"My brother Tony--poor unfortunate Tony!--hangs opposite in his green hunting dress--another of Mr. Reynolds' efforts," said Aurora. "Ah, indeed!" said I, attending to my ham and chicken, and turning my back upon the portraiture of Cousin Tony, who looked out of the gilded frame very much as he did on that afternoon when he and his grooms Dick and Tom laid their whips across my shoulders near Netherwood Hall. "What length of time do you mean to spend in London?" asked Aurora, amid our desultory conversation. "Your health, cousin, and welcome home," she added, as John Trot filled my glass. "I shall spend my six months' leave. I have no friends to visit, and nowhere to go, cousin, unless back to my regiment." "Six months--delightful! Now, Basil, with your figure and pretensions, I am sure we shall find a charming if not a rich wife for you. Shall we not, Madame Blythe?" "Thanks, Aurora. A rich one I would need, with my poor sub's pay," said I, with a smile. I glanced involuntarily round me, and the splendour and luxury, the evidence of ample wealth--wealth of which I had cruelly been deprived--galled and fretted me. Furtive though the glance, it was so expressive that Aurora coloured, and but said, smiling-- "What think you of the Lady Louisa Kerr, the Countess of Ancrum's eldest daughter? She spoke much about you, and was at the drawing-room, in blue, flowered with silver." "Nay, I have no idea of casting my eyes so high." "Or so _far off_," added Madame Blythe, archly. "Perhaps you have left your heart in Germany?" "On the contrary, I have brought it back safe and sound, cousin. More wine--thank you, yes." "'Tis some of the last of dear old grandpapa's favourite port," said Aurora, making a sign to Mr. Trot. "But there is time enough yet for me to think of marrying, Aurora." "Perhaps you agree with Shakespeare, that "'A young man married, is a man marrèd,'" "Nay, dear cousin; I am not so ungallant; but _àpropos_ of Shakespeare, shall we go to the play to-night?" "In that I am your servant; but you shall dine with us; a drive in the park, and then the play after." Aurora was charming; and it was impossible not to be guided by her wishes in everything. At that time I was in excellent funds. I had my pay as lieutenant of dragoons (not that it was much, Heaven knows! to cut a figure upon); but I had a good share of prize-money, and a share in brass guns taken in the affairs of Emsdorff and Zierenberg, with a fair slice of a military chest that found its way quietly, sans report, into the pockets of the Scots Greys, all enabled me to take Aurora and Madame Blythe to Vauxhall, Ranelagh, the tea-gardens, the opera, the play, and always with a fair escort of flambeaux to dine with his Grace of Argyle, or to a drum at my Lady Ancrum's; to turn a card at White's when I felt so disposed, and to throw vails to those greedy vultures--the servants--a folly at that time in excess.