of　mid…day。
  The　block　was　laid　forththe　hideous　minister　of　vengeance；　masked
  and　in　black；　with　the　flaming　glaive　in　his　hand；　was　ready。　　The
  baron　tried　the　edge　of　the　blade　with　his　finger；　and　asked　the
  dreadful　swordsman　if　his　hand　was　sure？　　A　nod　was　the　reply　of
  the　man　of　blood。　　The　weeping　garrison　and　domestics　shuddered　and
  shrank　from　him。　　There　was　not　one　there　but　loved　and　pitied　the
  gentle　lady。
  Pale；　pale　as　a　stone；　she　was　brought　from　her　dungeon。　　To　all
  her　lord's　savage　interrogatories；　her　reply　had　been；　〃I　am
  innocent。〃　　To　his　threats　of　death；　her　answer　was；　〃You　are　my
  lord；　my　life　is　in　your　hands；　to　take　or　to　give。〃　　How　few　are
  the　wives；　in　our　day；　who　show　such　angelic　meekness！　　It　touched
  all　hearts　around　her；　save　that　of　the　implacable　Barbazure！　　Even
  the　Lady　Blanche；　（Fatima's　cousin）；　whom　he　had　promised　to　marry
  upon　his　faithless　wife's　demise；　besought　for　her　kinswoman's
  life；　and　a　divorce；　but　Barbazure　had　vowed　her　death。
  〃Is　there　no　pity；　sir？〃　asked　the　chaplain　who　had　attended　her。
  〃No　pity？〃　echoed　the　weeping　serving…maid。
  〃Did　I　not　aye　say　I　would　die　for　my　lord？〃　said　the　gentle　lady；
  and　placed　herself　at　the　block。
  Sir　Raoul　de　Barbazure　seized　up　the　long　ringlets　of　her　raven
  hair。　　〃Now！〃　shouted　he　to　the　executioner；　with　a　stamp　of　his
  foot〃Now　strike！〃
  The　man　（who　knew　his　trade）　advanced　at　once；　and　poised　himself
  to　deliver　his　blow：　and　making　his　flashing　sword　sing　in　the　air；
  with　one　irresistible；　rapid　stroke；　it　sheared　clean　off　the　head
  of　the　furious；　the　bloodthirsty；　the　implacable　Baron　de　Barbazure！
  Thus　he　fell　a　victim　to　his　own　jealousy：　and　the　agitation　of　the
  Lady　Fatima　may　be　imagined；　when　the　executioner；　flinging　off　his
  mask；　knelt　gracefully　at　her　feet；　and　revealed　to　her　the　well…
  known　features　of　Romane　de　Clos…Vougeot。
  LORDS　AND　LIVERIES。
  BY　THE　AUTHORESS　OF　〃DUKES　AND　DEJEUNERS；〃　〃HEARTS　AND　DIAMONDS；〃
  〃MARCHIONESSES　AND　MILLINERS；〃　ETC。　ETC。
  I。
  〃CORBLEU！　　What　a　lovely　creature　that　was　in　the　Fitzbattleaxe　box
  to…night；〃　said　one　of　a　group　of　young　dandies　who　were　leaning
  over　the　velvet…cushioned　balconies　of　the　〃Coventry　Club；〃　smoking
  their　full…flavored　Cubas　（from　Hudson's）　after　the　opera。
  Everybody　stared　at　such　an　exclamation　of　enthusiasm　from　the　lips
  of　the　young　Earl　of　Bagnigge；　who　was　never　heard　to　admire
  anything　except　a　coulis　de　dindonneau　a　la　St。　Menehould；　or　a
  supreme　de　cochon　en　torticolis　a　la　Piffarde；　such　as　Champollion；
  the　chef　of　the　〃Traveller's；〃　only　knows　how　to　dress；　or　the
  bouquet　of　a　flask　of　Medoc；　of　Carbonell's　best　quality；　or　a
  goutte　of　Marasquin；　from　the　cellars　of　Briggs　and　Hobson。
  Alured　de　Pentonville；　eighteenth　Earl　of　Bagnigge；　Viscount　Paon
  of　Islington；　Baron　Pancras；　Kingscross；　and　a　Baronet；　was；　like
  too　many　of　our　young　men　of　ton；　utterly　blase；　although　only　in
