ever the recall of a chief whose cupidity68 and desperation might urge him further still. After this bloody fight of Malplaquet, I can answer for it, that in the Dutch quarters and our own, and amongst the very regiments69 and commanders whose gallantry was most conspicuous70 upon this frightful71 day of carnage, the general cry was, that there was enough of the war. The French were driven back into their own boundary, and all their conquests and booty of Flanders disgorged. As for the Prince of Savoy, with whom our Commander-inChief, for reasons of his own, consorted72 more closely than ever, ’twas known that he was animated73 not merely by a political hatred74, but by personal rage against the old French King: the Imperial Generalissimo never forgot the slight put by Lewis upon the Abbe de Savoie; and in the humiliation75 or ruin of his most Christian76 Majesty77, the Holy Roman Emperor found his account. But what were these quarrels to us, the free citizens of England and Holland! Despot as he was, the French monarch78 was yet the chief of European civilization, more venerable in his age and misfortunes than at the period of his most splendid successes; whilst his opponent was but a semi-barbarous tyrant79, with a pillaging80, murderous horde81 of Croats and Pandours, composing a half of his army, filling our camp with their strange figures, bearded like the miscreant82 Turks their neighbors, and carrying into Christian warfare83 their native heathen habits of rapine, lust84, and murder. Why should the best blood in England and France be shed in order that the Holy Roman and Apostolic master of these ruffians should have his revenge over the Christian king? And it was to this end we were fighting; for this that every village and family in England was deploring85 the death of beloved sons and fathers. We dared not speak to each other, even at table, of Malplaquet, so frightful were the gaps left in our army by the cannon86 of that bloody action. ’Twas heartrending for an officer who had a heart to look down his line on a parade-day afterwards, and miss hundreds of faces of comrades — humble or of high rank — that had gathered but yesterday full of courage and cheerfulness round the torn and blackened flags. Where were our friends? As the great Duke reviewed us, riding along our lines with his fine suite87 of prancing88 aides-de-camp and generals, stopping here and there to thank an officer with those eager smiles and bows of which his Grace was always lavish, scarce a huzzah could be got for him, though Cadogan, with an oath, rode up and cried —“D— n you, why don’t you cheer?” But the men had no heart for that: not one of them but was thinking, “Where’s my comrade?— where’s my brother that fought by me, or my dear captain that led me yesterday?” ’Twas the most gloomy pageant89 I ever looked on; and the “Te Deum” sung by our chaplains, the most woful and dreary90 satire91.
Esmond’s General added one more to the many marks of honor which he had received in the front of a score of battles, and got a wound in the groin, which laid him on his back; and you may be sure he consoled himself by abusing the Commander-inChief, as he lay groaning,—“Corporal John’s as fond of me,” he used to say, “as King David was of General Uriah; and so he always gives me the post of danger.” He persisted, to his dying day, in believing that the Duke intended he should be beat at Wynendael, and sent him purposely with a small force, hoping that he might be knocked on the head there. Esmond and Frank Castlewood both escaped without hurt, though the division which our General commanded suffered even more than any other, having to sustain not only the fury of the enemy’s cannonade, which was very hot and well served, but the furious and repeated charges of the famous Maison du Roy, which we had to receive and beat off again and again, with volleys of shot and hedges of iron, and our four lines of musqueteers and pikemen. They said the King of England charged us no less than twelve times that day, along with the French Household. Esmond’s late regiment, General Webb’s own Fusileers, served in the division which their colonel commanded. The General was thrice in the centre of the square of the Fusileers, calling the fire at the French charges, and, after the action, his Grace the Duke of Berwick sent his compliments to his old regiment and their Colonel for their behavior on the field.
