"Waters!" he at last stammered, feebly accepting my proffered grasp--"who would have thought of meeting you here?"
"Not you, certainly, since you stare at an old friend as if he were some frightful goblin about to swallow you. Really"----
"Hush! Let us speak together in the lobby. An old friend," he added in answer to Mr. Merton's surprised stare. "We will return in an instant."
"Why, what is all this, Waters?" said Cardon, recovering his wonted _sang-froid_ the instant we were alone. "I understood you had retired from amongst us; were in fact--what shall I say?"----
"Ruined--done up! Nobody should know that better than you."
"I imagine nothing, my dear Cardon. I was very thoroughly done--done _brown_, as it is written in the vulgar tongue. But fortunately my kind old uncle"----
"Passgrove is dead!" interrupted my old acquaintance, eagerly jumping to a conclusion, "and you are his heir! I congratulate you, my dear fellow. This is indeed a charming 'reverse of circumstances.'"
"Yes; but mind I have given up the old game. No more dice-devilry for me. I have promised Emily never even to touch a card again."
The cold, hard eye of the incarnate fiend--he was little else--gleamed mockingly as these "good intentions" of a practised gamester fell upon his ear; but he only replied, "Very good; quite right, my dear boy. But come, let me introduce you to Mr. Merton, a highly connected personage I assure you. By the by, Waters," he added in a caressing, confidential tone, "my name, for family and other reasons, which I will hereafter explain to you, is for the present Sandford."
"Yes: do not forget. But _allons_, or the ballet will be over."
I was introduced in due form to Mr. Merton as an old and esteemed friend, whom he--Sandford--had not seen for many months. At the conclusion of the ballet, Sandford proposed that we should adjourn to the European Coffee-house, nearly opposite. This was agreed to, and out we sallied. At the top of the staircase we jostled against the commissioner, who, like us, was leaving the house. He bowed slightly to Mr. Merton's apology, and his eye wandered briefly and coldly over our persons; but not the faintest sign of interest or recognition escaped him. I thought it possible he did not know me in my changed apparel; but looking back after descending a few steps, I was quickly undeceived. A sharp, swift glance, expressive both of encouragement and surprise, shot out from under his penthouse brows, and as swiftly vanished. He did not know how little I needed spurring to the goal we had both in view!