And, in truth, his aunt
had plans. She designed his retirement from the Royal Irish Artillery,
and had negociated an immediate berth for him on the Staff of the
Commander of the Forces, and a prospective one in the household of Lord
Townshend; she had another arrangement 'on the anvil' for a seat in
Parliament, which she would accomplish, if that were possible; and
finally a wife. In fact her ladyship had encountered old General
Chattesworth at Scarborough only the autumn before, and they had had, in
that gay resort, a good deal of serious talk (though serious talk with
the good countess never lasted very long), between their cards and other
recreations, the result of which was, that she began to think, with the
good general, that Devereux would be better where one unlucky
misadventure would not sully his reputation for life. Besides, she
thought Chapelizod was not safe ground for a young fellow so eccentric,
perverse, and impetuous, where pretty faces were plentier than good
fortunes, and at every tinkling harpsichord there smiled a possible
_mesalliance_. In the town of Chapelizod itself, indeed, the young
gentleman did not stand quite so high in estimation as with his aunt,
who thought nothing was good or high enough for her handsome nephew,
with his good blood and his fine possibilities.
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