Other one, and justified Darrell in commending a boy like Lionel Haughton to the Colonel's friendly care and admonitory counsels.
The Colonel, like other men, had his weakness, if weakness it can be called: he believed that the House of Vipont was not mere- ly the Corinthian capital, but the embattled keep—not merely the dulce decus, but the prasidium columenque rerum of the British monarchy. He did not boast of his connection with the House; he did not provoke your spleen by enlarging on its manifold virtues; he would often have his harmless jest against its mem- bers or even against its pretensions, but such seeming evidences of forbearance or candor were cunning devices to mitigate envy. His devotion to the House was not obtrusive, it was profound. He loved the House of Vipont for the sake of England, he loved England for the House of Vipont. Had it been possible, by some tremendous reversal of the ordinary laws of nature, to dissociate the cause of England from the cause of the House of Vipont, the Colonel would have said, " Save at least the Ark of the Constitution! and rally round the old House!"
The Colonel had none of Guy Darrell's infirmity of family pride; he cared not a rush for mere pedigrees—much too liberal and enlightened for such obsolete prejudices. No! He knew the world too well not to be quite aware that old family and long pedigrees are of no use to a man if he has not some money or some merit. But it was of use to a man to be a cousin of the House of Vipont, though without any money, without merit at all. It was of use to be part and parcel of a British institution: it was of use to have a legitimate indefeasible right to share in the administration and patronage of an empire, on which (to use a novel illustration) "the sun never sets." You might want noth- ing for yourself—the Colonel and the Marquis equally wanted nothing for themselves; but man is not to be a selfish egotist! Man has cousins—his cousins may want something. Demos- thenes denounces, in words that infiame every manly breast, the ancient Greek who does not love his Polis or State, even though he take nothing from it but barren honor, and contribute toward it—a great many disagreeable taxes. As the Polis to the Greek, was the House of Vipont to Alban Vipont Morley. It was the most beautiful touching affection imaginable! When ever the House was in difficulties—whenever it was threatened by a CRISIS—the Colonel was by its side, sparing no pains, neg- lecting no means, to get the Ark of the Constitution back into smooth water. That duty done, he retired again into private life, and scorned all other reward than the still whisper of ap- plauding conscience.
