but examined closely, the delicacy vanished. Saville had loved, at least
had offered his hand to--Godolphin's mother (she was supposed an heiress!)
He thought he had just missed being Godolphin's father: his vanity made
him like to show the boy what a much better father he would have been than
the one that Providence had given him. His resentment, too, against the
accepted suitor, made him love to exercise a little spiteful revenge
against Godolphin's father; he was glad to show that the son preferred
where the mother rejected. All these motives combined made Saville take,
as it were, to the young Percy; and being rich, and habitually profuse,
though prudent, and a shrewd speculator withal, the pecuniary part of his
kindness cost him no pain. But Godolphin, who was not ostentatious, did
not trust himself largely to the capricious fount of the worldling's
generosity. Fortune smiled on her boyish votary; and during the short
time he was obliged to cultivate her favours, showered on him at least a
sufficiency for support, or even for display.

Crowded with fine people, and blazing with light, were the rooms of the
Countess of B----, as, flushed from a late dinner at Saville's, young
Godolphin made his appearance in the scene. He was not of those numerous
gentlemen, the stock-flowers of the parterre, who stick themselves up
against walls in the panoply of neckclothed silence. He came not to balls
from the vulgar motive of being seen there in the most conspicuous
situation--a motive so apparent among the stiff exquisites of England. He
came to amuse himself; and if he found no one capable of amusing him, he
saw no necessity in staying. He was always seen, therefore, conversing or
dancing, or listening to music--or he was not seen at all.

In exchanging a few words with a Colonel D----, a noted roue and gamester,
he observed, gazing on him very intently--and as Percy thought, very
rudely--an old gentleman in a dress of the last century. Turn where he