"No, Emmy dear; his only child, a son, died at school. I shall never
forget the grief of poor Lady Juliana. She postponed a visit to Bath
three weeks on account of it. A gentleman who was paying his addresses
to her at the time, offered then, and was refused--indeed, her self-
denial raised such an admiration of her in the men, that immediately
after the death of young Lord Dayton, no less than seven gentlemen
offered, and were refused in one week. I heard Lady Juliana say, that
what between lawyers and suitors, she had not a moment's peace."
"Lawyers?" cried Sir Edward: "what had she to do with lawyers?"
"Why, Sir Edward, six thousand a year fell to her by the death of her
nephew; and there were trustees and deeds to be made out--poor young
woman, she was so affected, Emmy, I don't think she went out for a week-
-all the time at home reading papers, and attending to her important
concerns. Oh! she was a woman of taste; her mourning, and liveries, and
new carriage, were more admired than those of any one about the court.
Yes, yes, the title is extinct; I know of none of the name now. The Earl
did not survive his loss but six years, and the countess died broken-
hearted, about a twelvemonth before him."
"And Lady Juliana, uncle," inquired John, "what became of her, did she
marry?"
The old man helped himself to a glass of wine, and looked over his
shoulder to see if Peter was at hand. Peter, who had been originally
butler, and had made it a condition of his preferment, that whenever
there was company, he should be allowed to preside at the sideboard, was
now at his station. Mr. Benfield, seeing his old friend near him,
ventured to talk on a subject he seldom trusted himself with in company.
"Why, yes--yes--she did marry, it's true, although she did tell me she
intended to die a maid; but--hem--I suppose--hem--it was compassion for
the old viscount, who often said he could not live without her; and then
it gave her the power of doing so much good, a jointure of five thousand
a year added to her own income: yet--hem--I do confess I did not think
she would have chosen such an old and infirm man--- but, Peter, give me
a glass of claret." Peter handed the claret, and the old man proceeded:-
-"They say he was very cross to her, and that, no doubt, must have made
her unhappy, she was so very tender-hearted."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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