We drank my Lord Castlewood’s health and majority, the 25th of September, the army being then before Mons: and here Colonel Esmond was not so fortunate as he had been in actions much more dangerous, and was hit by a spent ball just above the place where his former wound was, which caused the old wound to open again, fever, spitting of blood, and other ugly symptoms, to ensue; and, in a word, brought him near to death’s door. The kind lad, his kinsman92, attended his elder comrade with a very praiseworthy affectionateness and care until he was pronounced out of danger by the doctors, when Frank went off, passed the winter at Bruxelles, and besieged93, no doubt, some other fortress94 there. Very few lads would have given up their pleasures so long and so gayly as Frank did; his cheerful prattle95 soothed96 many long days of Esmond’s pain and languor97. Frank was supposed to be still at his kinsman’s bedside for a month after he had left it, for letters came from his mother at home full of thanks to the younger gentleman for his care of his elder brother (so it pleased Esmond’s mistress now affectionately to style him); nor was Mr. Esmond in a hurry to undeceive her, when the good young fellow was gone for his Christmas holiday. It was as pleasant to Esmond on his couch to watch the young man’s pleasure at the idea of being free, as to note his simple efforts to disguise his satisfaction on going away. There are days when a flask98 of champagne99 at a cabaret, and a red-cheeked partner to share it, are too strong temptations for any young fellow of spirit. I am not going to play the moralist, and cry “Fie.” For ages past, I know how old men preach, and what young men practise; and that patriarchs have had their weak moments too, long since Father Noah toppled over after discovering the vine. Frank went off, then, to his pleasures at Bruxelles, in which capital many young fellows of our army declared they found infinitely100 greater diversion even than in London: and Mr. Henry Esmond remained in his sick-room, where he writ a fine comedy, that his mistress pronounced to be sublime101, and that was acted no less than three successive nights in London in the next year.
Here, as he lay nursing himself, ubiquitous Mr. Holt reappeared, and stopped a whole month at Mons, where he not only won over Colonel Esmond to the King’s side in politics (that side being always held by the Esmond family); but where he endeavored to reopen the controversial question between the churches once more, and to recall Esmond to that religion in which, in his infancy102, he had been baptized. Holt was a casuist, both dexterous103 and learned, and presented the case between the English church and his own in such a way that those who granted his premises104 ought certainly to allow his conclusions. He touched on Esmond’s delicate state of health, chance of dissolution, and so forth105; and enlarged upon the immense benefits that the sick man was likely to forego — benefits which the church of England did not deny to those of the Roman communion, as how should she, being derived106 from that church, and only an offshoot from it? But Mr. Esmond said that his church was the church of his country, and to that he chose to remain faithful: other people were welcome to worship and to subscribe107 any other set of articles, whether at Rome or at Augsburg. But if the good Father meant that Esmond should join the Roman communion for fear of consequences, and that all England ran the risk of being damned for heresy108, Esmond, for one, was perfectly willing to take his chance of the penalty along with the countless109 millions of his fellow-countrymen, who were bred in the same faith, and along with some of the noblest, the truest, the purest, the wisest, the most pious and learned men and women in the world.
As for the political question, in that Mr. Esmond could agree with the Father much more readily, and had come to the same conclusion, though, perhaps, by a different way. The right divine, about which Dr. Sacheverel and the High Church party in England were just now making a bother, they were welcome to hold as they chose. If Richard Cromwell, and his father before him had been crowned and anointed (and bishops110 enough would have been found to do it), it seemed to Mr. Esmond that they would have had the right divine just as much as any Plantagenet, or Tudor, or Stuart. But the desire of the country being unquestionably for an hereditary111 monarchy112, Esmond thought an English king out of St. Germains was better and fitter than a German prince from Herrenhausen, and that if he failed to satisfy the nation, some other Englishman might be found to take his place; and so, though with no frantic enthusiasm, or worship of that monstrous pedigree which the Tories chose to consider divine, he was ready to say, “God save King James!” when Queen Anne went the way of kings and commoners.
“I fear, Colonel, you are no better than a republican at heart,” says the priest with a sigh.
