第88章
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  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,asmyinformantlittleTomEaves,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。

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