第88章

Theremainingthreesidesarecomposedofmansionsthathavepassedawayintodowagerism——tall，darkhouses，withwindow-framesofstone，orpickedoutofalighterred。Littlelightseemstobebehindthoselean，comfortlesscasementsnow，andhospitalitytohavepassedawayfromthosedoorsasmuchasthelacedlacqueysandlink-boysofoldtimes，whousedtoputouttheirtorchesintheblankironextinguishersthatstillflankthelampsoverthesteps。Brassplateshavepenetratedintothesquare——Doctors，theDiddlesexBankWesternBranch——theEnglishandEuropeanReunion，&c——ithasadrearylook——norismyLordSteyne’spalacelessdreary。AllIhaveeverseenofitisthevastwallinfront，withtherusticcolumnsatthegreatgate，throughwhichanoldporterpeerssometimeswithafatandgloomyredface——andoverthewallthegarretandbedroomwindows，andthechimneys，outofwhichthereseldomcomesanysmokenow。ForthepresentLordSteynelivesatNaples，preferringtheviewoftheBayandCapriandVesuviustothedrearyaspectofthewallinGauntSquare。

AfewscoreyardsdownNewGauntStreet，andleadingintoGauntMewsindeed，isalittlemodestbackdoor，whichyouwouldnotremarkfromthatofanyoftheotherstables。Butmanyalittleclosecarriagehasstoppedatthatdoor，asmyinformant(littleTomEaves，whoknowseverything，andwhoshowedmetheplace)

toldme。”ThePrinceandPerditahavebeeninandoutofthatdoor，sir。”hehadoftentoldme；“MarianneClarkehasentereditwiththeDukeof。ItconductstothefamouspetitsappartementsofLordSteyne——one，sir，fittedupallinivoryandwhitesatin，anotherinebonyandblackvelvet；thereisalittlebanqueting-roomtakenfromSallust’shouseatPompeii，andpaintedbyCosway——alittleprivatekitchen，inwhicheverysaucepanwassilverandallthespitsweregold。ItwastherethatEgaliteOrleansroastedpartridgesonthenightwhenheandtheMarquisofSteynewonahundredthousandfromagreatpersonageatombre。HalfofthemoneywenttotheFrenchRevolution，halftopurchaseLordGaunt’sMarquisateandGarter——andtheremainder——“butitformsnopartofourschemetotellwhatbecameoftheremainder，foreveryshillingofwhich，andagreatdealmore，littleTomEaves，whoknowseverybody’saffairs，isreadytoaccount。

Besideshistownpalace，theMarquishadcastlesandpalacesinvariousquartersofthethreekingdoms，whereofthedescriptionsmaybefoundintheroad-books——CastleStrongbow，withitswoods，ontheShannonshore；GauntCastle，inCarmarthenshire，whereRichardIIwastakenprisoner——GauntlyHallinYorkshire，whereIhavebeeninformedthereweretwohundredsilverteapotsforthebreakfastsoftheguestsofthehouse，witheverythingtocorrespondinsplendour；andStillbrookinHampshire，whichwasmylord’sfarm，anhumbleplaceofresidence，ofwhichweallrememberthewonderfulfurniturewhichwassoldatmylord’sdemisebyalatecelebratedauctioneer。

TheMarchionessofSteynewasoftherenownedandancientfamilyoftheCaerlyons，MarquisesofCamelot，whohavepreservedtheoldfaitheversincetheconversionofthevenerableDruid，theirfirstancestor，andwhosepedigreegoesfarbeyondthedateofthearrivalofKingBruteintheseislands。Pendragonisthetitleoftheeldestsonofthehouse。ThesonshavebeencalledArthurs，Uthers，andCaradocs，fromimmemorialtime。

Theirheadshavefalleninmanyaloyalconspiracy。

ElizabethchoppedofftheheadoftheArthurofherday，whohadbeenChamberlaintoPhilipandMary，andcarriedlettersbetweentheQueenofScotsandherunclestheGuises。AcadetofthehousewasanofficerofthegreatDukeanddistinguishedinthefamousSaintBartholomewconspiracy。DuringthewholeofMary’sconfinement，thehouseofCamelotconspiredinherbehalf。

ItwasasmuchinjuredbyitschargesinfittingoutanarmamentagainsttheSpaniards，duringthetimeoftheArmada，asbythefinesandconfiscationsleviedonitbyElizabethforharbouringofpriests，obstinaterecusancy，andpopishmisdoings。ArecreantofJames’stimewasmomentarilypervertedfromhisreligionbytheargumentsofthatgreattheologian，andthefortunesofthefamilysomewhatrestoredbyhistimelyweakness。ButtheEarlofCamelot，ofthereignofCharles，returnedtotheoldcreedofhisfamily，andtheycontinuedtofightforit，andruinthemselvesforit，