Page:Vivian Grey, Volume 1.djvu/151

 equal, and others bending before the noble host, as if paying him adoration, was almost an equal pleasure with that of guzzling his venison pasties, and quaffing his bright wines.

Independent of all these periodical visitors, the house was full of permanent ones. There was the Viscount and Viscountess Courtown, and their three daughters, and Lord and Lady Beaconsfield, and their three sons, and Sir Berdmore and Lady Scrope, and Colonel Delmington of the Guards, and Lady Louisa Manvers, and her daughter Julia. Lady Louisa was the only sister of the Marquess—a widow, proud and pennyless.

To all these distinguished personages, Vivian was introduced by the Marquess as "a monstrous clever young man, and his Lordship's most particular friend"—and then the noble Carabas left the game in his young friend's hands.