Many suitable young ladies were indeed picked out for him, some by their own friends and families, some—­who had not convenient relatives to act for them—­by themselves, and each was delicately or with matter-of-fact openness presented to his notice.  There were brilliant Court beauties—­lovely country virgins of rank and fortune—­charming female wits, and fair and bold marauders who would carry on a siege with skill and daring; but the party attacked seemed not so much obdurate as unconscious, and neither succumbed nor ran away.  When the lovely Lady Helen Loftus fell into a decline and perished a victim to it at the very opening of her eighteenth year, there was a whisper among certain gossiping elderly matrons, which hinted that only after her acquaintance with the splendid young Marquess had she begun to look frail and large-eyed, and gradually fallen into decay.

“Never shall I forget,” said old Lady Storms, “seeing the pretty thing look after him when he bowed and left her after they had danced a minuet together.  Her look set me to watching her, and she gazed on him through every dance with her large heaven-blue eyes, and when at last she saw him turn and come towards her again her breast went up and down and her breath fluttered, and she turned from white to red and from red to white with joy.  ’Tis not his fault, poor young man, that women will set their hearts on him; ’tis but nature.  I should do it myself if I were not seventy-five and a hooked-nosed pock-marked creature.  Upon my life, it is not quite a fair thing that a man with all things which all women must want, should be sent forth among us.  Usually when a man hath good looks he hath bad manners or poor wit or mean birth, or a black soul like the new man beauty, Sir John Oxon, whom a woman must hate before she hath loved him three months.  But this one—­good Lord!  And with the best will in life, he cannot take all of us.”

The new man beauty, Sir John Oxon, was indeed much talked of at this time.  Having lived a mad rake’s life at the University, and there gained a reputation which had made him the fashionable leader of the wickedest youths of their time, he had fallen heir to his fortune and title just as he left Cambridge and was prepared to launch himself into town life.  He had appeared in the world preceded by stories of successful intrigues, daring indeed when connected with the name of a mere youth; but as he was beautiful to behold, and had gayety and grace and a daring wit, such rumours but fixed public attention upon him and made him the topic of the hour.  He was not of the build or stateliness of Lord Roxholm, and much younger, but was as much older than his years in sin as the other was in unusual acquirement.  He was a slender and exquisitely built youth, with perfect features, melting blue eyes, and rich fair hair which, being so beautiful, he disdained to conceal with any periwig, however elaborate and fashionable.  When Roxholm returned to England,