CHAPTER II.
_Fresh Entanglements_
HIS Grace completed his stud, and became one of the most distinguishedvotaries of the turf. Sir Lucius was the inspiring divinity upon thisoccasion. Our hero, like all young men, and particularly young nobles,did everything in extremes; and extensive arrangements were made byhimself and his friend for the ensuing campaign. Sir Lucius was to reaphalf the profit, and to undertake the whole management. The Duke was toproduce the capital and to pocket the whole glory. Thus rolled on someweeks, at the end of which our hero began to get a little tired. Hehad long ago recovered all his self-complacency, and if the form of MayDacre ever flitted before his vision for an instant, he clouded itover directly by the apparition of a bet, or thrust it away with thatdesperate recklessness with which we expel an ungracious thought. TheDuke sighed for a little novelty. Christmas was at hand. He began tothink that a regular country Christmas must be a sad bore. Lady Afy,too, was rather _exigeante_. It destroys one's nerves to be amiableevery day to the same human being. She was the best creature in theworld; but Cambridgeshire was not a pleasant county. He was mostattached; but there was not another agreeable woman in the house. Hewould not hurt her feelings for the world; but his own were sufferingdesperately. He had no idea that he ever should get so entangled.Brighton, they say, is a pleasant place.
To Brighton he went; and although the Graftons were to follow him ina fortnight, still even these fourteen days were a holiday. It isextraordinary how hourly, and how violently, change the feelings of aninexperienced young man.
Sir Lucius, however, was disappointed in his Brighton trip. Ten daysafter the departure of the young Duke the county member died. Sir Luciushad been long maturing his pretensions to the vacant representation. Hewas strongly supported; for he was a personal favourite, and hisfamily had claims; but he was violently opposed; for a _novus homo_ wasambitious, and the Baronet was poor. Sir Lucius was a man of violentpassions, and all feelings and considerations immediately merged inhis paramount ambition. His wife, too, at this moment, was an importantpersonage. She was generally popular; she was beautiful, highlyconnected, and highly considered. Her canvassing was a great object. Shecanvassed with earnestness and with success; for since her consolatoryfriendship with the Duke of St. James her character had greatly changed,and she was now as desirous of conciliating her husband and the opinionof society as she was before disdainful of the one and fearless of theother. Sir Lucius and Lady Aphrodite Grafton were indeed on the bestpossible terms, and the whole county admired his conjugal attentions andher wifelike affections.
The Duke, who had no influence in this part of the world, and who wasnot at all desirous of quitting Brighton, compensated for his absence atthis critical moment by a friendly letter and the offer of his purse.By this good aid, his wife's attractions, and his own talents, Sir Lucysucceeded, and by the time Parliament had assembled he was returnedmember for his native county.
In the meantime, his friend had been spending his time at Brighton in afar less agitated manner, but, in its way, not less successful; for hewas amused, and therefore gained his object as much as the Baronet. TheDuke liked Brighton much. Without the bore of an establishment, he foundhimself among many agreeable friends, living in an unostentatious andimpromptu, though refined and luxurious, style. One day a new face,another day a new dish, another day a new dance, successively interestedhis feelings, particularly if the face rode, which they all do; thedish was at Sir George Sauceville's, and the dance at the Duke ofBurlington's. So time flew on, between a canter to Rottindean, theflavours of a Perigord, and the blunders of the mazurka.
But February arrived, and this agreeable life must end. The philosophyof society is so practical that it is not allowed, even to a young Duke,absolutely to trifle away existence. Duties will arise, in spite of ourbest endeavours; and his Grace had to roll up to town, to dine with thePremier, and to move the Address.