240 THE CECILS
Adam excusing himself had cried out, ' Lord, the woman tempted me.' At this quotation Lady Salisbury, who appeared not to have heard of the incident before, jumped up in her seat, saying, ' Shabby fellow indeed ! '
Her fate was a tragic one. On Thursday, November 26th, 1835, sne travelled to Hatfield to spend Christmas with her son, as was her custom. On the following evening she retired to her dressing-room at five o'clock, and a few minutes later her maid left her writing letters by the light of three candles. She was never seen again. Soon afterwards the household was attracted by the smell of fire and endeavoured to enter the room, but already the flames had attained such a hold that entrance was impossible, and before they were finally extinguished at eleven o'clock at night, the whole of the west wing was burnt out, while of the Dowager Marchioness nothing remained but a few charred bones.
She left one son, the second Marquess, and two daughters, of whom the elder, Lady Georgiana, married Sir Henry Wellesley, afterwards Lord Cowley, a brother of the Duke of Wellington, while the younger, Lady Emily, made a less fortunate marriage with the Marquess of West- meath, from whom she was afterwards separated. The second Marquess of Salisbury had a long and honourable career. On leaving Oxford, he proceeded to stand for Hertford at the General Election of 1812, much to the indignation of Mr. Calvert, who had represented the borough
�� �
