Jervas，inhisredcoat，andsmilinguponabomb—shell，whichwasburstingatthecornerofthepiece。Shevowedthatunlesshemadeagreatmatch，sheshouldneverdieeasy，andwasforeverbringingyoungladiestoChelsey，withprettyfacesandprettyfortunes，atthedisposaloftheColonel。Hesmiledtothinkhowtimeswerealteredwithhim，andoftheearlydaysinhisfather\'slifetime，whenatremblingpagehestoodbeforeher，withherladyship\'sbasinandewer，orcrouchedinhercoach—step。Theonlyfaultshefoundwithhimwas，thathewasmoresoberthananEsmondoughttobe;andwouldneitherbecarriedtobedbyhisvalet，norlosehishearttoanybeauty，whetherofSt。James\'sorCoventGarden。
Whatisthemeaningoffidelityinlove，andwhencethebirthofit？
\'Tisastateofmindthatmenfallinto，anddependingonthemanratherthanthewoman。Welovebeinginlove，that\'sthetruthon\'t。IfwehadnotmetJoan，weshouldhavemetKate，andadoredher。Weknowourmistressesarenobetterthanmanyotherwomen，nornoprettier，nornowiser，nornowittier。\'Tisnotforthesereasonsweloveawoman，orforanyspecialqualityorcharmIknowof;wemightaswelldemandthataladyshouldbethetallestwomanintheworld，liketheShropshiregiantess，*asthatsheshouldbeaparagoninanyothercharacter，beforewebegantoloveher。
Esmond\'smistresshadathousandfaultsbesidehercharms;heknewbothperfectlywell！Shewasimperious，shewaslight—minded，shewasflighty，shewasfalse，shehadnoreverenceinhercharacter;
shewasineverything，eveninbeauty，thecontrastofhermother，whowasthemostdevotedandtheleastselfishofwomen。Well，fromtheveryfirstmomenthesawheronthestairsatWalcote，EsmondknewhelovedBeatrix。Theremightbebetterwomen——hewantedthatone。Hecaredfornoneother。Wasitbecauseshewasgloriouslybeautiful？Beautifulasshewas，hehadheardpeoplesayascoreoftimesintheircompanythatBeatrix\'smotherlookedasyoung，andwasthehandsomerofthetwo。Whydidhervoicethrillinhisearso？ShecouldnotsingnearsowellasNicoliniorMrs。Tofts;nay，shesangoutoftune，andyethelikedtohearherbetterthanSt。