“I am an Englishman,” says Harry, “and take my country as I find her. The will of the nation being for church and king, I am for church and king too; but English church and English king; and that is why your church isn’t mine, though your king is.”
Though they lost the day at Malplaquet, it was the French who were elated by that action, whilst the conquerors113 were dispirited, by it; and the enemy gathered together a larger army than ever, and made prodigious efforts for the next campaign. Marshal Berwick was with the French this year; and we heard that Mareschal Villars was still suffering of his wound, was eager to bring our Duke to action, and vowed he would fight us in his coach. Young Castlewood came flying back from Bruxelles, as soon as he heard that fighting was to begin; and the arrival of the Chevalier de St. George was announced about May. “It’s the King’s third campaign, and it’s mine,” Frank liked saying. He was come back a greater Jacobite than ever, and Esmond suspected that some fair conspirators114 at Bruxelles had been inflaming115 the young man’s ardor. Indeed, he owned that he had a message from the Queen, Beatrix’s godmother, who had given her name to Frank’s sister the year before he and his sovereign were born.
However desirous Marshal Villars might be to fight, my Lord Duke did not seem disposed to indulge him this campaign. Last year his Grace had been all for the Whigs and Hanoverians; but finding, on going to England, his country cold towards himself, and the people in a ferment116 of High Church loyalty117, the Duke comes back to his army cooled towards the Hanoverians, cautious with the Imperialists, and particularly civil and polite towards the Chevalier de St. George. ’Tis certain that messengers and letters were continually passing between his Grace and his brave nephew, the Duke of Berwick, in the opposite camp. No man’s caresses118 were more opportune119 than his Grace’s, and no man ever uttered expressions of regard and affection more generously. He professed120 to Monsieur de Torcy, so Mr. St. John told the writer, quite an eagerness to be cut in pieces for the exiled Queen and her family; nay121 more, I believe, this year he parted with a portion of the most precious part of himself — his money — which he sent over to the royal exiles. Mr. Tunstal, who was in the Prince’s service, was twice or thrice in and out of our camp; the French, in theirs of Arlieu and about Arras. A little river, the Canihe I think ’twas called, (but this is writ away from books and Europe; and the only map the writer hath of these scenes of his youth, bears no mark of this little stream,) divided our pickets122 from the enemy’s. Our sentries123 talked across the stream, when they could make themselves understood to each other, and when they could not, grinned, and handed each other their brandy-flasks or their pouches124 of tobacco. And one fine day of June, riding thither125 with the officer who visited the outposts, (Colonel Esmond was taking an airing on horseback, being too weak for military duty,) they came to this river, where a number of English and Scots were assembled, talking to the good-natured enemy on the other side.
Esmond was especially amused with the talk of one long fellow, with a great curling red moustache, and blue eyes, that was half a dozen inches taller than his swarthy little comrades on the French side of the stream, and being asked by the Colonel, saluted127 him, and said that he belonged to the Royal Cravats129.
From his way of saying “Royal Cravat128,” Esmond at once knew that the fellow’s tongue had first wagged on the banks of the Liffey, and not the Loire; and the poor soldier — a deserter probably — did not like to venture very deep into French conversation, lest his unlucky brogue should peep out. He chose to restrict himself to such few expressions in the French language as he thought he had mastered easily; and his attempt at disguise was infinitely amusing. Mr. Esmond whistled Lillibullero, at which Teague’s eyes began to twinkle, and then flung him a dollar, when the poor boy broke out with a “God bless — that is, Dieu benisse votre honor,” that would infallibly have sent him to the provost-marshal had he been on our side of the river.
Whilst this parley130 was going on, three officers on horseback, on the French side, appeared at some little distance, and stopped as if eying us, when one of them left the other two, and rode close up to us who were by the stream. “Look, look!” says the Royal Cravat, with great agitation131, “pas lui, that’s he; not him, l’autre,” and pointed132 to the distant officer on a chestnut133 horse, with a cuirass shining in the sun, and over it a broad blue ribbon.
