Chapter X.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 152, 8 June 1877, Page 3

Chapter K.

LORD TEMPLE'S FOLLY. Time went on. Time goes on with us all. Lord Temple paid occasional •visits to Danesbury House, his conduct there being all that it ought to be, and Isabel's attachment to him grew deeper and deeper. 'Iheir marriage was not spoken of, even yet, as a speedy event, although they were both some years older than when first engaged, but his affairs did not get straight. Serle and St. George performed prodigies of wonder towards righting them, so the former fissured Lord Temple; but the more they effected the more his lordship spent. Every morning of his life did Lord Temple make a firm resolve that tbe morrow should see him begin a life of reformation, of saving, and every night saw his lordship spending as before. Robert and Lionel Danesbury had been for some time resident in London. Robert's regiment, a foot regiment, was quartered there ; and Lionel, who had done with Mr Pratt, was with an eminent town practitioner, attending lectures and walking the hospitals. William likewise remained in town. At the expiration of his articles the firm bad proposed to Mr Danesburv that he .should continue with them a few additional years, for he was clever in his profession, and of much use to them. William likewise urged it, ' for improvement and to gain experience,' he said ; but the unhappy truth was, that he was unable to tear himself away from the fascinations of a London life. The three young men were in the first blush of manhood ; William more than of age, Lionel approaching it. They were not very frequently together, for their pursuits lay in different spheres, «nd each had a separate lodging. Mr Danesbury was startled at the frequent calls upon his purse, so much more than he had ever bargained for. All were ready with an excuse; Robert's perhaps the most plausible. He urged the expensive mess; the extravagant iabits of his brother officers ; and he must do as they did unless he would like to be sent to Coventry, Mr Danesbury believed that officers must be the greatest spendthrifts on the face of the earth : he made a handsome allowance to Robert, besides his pay, but the allowance and the pay saemed to be swallowed up, no one knew how, and a vast deal beside it. He had left his ensigncy behind him, and was now lieutenant. W r illiam received a good salary from his employers, but could not make it sufficient for his wants. Lionel was furnished with a liberal allowance, but it seemed as nothing to him. Mr Danesbury consulted with Arthur, and grumbled, and wrote lectures to his sons ; but Mrs Danesbury made vary light of it. Young men liked to see life before settling down, she said ; but they would be all the steadier for it in the end. But what was it their London life was teaching them ? Everything that -was bad. Some things they learned need not be given in detail, but the worst habit that can possibly fall upon young men, they had rapidly acquired — to fritter away their hours in idleness, smoking, and drinking. We are speaking now more particularly of ► Robert and Lionel : William's days, till evening, were occupied in his business, therefore idleness could not be charged upon him. Robert's habits had grown bad, as well as alarmingly expensive ; too many families remember now, with a sigh of agony, what were the lives led by the officers quartered in London during the long peace. Vanity, vice, betting, gambling, and — what the history has most to do with — drinking. All three were without control in that -dangerous city ; without a home ; for the furnished lodgings of a young man cannot deserve the name. Lionel's companions were, oi course, chiefly medical students of various ages ; quite as notorious, in their way, as the officers in theirs ; they were dissolute, idle, and irreligious, gentlemen though they called themselves. Robert and Lionel (do not forget that we are not much alluding to William, who was not quite unsteady as his brothers) were not yet in the habit of getting intoxicated — that only happened to them occasionally : but, had they sat down and reflected on the immense quantity of drink they consumed in a day, it might have startled them. Lionel chiefly indulged m porter, medical student fashion; Robert in wine; and spirits came amiss to neither. Drinking begets drinking. Had any one told them they were on the road to become men of habitual inebriation, they would have scoffed at the notion ; yet, had they recalled what had been their daily portion the previous year, and what the year before that, they would have been astonished to find how, with each year, the quantity had augmented. How could it increase ? they would bave asked themselves; they did not seem to take, one day, more than the preceding one. No, they did not seem to do so, taking one day with another, and yet the increase "had been dreadful. Poor lads ! the vice was insinuating itself imperceptibly upon them ; they were thrown into its very midst ; they did not wish, nor intend, to do wrong ; but they were unable to withstand the temptations that beset them, for London teemed then, as it teems now, with incentives to indulge in it.

