As for the friends of his person and house, many of whom were
portly elderly gentlemen, their affection for the young Marquis was so
extreme that there was no company into which their fidelity would not
lead them to follow him; and you might see him dancing at Mabille with
veteran aides-de-camp looking on, or disporting with opera-dancers at a
Trois Freres banquet, which some old gentleman of his father's age had
taken the pains to order. If his lordship Count Almaviva wants a friend
to carry the lanthorn or to hold the ladder; do you suppose there are not
many most respectable men in society who will act Figaro? When Farintosh
thought fit, in the fulness of time and the blooming pride of manhood, to
select a spouse, and to elevate a marchioness to his throne, no one dared
gainsay him. When he called upon his mother and sisters, and their
ladyships' hangers-on and attendants; upon his own particular kinsmen,
led captains, and toadies; to bow the knee and do homage to the woman
whom he delighted to honour, those duteous subjects trembled and obeyed;
in fact, he thought that the position of a Marchioness of Farintosh was
under heaven, and before men, so splendid, that, had he elevated a
beggar-maid to that sublime rank, the inferior world was bound to worship
her.
Pages:
1413
1414
1415
1416
1417
1418
1419
1420
1421
1422
1423
1424
1425
1426
1427
1428
1429
1430
1431
1432
1433
1434
1435
1436
1437