"I am afraid William gets to no good at that theatre," said Scroop. "What a state he came home in last night! he'll ruin his constitution if he goes on so." "He is but a boy--he will grow wiser in time--poor fellow, I do feel for him!" said his father. "You should check it while he is young; look at John de Vere: it was just that way he began his course," said Scroop again. "I hope you do not think my dear William will turn out so utterly degraded as that most unfortunate and evil principled young man! Poor William! it is only a little harmless extravagance I can blame him for yet." "Little beginnings you know; watch the first sign of decay, stop the earliest symptoms of decline." "Have you ever heard any tidings of that singular character?--he was the most dark-minded, mysterious man I ever met in all my travels," said Mr. Lennox, anxious to change the conversation. "The Earl has I believe caused every inquiry to be made, but up till now without any result. The last, you know, that was ever heard of them was their sailing in a terrific snow-storm from Leith. I say them, for I need no longer hide the fact that the Count Czinsky was none other than Edward L'Estrange." "You astonish me. Why did you never let this transpire before? does the Earl know it?" "He does not; to tell the truth my promise not to let this out was an extorted one, and I consider myself no longer bound to keep it, especially as there is little doubt that both of them have long since paid the debt of nature, and no doubt secured a fearful reckoning with their Maker. Certainly that Weird in the family is a wonderful thing! At first I doubted it--but now we have the evidence of our own senses! Only the Earl left! Lady Arranmore burned at nineteen, Lady Florence dead of consumption at almost the same age, Frank de Vere killed in India at the head of his men gallantly cutting his way through the enemy, and the Captain, as far as we know, drowned years ago! The Earl is young yet, and if he does die so I shall think it the most marvellous curse." "The untimely fates of that family," said Louisa, "have quite cast a gloom on the Old Towers: the Earl has not been there since the funeral of his son: he has become quite a foreigner. I think he always lives at Naples now." "How I should like to do so," said Caroline; "that charming Naples--it is my day dream to see it some day. Do you not think, papa, we should make the tour some winter when you have your leave?" "I should certainly like nothing better, Carry. We have travelled--let me see--through France, Germany, Prussia, the Rhine and Switzerland, Italy alone remains; we shall see, darling. Some day perhaps I may take my Caroline to show the Italian donnas what an English beauty is." "Louisa, love," said Scroop, "our little boys should be off to bed--shouldn't they?"