A cat) was dashing duwn Oxford- ; street :nto Holborn, a well-appointed Ciib, with a coronet on its panels. The refined features of the distinguished looking- driver bore the pale, jaded air, that tells too surely of a dissipated life ; he seamed to urge his horse recklessly. Clearing all impediments, he was about to turn up Red Lion Street, when he cheeked his horse so suddenly that the animal was nearly pulled on his haunches. * Hallo ! Payn !' called out he ; and Sir Hobert Payn, who had been walking along, in a brown study, regarding nobody, turned off the pavement and weat round to the driver's side of the cab. ' I say, Payn,' cried he, • stooping down and speaking in an undertone, ' were you not in St. James's-street the night before last, when I went in V 'Yes,' answered the baronet. ' You had been in the sun : and no mistake.' ' Did I play while you were there V ' Not you. You were too far gone. You couldn't have held the cards. Why V 'It seems I did get playing. And I thought if you had been there, Payn, you might have done me the service to pitch me out at the window, rather than suffer me to make a fool of myself, besides making ducks and drakes of my money.' 'Do you mean to say you did do that ?' 1 Others say it ; and there's no doubt I did.' * Much damage ?' 1 Pretty fair. What time did you leave V ' What time did I leave V pondered Sir Robert. ' Let's see. After that, I looked in at Maggs's, and stopped about three-quarters of an hour, and I was home, and in bed, before four. It must have been getting on for three when I left St. James's-street. Danesbury and Colonel Neeve went out when I did. You were fast asleep on the sofa then.' ' Was Sandlin there ?' 'No, Sandlin was gone. Whitehousp was there, and Georgy Eden : and those were about all, except you and Anketel. There was nothingdoing. Swallowtail was sitting by tho fire-place, and VVhitehouse and Georgy were flinging fbr sovereigns. Are you coming to Sandlin's to-night V ' I don't know. I shall see. Goodday.' The cab sped on, xip Bed Lion- street, towards Bedford Row ; and there it pulled up ai the office oi Serle and St. George. The gentleman threw the reins to his groom, jumped out, went into the house, and opened the door of the front office. 1 Mr Serle in V ' No, my lord. Mr St. George is.' His lordship walked listlessly through the room. The clerks turned their heads after him. Scarcely a youngclerk but gazed with a sigh of envy : his handsome person, bis life of ease, his title, even his aristocratic cab at the door, with its blood horse, all presented, or seemed to present, food for envy. But had the breast of that nobleman been laid bare before them, they might have hesitated to exchange their own position for his, although they did have to scratch away from morning till night with a hard pen at a hard desk. The head clerk left his place, and held open the door of a very small room, the private room of Mr St. George. ' Lord Temple, sir.' Mr St. George rose. He had been sitting before a table covered with parchments and papers. ' Serle' s not in V said Lord Temple, who was not only some years older than when we last saw him, but who looked it. « No,' replied Mr St. George. ' He's gone up west with Mr Danesbury.' ' With Mr Danesbury ! Is he in town V *He came up last night on unexpected business. Is it anything I can do, my lord V ' I can speak to you, as well as Serle ; it's all the same, I daresay,' returned Lord Temple, throwing himself into the client's chuir. ' I want some money raised.' ' Raised again V echoed Mr St. George, wi^h an emphasis, " And I must have it, too,' added Lord Temple. \ 'I fear it will be difficult. The mortgage on the Dacre estate ' j ' I beg your pardon,' interrupted ! Lord Temple. ' [ never go into these business details ; Serle can tell yon so. You and he must manage the practical part, but don't worry me with it. I must have £3000 by the 25th.' Mr St. George looked grave, and at length spoke hesitatingly. ' Lord Temple ' ' Well V 'Will you pardon me if I am frank with you? Mr Serle, I know, smooths matters over, and gives them a pleasant aspect. It is his way. So long as the evil day can be put off he is sure to do it. I should like to be more honest with you.' 'You would like to tell me that my estates are going to the deuce headlong, and the more money I raise, the quicker they'll be there,' said his lordship, good humoured ly. ' That's what you mean, is it not, St. George T • Part of it, my lord.' ' Part of it ! what's the other part f ' I should like to ask how much longer you are going to play with Miss Danesbury,' said, the lawyer, in a low tone, ' if I may dare ask. it V- .

