CHAPTER VII.
THE DINNER.
When Lord Baskerville announced to Lady Baskerville the names of those who composed Sir William Temple's dinner party, she was sufficiently astonished; but felt there could be no compromise in being present, and at once accepted his invitation. The affair being considered rather in the light of a party to Richmond, or some similar gaiety, several of the guests went together. Prince Luttermanne attended Lady Tilney; the Boileaus joined Lady Hamlet Vernon; and Lord Baskerville engaged his friend Lord Tonnerre to accompany himself and Lady Baskerville.
As the carriage of the latter proceeded down ---- street, they passed the church at the moment when Lord Albert D'Esterre was leaving the door, after evening service. Lady Baskerville's quick eye immediately recognized him, although mingled in a crowd of those denominated the common people; and pointing him out to Lord Tonnerre, the latter asked, in his usual tone of command,
"What can he be doing in that crowd?"
"Isn't it Sunday?" rejoined Lord Baskerville, yawning. "He has been, I suppose, (hem!) to some conventicle. (hem!)"
"Yes, he looks like one of those d—d Methodists, who would ring people to church from morning to night, by G—;" (Lord Tonnerre forgot that swearing was no longer a fashionable vice) "they ought to be scouted from society."
"True," replied Lord Baskerville, "I think (hem!) that it would do a great deal of good to society, if (hem!) they were all run up, à la lanterne."
"Ay, hang them—hang them as high as you can see," continued Lord Tonnerre; "rid the land of them any how. There's my father—I wish he had them for once in his hands; there's not a stricter person on earth than my father; he'll suffer no immorality, he'll have no profligacy in the family; but if one of these canting rascals was ever known to cross his door, or to be found on his estates, he'd make short work with him—he'd send him away with marks which the fellow would carry to his grave,—by G— would he. All this comes, however, from the manner in which we pass our Sundays. I hate foreigners and all their d—d ways; but they act more sensibly than we do in regard to Sunday: they let the people amuse themselves after church. It's right to go to church, and all that,—that I'll allow; but I am sure the common people would be much better afterwards with what is fitting for them, quoits, or nine-holes, or cricket, or something to busy them with, instead of going to Methodist meetings, where they turn saints, merely because they have no better amusement; unless, indeed, it be the alehouse."
"And there get drunk," remarked Lady Baskerville; "that would be vastly better, vastly more moral. When you and Baskerville rule the state, things will be much better managed, no doubt." This was said half sneeringly; for Lady Baskerville for some reason was not in very good humour.