After the dinner she went home alone. There were other festivities to be attended, had she pleased to attend them; and poor Miss Cassewary was dressed ready to go with her as chaperone;--but Miss Cassewary was quite satisfied to be allowed to go to bed in lieu of Mrs. Montacute Jones's great ball. And she had gone to her bedroom when Lady Mabel went to her. "I am glad you are alone," she said, "because I want to speak to you."
"Everything is wrong. Papa says he must give up this house."
"He says that almost always when he comes back from the races, and very often when he comes back from the club."
"I don't think my Lord will hamper himself for your brother."
"I can't explain it, but there is some horrible money complication. It is hard upon you and me."
"About the dearest friend that ever a poor girl had. It is hard upon you,--and upon me. I have given up everything,--and what good have I done?"
"But after all I do not care much for all that. The thing has been going on so long that one is used to it."
"Ah;--yes;--what is it? How am I to tell you?"
"Surely you can tell me," said the old woman, putting out her hand so as to caress the arm of the younger one.
"I could tell no one else; I am sure of that. Frank Tregear has taken to gambling,--like the rest of them."
"He has lost a lot of money at these races. A man who sat next me at dinner,--one of those stupid do-nothing fools that one meets everywhere,--told me so. He is one of the Beargarden set, and of course he knows all about it."
"How is he to pay anything? Of all things that men do this is the worst. A man who would think himself disgraced for ever if he accepted a present of money will not scruple to use all his wits to rob his friend of everything that he has by studying the run of cards or by watching the paces of some brutes of horses! And they consider themselves to be fine gentlemen! A real gentleman should never want the money out of another man's pocket;--should never think of money at all."
"I don't know how that is to be helped, my dear. You have got to think of money."
"Yes; I have to think of it, and do think of it; and because I do so I am not what I call a gentleman."
"Psha! you know what I mean. I might have had the feelings of a gentleman as well as the best man that ever was born. I haven't; but I have never done anything so mean as gambling. Now I have got something else to tell you."