“Oh, nothing as yet, you know.”

“Haven’t you seen her?”

“Yes, I’ve seen her, of course.  I’m not the fellow to let the grass grow under my feet.  I’ve only just come from her house.”

“Well, well?”

“That’s nothing much to tell the first day, you know.”

“Did you let her know you were there?  That’s the chat.  Damme, did you let her know you were there?”

In answer to this Archie attempted to explain that he was not as yet quite sure that he had been successful in that particular; but in the middle of his story Captain Doodles was called off to exercise his skill again, and on this occasion to pick up two shillings.  “I’m sorry for you, Griggs,” he said, as a very young lieutenant, whose last life he had taken, put up his cue with a look of ineffable disgust, and whose shilling Doodles had pocketed; “I’m sorry for you, very; but a fellow must play the game, you know.”  Whereupon Griggs walked out of the room with a gait that seemed to show that he had his own ideas upon that matter, though he did not choose to divulge them.  Doodles instantly returned to his friend.  “With cattle of that kind it’s no use trying the waiting dodge,” said he.  “You should make your running at once, and trust to bottom to carry you through.”

“But there was a horrid little Frenchwoman came in!”

“What; a servant?”

“No; a friend.  Such a creature!  You should have heard her talk.  A kind of confidential friend she seemed, who called her Julie.  I had to go away and leave her there, of course.”

“Ah! you’ll have to tip that woman.”

“What, with money?”

“I shouldn’t wonder.”

“It would come very expensive.”

“A tenner now and then, you know.  She would do your business for you.  Give her a brooch first, and then offer to lend her the money.  You’d find she’ll rise fast enough, if you’re any hand for throwing a fly.”

“Oh!  I could do it, you know.”

“Do it then, and let ’em both know that you’re there.  Yes, Parkyns, I’ll divide.  And, Clavvy, you can come in now in Griggs’ place.”  Then Captain Clavering stripped himself for the battle.

Chapter XXI

The Blue Posts

“Oh; so you’ve come to see me.  I am so glad.”  With these words Sophie Gordeloup welcomed Harry Clavering to her room in Mount Street early one morning not long after her interview with Captain Archie in Lady Ongar’s presence.  On the previous evening Harry had received a note from Lady Ongar, in which she upbraided him for having left unperformed her commission with reference to Count Pateroff.  The letter had begun quite abruptly.  “I think it unkind of you that you do not come to me.  I asked you, to see a certain person on my behalf, and you have not done so.  Twice he has been here.  Once I was in truth out.  He came again the next evening at nine, and I was then ill, and had gone to bed.  You understand it all, and must know how this annoys me.  I thought you would have done this for me, and I thought I should have seen you.—­J.”