“Please to take Mr. Hamilton’s services to my Lord Marlborough — my Lord Duke,” says the gentleman in English: and, looking to see that the party were not hostilely disposed, he added, with a smile, “There’s a friend of yours, gentlemen, yonder; he bids me to say that he saw some of your faces on the 11th of September last year.”
As the gentleman spoke, the other two officers rode up, and came quite close. We knew at once who it was. It was the King, then two-and-twenty years old, tall and slim, with deep brown eyes, that looked melancholy, though his lips wore a smile. We took off our hats and saluted him. No man, sure, could see for the first time, without emotion, the youthful inheritor of so much fame and misfortune. It seemed to Mr. Esmond that the Prince was not unlike young Castlewood, whose age and figure he resembled. The Chevalier de St. George acknowledged the salute126, and looked at us hard. Even the idlers on our side of the river set up a hurrah134. As for the Royal Cravat, he ran to the Prince’s stirrup, knelt down and kissed his boot, and bawled135 and looked a hundred ejaculations and blessings136. The prince bade the aide-de-camp give him a piece of money; and when the party saluting137 us had ridden away, Cravat spat49 upon the piece of gold by way of benediction138, and swaggered away, pouching139 his coin and twirling his honest carroty moustache.
The officer in whose company Esmond was, the same little captain of Handyside’s regiment, Mr. Sterne, who had proposed the garden at Lille, when my Lord Mohun and Esmond had their affair, was an Irishman too, and as brave a little soul as ever wore a sword. “Bedad,” says Roger Sterne, “that long fellow spoke French so beautiful that I shouldn’t have known he wasn’t a foreigner, till he broke out with his hulla-ballooing, and only an Irish calf140 can bellow141 like that.” And Roger made another remark in his wild way, in which there was sense as well as absurdity142 —“If that young gentleman,” says he, “would but ride over to our camp, instead of Villars’s, toss up his hat and say, ‘Here am I, the King, who’ll follow me?’ by the Lord, Esmond, the whole army would rise and carry him home again, and beat Villars, and take Paris by the way.”
The news of the Prince’s visit was all through the camp quickly, and scores of ours went down in hopes to see him. Major Hamilton, whom we had talked with, sent back by a trumpet143 several silver pieces for officers with us. Mr. Esmond received one of these; and that medal, and a recompense not uncommon144 amongst Princes, were the only rewards he ever had from a Royal person, whom he endeavored not very long after to serve.
Esmond quitted the army almost immediately after this, following his general home; and, indeed, being advised to travel in the fine weather and attempt to take no further part in the campaign. But he heard from the army, that of the many who crowded to see the Chevalier de St. George, Frank Castlewood had made himself most conspicuous: my Lord Viscount riding across the little stream bareheaded to where the Prince was, and dismounting and kneeling before him to do him homage145. Some said that the Prince had actually knighted him, but my lord denied that statement, though he acknowledged the rest of the story, and said:—“From having been out of favor with Corporal John,” as he called the Duke, “before his Grace warned him not to commit those follies146, and smiled on him cordially ever after.”
“And he was so kind to me,” Frank writ, “that I thought I would put in a good word for Master Harry, but when I mentioned your name he looked as black as thunder, and said he had never heard of you.”