  his　twenty…fourth　year。　　Blest；　luckily；　with　a　mother　of　excellent
  principles　（who　had　imbued　his　young　mind　with　that　Morality　which
  is　so　superior　to　all　the　vain　pomps　of　the　world！）　it　had　not　been
  always　the　young　earl's　lot　to　wear　the　coronet　for　which　he　now　in
  sooth　cared　so　little。　　His　father；　a　captain　of　Britain's　navy；
  struck　down　by　the　side　of　the　gallant　Collingwood　in　the　Bay　of
  Fundy；　left　little　but　his　sword　and　spotless　name　to　his　young；
  lovely；　and　inconsolable　widow；　who　passed　the　first　years　of　her
  mourning　in　educating　her　child　in　an　elegant　though　small　cottage
  in　one　of　the　romantic　marine　villages　of　beautiful　Devonshire。
  Her　child！　　What　a　gush　of　consolation　filled　the　widow's　heart　as
  she　pressed　him　to　it！　　How　faithfully　did　she　instil　into　his
  young　bosom　those　principles　which　had　been　the　pole…star　of　the
  existence　of　his　gallant　father！
  In　this　secluded　retreat；　rank　and　wealth　almost　boundless　found
  the　widow　and　her　boy。　　The　seventeenth　Earlgallant　and　ardent；
  and　in　the　prime　of　youthwent　forth　one　day　from　the　Eternal　City
  to　a　steeple…chase　in　the　Campagna。　　A　mutilated　corpse　was　brought
  back　to　his　hotel　in　the　Piazza　di　Spagna。　　Death；　alas！　is　no
  respecter　of　the　Nobility。　　That　shattered　form　was　all　that
  remained　of　the　fiery；　the　haughty；　the　wild；　but　the　generous
  Altamont　de　Pentonville！　　Such；　such　is　fate！
  The　admirable　Emily　de　Pentonville　trembled　with　all　a　mother's
  solicitude　at　the　distinctions　and　honors　which　thus　suddenly
  descended　on　her　boy。　　She　engaged　an　excellent　clergyman　of　the
  Church　of　England　to　superintend　his　studies；　to　accompany　him　on
  foreign　travel　when　the　proper　season　arrived；　to　ward　from　him
  those　dangers　which　dissipation　always　throws　in　the　way　of　the
  noble；　the　idle；　and　the　wealthy。　　But　the　Reverend　Cyril　Delaval
  died　of　the　measles　at　Naples；　and　henceforth　the　young　Earl　of
  Bagnigge　was　without　a　guardian。
  What　was　the　consequence？　　That；　at　three…and…twenty；　he　was　a
  cynic　and　an　epicure。　　He　had　drained　the　cup　of　pleasure　till　it
  had　palled　in　his　unnerved　hand。　　He　had　looked　at　the　Pyramids
  without　awe；　at　the　Alps　without　reverence。　　He　was　unmoved　by　the
  sandy　solitudes　of　the　Desert　as　by　the　placid　depths　of
  Mediterranean's　sea　of　blue。　　Bitter；　bitter　tears　did　Emily　de
  Pentonville　weep；　when；　on　Alured's　return　from　the　Continent；　she
  beheld　the　awful　change　that　dissipation　had　wrought　in　her
  beautiful；　her　blue…eyed；　her　perverted；　her　still　beloved　boy！
  〃Corpo　di　Bacco；〃　he　said；　pitching　the　end　of　his　cigar　on　to　the
  red　nose　of　the　Countess　of　Delawaddymore's　coachmanwho；　having
  deposited　her　fat　ladyship　at　No。　236　Piccadilly；　was　driving　the
  carriage　to　the　stables；　before　commencing　his　evening　at　the
  〃Fortune　of　War〃　public…house〃what　a　lovely　creature　that　was！
  What　eyes！　what　hair！　　Who　knows　her？　　Do　you；　mon　cher　prince？〃