j The colour rushed into the viscount's : face. He bit bis lip. \ ' You will forgive my boldness, Lord Temple, when you remember that her ! mother was my near relative. I have ! long been pained to see your time, j your fortune, your energies thrown away; pained for you, and pained for Miss Danesbury. You ought to give her up.' ' Give her up !' echoed his lordship : 'give her up I Never. She is dearer to me than my own life.' A contemptuous curl, suppressed instantly, rose to Mr St. George's lip. j ' Ts she dearer to you than your follies, my lord V The viscount started from his spat in perturbation, angry, yet consciencestricken. ' You are tho only man who should so speak to me, Mr St. George, But, as you say, you were her mother's relative.' I 'It is time some one should speak,' ' returned Mr St. George. 'Mr Danesbury; buried in the country, unsuspicious as his own honourable nature, believes that your affairs were so inextricably involved at your father's death, that it is taking all this time to get them straight. You know perfectly well they might have been set to rights twice over had you been barely prudent — at least, sufficiently straight to allow of your marriage.' Lord Temple made no answer. ' You also must be aware that each year brings less chance of it being accomplished. Every sum of money you raise, makes the prospect darker • while Mr Danesbury — and no doubt his daughter also — is naturally looking, from one month to another, to receive news that the desired end is gained. -Indeed, Lord Temple, you ought to give up Miss Danesbury.' ' I will not give her up,' was the answer, passionately uttered, ' How dare you suggest; so dishonourable an alternative ?' 'My lord ! Dishonourable ! Whether would it be more honourable frankly to tell Mr Danesbury that your circumstance bar you from marrying, or to waste Miss Danesbury's best years in a useless engagement which will never be fulfilled V His lordship turned his haughty face on Mr St. George. It expressed the very essence of scorn. 'What are you saying, sir? That the engagement will never be fulfilled V Mr St. George met the viscount's anger equably. Ele was a plain-speak-ing, right-minded man, and had less reverance for rank (as rank alone) In his whole body than Mr Serle had in his little finger. It was the senior partner Lord Temple had hitherto consulted. But, now that Mr St. Gtorge had got him face to face, and broken through the official trammels of lawyer and client, the social trammels due to rank, he was determined to speak out his mind. 1 My lord, I am saying nothing that the facts of the case will not justify. How can your engagement ever be fulfilled when you are putting it more and more out of your power to do so '] When you were first engaged to Miss Danesbury, years ago, you were in a better position to marry than you are i now.' ! Lord Temple .could not gainsay it. ' The fact is,' said he, ' I have been led unwittingly into expenses, one after another. But this shall not go on. I shall begin the work of reformation, ' and get things straight.' 'So you said then. I fear you will go on saying it till the end of time, but not acting. It is cruel behaviour towards Miss Danesbury. My lord, 1 must express it : cruel behaviour.' ' I cannot control my circumstances, and convert shillings into pounds,' cried Lord Temple, after an uncomfortable pause. He was provoked at the lawyer's manner, so cool, yet so evidently determined not to quarrel ; he was provoked at his words, because they were true ; and he was provoked at himself. ' But you can control yourself, and spend less,' spoke Mr St. George. ' That, at least, is in your power. Lieutenant Danesbury was at my house the other night, and I gathered a hint of your extravagance by some words dropped by him. He said Lord Temple wa3 "going the pace," even fbr a nobleman.' ' He need not talk,' returned Lord Temple, in a fiery tone. ' There are not many men in this town, noble or simple, who go the pace quicker than Robert Danesbury.' * I believe that is unfortunately true. Mr Danesbury's present visit to town is caused by some unpleasant, extravagance of Robert's, which must be looked into and provided for But Robert Danesbury is not an engaged man.' ' You harp so much upon my beingengaged, peevishly cried Lord Temple.' ' I wish to my heart I was not enffao-ed. T • 1 T -1 1 wish 1 was married. A single man — a man without home ties, as I am, cannot help getting into extravagance, I'll deiy him. 1 am not a tenth part as extravagant as many of my order-.' ' Nor a fortieth part as wealthy to be extravagant upon,' thought the lawyer. ' T know what I should do in the dilemma,' he added aloud. ' I should marry.' 'Marry!' echoed Lord Temple, in consternation. ' I should. I should lay a" statement of facts,, .and say, 'Give me your .; .daughter,. sir^ and save . me from' my