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feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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motive
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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mere
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conqueror
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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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determined
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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12
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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13
moodiness
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| n.喜怒无常；喜怒无常，闷闷不乐；情绪 | |
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14
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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15
odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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16
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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17
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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18
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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19
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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20
apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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21
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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22
writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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23
fervor
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| n.热诚；热心；炽热 | |
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24
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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25
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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26
pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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27
trumps
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| abbr.trumpets 喇叭；小号；喇叭形状的东西；喇叭筒v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去式 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造 | |
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28
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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29
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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30
frantic
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|
| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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31
vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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32
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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33
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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34
rendezvous
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|
| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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35
intrigues
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| n.密谋策划( intrigue的名词复数 )；神秘气氛；引人入胜的复杂情节v.搞阴谋诡计( intrigue的第三人称单数 )；激起…的好奇心 | |
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36
controversy
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|
| n.争论，辩论，争吵 | |
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37
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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38
undoubtedly
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|
| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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39
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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40
monstrous
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|
| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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41
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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42
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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43
devotedness
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44
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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45
alacrity
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|
| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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46
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
annuity
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|
| n.年金；养老金 | |
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48
fabulous
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|
| adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的 | |
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49
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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50
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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51
besieging
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的现在分词 ) | |
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52
ogling
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| v.（向…）抛媚眼，送秋波( ogle的现在分词 ) | |
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53
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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54
wager
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|
| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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55
gazetteers
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| n.地名索引，地名词典( gazetteer的名词复数 ) | |
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56
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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57
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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58
slaughter
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|
| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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59
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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60
prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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61
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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62
remarkable
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|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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63
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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64
labored
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|
| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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65
ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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66
adverse
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|
| adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的 | |
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67
lavish
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|
| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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68
cupidity
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|
| n.贪心，贪财 | |
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69
regiments
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| （军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物 | |
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70
conspicuous
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|
| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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71
frightful
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|
| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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72
consorted
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|
| v.结伴( consort的过去式和过去分词 )；交往；相称；调和 | |
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73
animated
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|
| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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74
hatred
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|
| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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75
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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76
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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77
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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78
monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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79
tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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80
pillaging
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| v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的现在分词 ) | |
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81
horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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82
miscreant
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| n.恶棍 | |
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83
warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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84
lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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85
deploring
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的现在分词 ) | |
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86
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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87
suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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88
prancing
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| v.（马）腾跃( prance的现在分词 ) | |
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89
pageant
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| n.壮观的游行；露天历史剧 | |
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90
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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91
satire
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| n.讽刺，讽刺文学，讽刺作品 | |
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92
kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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93
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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94
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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95
prattle
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|
| n.闲谈；v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话；发出连续而无意义的声音 | |
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96
soothed
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|
| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
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97
languor
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| n.无精力，倦怠 | |
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98
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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99
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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100
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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101
sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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102
infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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103
dexterous
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| adj.灵敏的；灵巧的 | |
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104
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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105
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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106
derived
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|
| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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107
subscribe
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| vi.(to)订阅，订购；同意；vt.捐助，赞助 | |
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108
heresy
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| n.异端邪说；异教 | |
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109
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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110
bishops
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| （基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象 | |
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111
hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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112
monarchy
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| n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国 | |
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113
conquerors
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| 征服者，占领者( conqueror的名词复数 ) | |
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114
conspirators
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| n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
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115
inflaming
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| v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的现在分词 ) | |
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116
ferment
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| vt.使发酵；n./vt.（使）激动，（使）动乱 | |
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117
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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118
caresses
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| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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119
opportune
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| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
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120
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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121
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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122
pickets
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| 罢工纠察员( picket的名词复数 ) | |
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123
sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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124
pouches
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| n.（放在衣袋里或连在腰带上的）小袋( pouch的名词复数 )；（袋鼠等的）育儿袋；邮袋；（某些动物贮存食物的）颊袋 | |
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125
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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126
salute
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|
| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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127
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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128
cravat
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| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
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129
cravats
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| n.（系在衬衫衣领里面的）男式围巾( cravat的名词复数 ) | |
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130
parley
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| n.谈判 | |
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131
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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132
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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133
chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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134
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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135
bawled
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|
| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的过去式和过去分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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136
blessings
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|
| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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137
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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138
benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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139
pouching
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| vt.& vi.（使）成为袋状（pouch的现在分词形式） | |
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140
calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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141
bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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142
absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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143
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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144
uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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145
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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146
follies
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| 罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 ) | |
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