When, then, the news was brought that the little boy at the “Three Castles” was ill with the small-pox, poor Harry Esmond felt a shock of alarm, not so much for himself as for his mistress’s son, whom he might have brought into peril.  Beatrix, who had pouted sufficiently, (and who, whenever a stranger appeared, began, from infancy almost, to play off little graces to catch his attention,) her brother being now gone to bed, was for taking her place upon Esmond’s knee:  for, though the Doctor was very obsequious to her, she did not like him, because he had thick boots and dirty hands (the pert young miss said), and because she hated learning the catechism.

But as she advanced towards Esmond from the corner where she had been sulking, he started back and placed the great chair on which he was sitting between him and her—­saying in the French language to Lady Castlewood, with whom the young lad had read much, and whom he had perfected in this tongue—­“Madam, the child must not approach me; I must tell you that I was at the blacksmith’s to-day, and had his little boy upon my lap.”

“Where you took my son afterwards,” Lady Castlewood said, very angry, and turning red.  “I thank you, sir, for giving him such company.  Beatrix,” she said in English, “I forbid you to touch Mr. Esmond.  Come away, child—­come to your room.  Come to your room—­I wish your Reverence good-night—­and you, sir, had you not better go back to your friends at the ale-house?” her eyes, ordinarily so kind, darted flashes of anger as she spoke; and she tossed up her head (which hung down commonly) with the mien of a princess.

“Hey-day!” says my lord, who was standing by the fireplace—­indeed he was in the position to which he generally came by that hour of the evening—­“Hey-day!  Rachel, what are you in a passion about?  Ladies ought never to be in a passion.  Ought they, Doctor Tusher? though it does good to see Rachel in a passion—­Damme, Lady Castlewood, you look dev’lish handsome in a passion.”

“It is, my lord, because Mr. Henry Esmond, having nothing to do with his time here, and not having a taste for our company, has been to the ale-house, where he has some friends.”

My lord burst out, with a laugh and an oath—­“You young slyboots, you’ve been at Nancy Sievewright.  D—–­ the young hypocrite, who’d have thought it in him?  I say, Tusher, he’s been after—­”

“Enough, my lord,” said my lady, “don’t insult me with this talk.”

“Upon my word,” said poor Harry, ready to cry with shame and mortification, “the honor of that young person is perfectly unstained for me.”

“Oh, of course, of course,” says my lord, more and more laughing and tipsy.  “Upon his honor, Doctor—­Nancy Sieve—­ . . .”

“Take Mistress Beatrix to bed,” my lady cried at this moment to Mrs. Tucker her woman, who came in with her ladyship’s tea.  “Put her into my room—­no, into yours,” she added quickly.  “Go, my child:  go, I say:  not a word!” And Beatrix, quite surprised at so sudden a tone of authority from one who was seldom accustomed to raise her voice, went out of the room with a scared countenance, and waited even to burst out a-crying until she got to the door with Mrs. Tucker.