第54章

'That is absurd,--and unmanly,' said the Duke. The expression of sorrow, as it had been made, might be absurd and unmanly, but nevertheless it had touched him. He was severe because he did not know how far his severity wounded. 'It is a great blow,--another great blow! Races! A congregation of all the worst blackguards in the country mixed up with the greatest fools.'

'Lord Cantrip was there,' said Silverbridge; 'and I say Sir Timothy Beeswax.'

'If the presence of Sir Timothy be an allurement to you I pity you indeed. I have nothing further to say about it. You have ruined your brother.' He had been driven to further anger by this reference to one man whom he respected and to another whom he despised.

'Don't say that, sir.'

'What am I to say?'

'Let him be an attache, or something of that sort.'

'Do you believe it possible that he should pass any examination? I think that my children between them will bring me to my grave. You had better go now. I suppose you will want to be--at the races again?' Then the young man crept out of the room, and going to his own part of the house shut himself up alone for nearly an hour. What had he better do to give his father some comfort?

Should he abandon racing altogether, sell his share of Prime Minister and Coalition, and go in hard and strong for committees, debates, and divisions? Should he get rid of his drag, and resolve to read up on Parliamentary literature? He was resolved upon one thing at any rate. He would not go to the Oaks that day. And then he was resolved on another thing. He would call on Lady Mab Grex and ask her advice. He felt so disconsolate and insufficient for himself that he wanted advice from someone whom he could trust.

He found Tifto, Dolly Longstaff, and one or two others at the stables, from whence it was intended that the drag should start.

They were waiting, and rather angry because they had been kept waiting. But the news, when it came, was very sad indeed. 'You wouldn't mind taking the team down and back yourself; would you, Dolly?' he said to Longstaff.

'You aren't going!' said Dolly, assuming a look of much heroic horror.

'No;--I am not going today.'

'What's up?' asked Popplecourt.

'That's rather sudden, isn't it?' asked the Major.

'Well; yes. I suppose it is sudden.'

'It's throwing us over a little, isn't it?'

'Not that I see. You've got the trap and the horses.'

'Yes;--we've got the trap and the horses,' said Dolly, 'and I vote we make a start.'

'As you are not going yourself, perhaps I'd better drive your horses,' said Tifto.

'Dolly will take the team,' said his Lordship.

'Yes;--decidedly. I will take the team,' said Dolly. 'There isn't a deal of driving wanted on the road to Epsom, but a man should know how to hold his reins.' This of course gave rise to some angry words, but Silverbridge did not stop to hear them.

The poor Duke had no one to whom he could go for advice and consolation. When his son left him he turned to his newspaper, and tried to read it--in vain. His mind was too ill at ease to admit of political matters. He was greatly grieved by this new misfortune to Gerald, and by Lord Silverbridge's propensity to racing.

But though his sorrows were heavy, there was a sorrow heavier than these. Lady Cantrip had expressed an opinion almost in favour of Tregear--and had certainly expressed an opinion in favour of Mrs Finn. The whole affair in regard to Mrs Finn had been explained to her, and she had told the Duke that, according to her thinking, Mrs Finn had behaved well! When the Duke, with an energy which was by no means customary with him, had asked the question, on the answer to which so much depended, 'Should there have been a moment lost?' Lady Cantrip had assured him that not a moment had been lost. Mrs Finn had at once gone to work, and had arranged that the whole affair should be told to him, the Duke, in the proper way.

'I think she did,' said Lady Cantrip, 'what I myself should have done in the circumstances.'

If Lady Cantrip was right, then must his apology to Mrs Finn be ample, and abject. Perhaps it was this feeling which was at the moment most vexatious to him.