follies, for I cannot save myself. You would spend less,, as a married man, than you are spending now.' : A rush of eager hope lighted Lord Temple's cheek, at the vista thus unexpectedly put before him. It was a way of solving the matter he had never thought of; for he had believed he must be a clear man before he could venture to become a married one. But the colour faded from bis cheek again, faded with reflection. f No, no,' he sadly said, ' how is it likely Mr Danesbury would give her to me, trammelled as I am? I should blush to ask him.' ' You can but try him/ answered Mr St. George. ' I think you should do that, or give her up. She is not looking well, and this uncertainty ,.this continued disappointment, is enough to break the spirit of any woman. "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick," Lord Temple.' ' How do you. know that she is not looking- well V demanded Lord Temple, catching at the words. ' I see that sbe is not. She and her step-mother accompanied Mr Danesbury to town, and they are staying at my house.' 4 You cold, cruel man ! Isabel at hand, and you could quietly keep it to yourself! Is she in now. Do you think she is in now V Lord Temple, in his eagerness, had approached close to the lawyer. His breath was hurried, his lips were apart with excitement. ' 1 cannot understand you,' emphatically cried Mr St. George, as he noticed these signs. ' You are evidently deeply attached to Miss Danesbury, yet you will not relinquish your wild habits to obtain her. But my opinion is, that you and Miss Danesbury should not meet unless things between you can go on more satisfactorily. I tell you, my lord, the engagement ought to cease.'' ' Perhaps you wish to prohibit my calling at your house to see her V haughtily spoke Lord Temple. * Pardon me, my lord. I hope you will never find me guilty of discourtesy ; though -I cannot shut my eyes to what is right and wrong, especially with regard to the interests of Miss Danesbury.' ' If I could marry f murmured his • lordship, ' But it is no use dwelling on it. We could not live upon air.' Mr St. George drew in his lips. 'Do you live upon air now, Lord Temple V *No; of course I don't. But — to bring Isabel to an unsuitable home, a : home unworthy of- her? And you : know that things have come to suoh a pitch that tha estates must be at nurse.' ' I know they must. But a thousand or fifteen hundred a year could be managed out of them.' Lord Temple opened his eyes and mouth. He doubted if he heard aright. ' Marry upon that!' he uttered, ' why it would take as much, nearly, for Isabel's court-dress when she was presented ! She would not go a fright, I can tell you, and" disgrace her own noble beauty, and the coronet of Temple, And there would be the opera-box, and her own carriage and servants, and tbe re-setting of the family diamonds, for they have not been, renovated since the time of my grandmother — besides the general expenses, housekeeping, and that. I don't see that ten thousand a year would go far towards it : and you talk of one !' Mr St. George, though consideraly amused, felt angry, 'We are speaking at cross purposes, Lord Tomple,' he said, taking out his watch, the Jawvers' hint that the conference is up. ' When I spoke of your marrying at once, I thought ol your living retired for a time' as a private gentlemen. I believe I said so. You, it appears, can only contemplate it in accordance with your rank as v peer. I confess that I see no probability of your being enabled to rnrary, as such, either now or later.' Lord Temple ruminated. i I would give all I am worth to have ' her,' he said. ' What is the smallest income I might ask for her upon, without an insult f Mr St. George had grown as stiff as a poker. 'Not any income that I shall suggest, Lord Temple, I have said all I have to say, and it has not found favour with you ; were Ito urge it further, you, might deem that I, as a relative of Miss Danesbury, had a design to thrust her upon you.' ' Now you are stupid,' retorted his lordship. 'I only wish you could thrust her upon me. I should be too thankful. She is far superior to me, St. George.' ' 1 think she is,' was Mr St. George's reply, as he drew up his little figure, and looked fearlessly into the peer's face. ' Although you are my Lord Viscount Temple, and she is only plain Miss Danesbury, daughter of Danesbury, the iron-master, I have longthought that you were not worthy of her. Now you have the truth.' Lord Temple played with his watch- I chain. 'My concern is for her, not for ! myself. If I were put in a first-floor lodging, or a cottage with two rooms, it would be as good to me as a palace, if she were but with me.' ' Then why need you fear for Isabel ?■ She has not- been brought up to the luxuries of high life, and would not miss what she has scarcely been accustomed to.' ' But she would be Lady Temple then.' . , < .And could wait for her honours. However, rdo . as you think best, my Ibri}.' . iyi-'-i

