The intended visit of the Dunore family to the ancient and long uninhabited castle of their ancestors was of too general importance to the district and neigh-bourhood, not to excite sensation and awaken interest. Mr. Crawley had made no formal announce of the important circumstance, but the arrival of a maitre d'hotel and a French cook at the castle gave sufficient indication of the event. These chefs du menage were daily followed by squadrons of non-commissioned officers in the capa-/city of footmen, stable grooms, and grooms of the chamber, with light, and heavy baggage, and all the artillery of luxury, comfort, and splendor, which follow in the train of the great, the opulent, and the sumptuous.

The Marchioness of Dunore was all this in its fullest extent; and she now visited the domains of her son (whom she represented) with a, spirit as imperially extravagant, as accompanied the fair autocrat of the north, in her journies to her ancient city of Moscow; the means alone fell short in the ratio of the states of Dunore to the empire of all the Russias. The arrival of her ladyship was, however, to the full, of as much consequence to the inhabitants of the barony, as that of the great Catherine to the expecting Muscovites. The higher ranks looked forward to festivals at the castle, and balls at the court-house, election dinners, and canvassing parties without end. Mothers / turned their eyes on Lord Adelm Fitzadelm; who, as it was reported, would join his mother from the continent. Daughters were not very averse from the same splendid speculation; and with whom Lord Adelm would dance (the member's daughter not being in the country) was a subject of endless discussion.

The lower orders were equally interested in an event, which awakened that train of idle hopes, to which the discontented are always victims.