  〃E　bellissima；　certamente；〃　said　the　Duca　de　Montepulciano；　and
  stroked　down　his　jetty　moustache。
  〃Ein　gar　schones　Madchen；〃　said　the　Hereditary　Grand　Duke　of
  Eulenschreckenstein；　and　turned　up　his　carroty　one。
  〃Elle　n'est　pas　mal；　ma　foi！〃　said　the　Prince　de　Borodino；　with　a
  scowl　on　his　darkling　brows。　　〃Mon　Dieu；　que　ces　cigarres　sont
  mauvais！〃　he　added　as　he　too　cast　away　his　Cuba。
  〃Try　one　of　my　Pickwicks；〃　said　Franklin　Fox；　with　a　sneer；
  offering　his　gold　etui　to　the　young　Frenchman；　〃they　are　some　of
  Pontet's　best；　Prince。　　What；　do　you　bear　malice？　　Come；　let　us　be
  friends；〃　said　the　gay　and　careless　young　patrician；　but　a　scowl　on
  the　part　of　the　Frenchman　was　the　only　reply。
  〃Want　to　know　who　she　is？　　Borodino　knows　who　she　is；　Bagnigge；〃
  the　wag　went　on。
  Everybody　crowded　around　Monsieur　de　Borodino　thus　apostrophized。
  The　Marquis　of　Alicompayne；　young　De　Boots　of　the　Lifeguards；　Tom
  Protocol　of　the　Foreign　Office；　the　gay　young　Peers；　Farintosh；
  Poldoody；　and　the　rest；　and　Bagnigge；　for　a　wonder；　not　less　eager
  than　any　one　present。
  〃No；　he　will　tell　you　nothing　about　her。　　Don't　you　see　he　has　gone
  off　in　a　fury！〃　Franklin　Fox　continued。　　〃He　has　his　reasons；　ce
  cher　prince：　he　will　tell　you　nothing；　but　I　will。　　You　know　that　I
  am　au　mieux　with　the　dear　old　duchess。〃
  〃They　say　Frank　and　she　are　engaged　after　the　duke's　death；〃　cried
  Poldoody。
  〃I　always　thought　Fwank　was　the　duke's　illicit　gweatgwandson；〃
  drawled　out　De　Boots。
  〃I　heard　that　he　doctored　her　Blenheim；　and　used　to　bring　her　wigs
  from　Paris；〃　cried　that　malicious　Tom　Protocol；　whose　mots　are
  known　in　every　diplomatic　salon　from　Petersburg　to　Palermo。
  〃Burn　her　wigs　and　hang　her　poodle！〃　said　Bagnigge。　　〃Tell　me　about
  this　girl；　Franklin　Fox。〃
  〃In　the　first　place；　she　has　five　hundred　thousand　acres；　in　a　ring
  fence　in　Norfolk；　a　county　in　Scotland；　a　castle　in　Wales；　a　villa
  at　Richmond；　a　corner　house　in　Belgrave　Square；　and　eighty　thousand
  a　year　in　the　three…per…cents。〃
  〃Apres？〃　said　Bagnigge；　still　yawning。
  〃Secondly；　Borodino　lui　fait　la　cour。　　They　are　cousins；　her　mother
  was　an　Armagnac　of　the　emigration；　the　old　Marshal；　his　father；
  married　another　sister。　　I　believe　he　was　footman　in　the　family；
  before　Napoleon　princified　him。〃
  〃No；　no；　he　was　second　coachman；〃　Tom　Protocol　good…naturedly
  interposed〃a　cavalry　officer；　Frank；　not　an　infantry　man。〃
  〃'Faith　you　should　have　seen　his　fury　（the　young　one's；　I　mean）
  when　he　found　me　in　the　duchess's　room　this　evening；　tete…a…tete
  with　the　heiress；　who　deigned　to　receive　a　bouquet　from　this　hand。〃
  〃It　cost　me　three　guineas；〃　poor　Frank　said；　with　a　shrug　and　a
  sigh；　〃and　that　Covent　Garden　scoundrel　gives　no　credit：　but　she
  took　the　flowers；eh；　Bagnigge？〃
  〃And　flung　them　to　Alboni；〃　the　Peer　replied；　with　a　haughty　sneer。
  And　poor　little　Franklin　Fox　was　compelled　to　own　that　she　had。
  The　maitre　d'hotel　here　announced　that　suppe