A clerk put in his head — ' Captain Thomson's here, s>ir. He wanted Mr Serle, but he'll see you instead. It's very important, he says,' ' Ask him to wait a minute,' iI am going,' said Lord Temple. ' 1 expect you will enter this as a double conference, for I have kept you an unconscionable time,' he laughed. I have made up my mind to speak to Mr Danesbury. But about that .£3OOO, St. George. You will not forget to tell Serle V 'I will tell him. £3000— it is a large sum. It would have kept your married home for a year or two if this plan be carried out.' ' I suppose it would,' answered Lord Temple, his brow contracting. ' I won't get into ?uch another mess, but this must be provided for.' ' Was it play ?' Lord Temple nodded. ' I thought you had left off play ?' ' You may depend I will leave it off,' fiercely spoke his lorpship. ' They don't catch me losing three thousand pounds again. And I left it off, that's more ; and did not know anything about losing this. I should not have done it, had I been in my senses.' ' I do not understand you,' said Mr St. George. 4 It was the cursed drink,' returned his lordship. ' Still, I do not understand.' 'Why, it was in ,St. James's-street,' explained his lordship, kicking the toe of his boot against -the lender. ' I went in with Anketel, the night before last, three parts gone, for I 'had been drinking wine freely, and I threw myself on a sofa, and to sleep I went. I declare that is all I remember of it. I no more knew tbat I woke up and sat down to play than you did. who were not there ; and the next- morning when Anketel called upon me, he began blowing me up for playing, when I was not in a state to know one card from another. I was thunderstruck; told him it was a hoax ; but he said I should find it no hoax when I came to pay. And I found f had lost £3000, and had given my IO U for it.' ' Are you sure you gave it ? Are you sure they were not hoaxing you, after all V asked Mr St. George. '1 am sure I gave it. For I would not believe Anketel ; and Swallowtail, who holds it, brought it to show me. lt was my own writing, plain enough ; rather shaky, but still mine.' ' Swallowtail — Swallowtail T said Mr St. George. ' Ah, he is much about gambling-houses now, The less you have to do with him, the better.' ' I don't like him myself; he is as keen as a razor. He is a lawyer, isn't he?' • •' He was,' replied Mr St. George, emphasising the second word, ' but his practice grew too sharp, and he was struck off the rolls.' ' Oh, that's it, is it,' carelessly replied Lord Temple. 'He has something to do with the establishment in St. James's-street, I think, for he is always there.' v Too much to do with it,' muttered tho lawyer. < Was it this man who won your money V ' I suppose so, or, non-compcs, as I was, I should hardly have given him an acknowledgement. I have no more recollection of the transaction myself than the child unborn,' ' But you must surely remember the the fact of playing, if you do not remember the details. And you could not give an acknowledgment in your own handwriting without retaining some consciousness of it.' ' I assure you I am totally oblivious of the evening- altogether. I have a faint recollection of going into the house, and of seeing Sandlin and Sir Robert Payn, and then, I think, somebody gave me some brandy and water, and I lay down on the sola to sleep. I have no farther recollection of anything, till I woke up next day in my own bed.' ' It is very strange,' exclaimed Mr St. George.' ' So it is,' said his lordship ; ' but it's true.' ' Who was in the room when you played V ' Plow am Ito know? I met Payn just now, and he says he left about three o'clock, with Colonel Neeve and Robert Danesbury. That I was on the sofa then, with no play in me, and Whitehouse and Eden were tossing- for soys. I asked Anketel yesterday, how on earth he could suffer me io play when in such a state, and he swore I woke up and would play, and that there was no preventing me.' ' I don't like Anketel,' observed Mr St. George. ' Uh, he's a good fellow enough, in the main : always afc one's heck and call. Well, I don't get into such another pit. Tell Serle tlie money must be ready by the 25th, for that is the day I have promised it. Good morning, St. George.' Lord Temple ascended to his cab, took the reins from his groom, touched hia horse, and was whirled away towards Hyd'i Park Gardens, where Mr St. George's residence was situated. (To be continued.)