’For anything they may fetch so that we may get clear of this dirt.  And the Major?’

‘I know nothing of him.  I have not seen him since that day.’

‘Has he claims on you?’

‘Not a shilling.  It is all the other way.’

’Let it go then.  Be quit of him, however it may be.  Send a messenger so that he may understand that you have abandoned racing altogether.  Mr Moreton might perhaps see him.’

That his father should forgive so readily and yet himself suffer so deeply, affected the son’s feelings so strongly that for a time he could hardly repress his sobs.  ’And now there shall not be a word more said about it,’ said the Duke suddenly.

Silverbridge in his confusion could make no answer.

‘There shall not be another word said about it,’ said the Duke again.  ‘And now what do you mean to do with yourself immediately?’

’I’ll stay here, sir, as long as you do.  Finn and Warburton, and I have still a few covers to shoot.’

‘That’s a good reason for staying anywhere.’

‘I meant that I would remain while you remained, sir.’

’That at any rate is a good reason, as far as I am concerned.  But we go to Custins next week.’

‘There’s a deal of shooting to be done at Gatherum,’ said the heir.

’You speak of it as the business of your life,—­on which your bread depended.’

‘One can’t expect game to be kept up if nobody goes to shoot it.’

’Can’t one?  I didn’t know.  I should have thought that the less was shot the more there would be to shoot; but I am ignorant in such matters.’  Silverbridge then broke forth into a long explanation as to coverts, gamekeepers, poachers, breeding, and the expectations of the neighbourhood at large, in the middle of which he was interrupted by the Duke.  ’I am afraid, my dear boy, that I am too old to learn.  But as it is so manifestly a duty, go and perform it like a man.  Who will go with you?’

‘I will ask Mr Finn to be one.’

‘He will be very hard on you in the way of politics.’

’I can answer him better than I can you, sir.  Mr Lupton said he would come for a day or two.  He’ll stand to me.’

After that his father stopped him as he was about to leave the room.  ’One more word, Silverbridge.  Do you remember what you were saying when you walked down to the House with me from your club that night?’ Silverbridge remembered very well what he had said.  He had undertaken to ask Mabel Grex to be his wife, and had received his father’s ready approval to the proposition.  But at this moment he was unwilling to refer to the matter.  ’I have thought about it very much since that,’ said the Duke.  ’I may say that I have been thinking of it every day.  If there were anything to tell me, you would let me know;—­would you not?’

‘Yes, sir.’

’Then there is nothing to be told?  I hope you have not changed your mind.’