’Oh laws;—­so he is.  I always put my foot in it.  Well;—­he has lost a lot.  And so have Silverbridge and Tifto.  Perhaps you don’t know Tifto.’

‘I have not the pleasure of knowing Mr Tifto.’

’He is a major.  I think you’d like Major Tifto.  He’s a sort of racing coach to Silverbridge.  You ought to know Tifto.  And Tregear is pretty nearly cleared out.’

‘Mr Tregear!  Mr Frank Tregear!’

’I’m told he has been hit very heavy.  I hope he’s not a friend of yours, Lady Mabel.’

‘Indeed he is;—­a very dear friend and cousin.’

‘That’s what I hear.  He’s very much with Silverbridge you know.’

‘I cannot think that Mr Tregear has lost money.’

’I hope he hasn’t.  I know I have.  I wish someone would stick up for me and say it was impossible.’

’But that is not Mr Tregear’s way of living.  I can understand that Lord Silverbridge or Percival should lose money.’

‘Or me?’

‘Or you, if you like to say so.’

‘Or Tifto?’

‘I don’t know anything about Mr Tifto.’

‘Major Tifto.’

‘Or Major Tifto;—­what does it signify?’

’No;—­of course.  We inferior people may lose our money just as we please.  But a man who can look clever as Mr Tregear ought to win always.’

‘I told you just know that he was a friend of mine.’

‘But don’t you think that he does look clever?’ There could be no question but that Tregear, when he disliked his company, could show his dislike by his countenance; and it was not improbable that he had done so in the presence of Mr Adolphus Longstaff.  ’Now tell the truth, Lady Mabel; does he not look conceited sometimes?’

’He generally looks as if he knew what he was talking about, which is more than some other people do.’

’Of course he is a great deal more clever than I am.  I know that.  But I don’t think even he can be so clever as he looks, “Or you so stupid”, that’s what you ought to say now.’

’Sometimes, Mr Longstaff, I deny myself the pleasure of saying what I think.’

When all this was over she was very angry with herself for the anxiety she had expressed about Tregear.  This Mr Longstaff was, she thought, exactly the man to report all she had said in the public-room at the club.  But she had been annoyed by what she had heard as to her friend.  She knew that he of all men should keep himself free from such follies.  Those others had, as it were, a right to make fools of themselves.  It had seemed so natural that the young men of her own class should dissipate their fortunes and their reputations by every kind of extravagance!  Her father had done so, and she had never even ventured to hope that her brother would not follow her father’s example.  But Tregear, if he gave way to such follies as these, would soon fall headlong into a pit from which there would be no escape.  And if he did fall, she knew herself well enough to be aware