CHAPTER XXIV.
MILES GRENDALL'S TRIUMPH.
Sir Felix as he walked down to his club felt that he had beencheckmated,--and was at the same time full of wrath at the insolenceof the man who had so easily beaten him out of the field. As faras he could see, the game was over. No doubt he might marry MarieMelmotte. The father had told him so much himself, and he perfectlybelieved the truth of that oath which Marie had sworn. He did notdoubt but that she'd stick to him close enough. She was in love withhim, which was natural; and was a fool,--which was perhaps alsonatural. But romance was not the game which he was playing. Peopletold him that when girls succeeded in marrying without their parents'consent, fathers were always constrained to forgive them at last.That might be the case with ordinary fathers. But Melmotte wasdecidedly not an ordinary father. He was,--so Sir Felix declared tohimself,--perhaps the greatest brute ever created. Sir Felix couldnot but remember that elevation of the eyebrows, and the brazenforehead, and the hard mouth. He had found himself quite unable tostand up against Melmotte, and now he cursed and swore at the man ashe was carried down to the Beargarden in a cab.
But what should he do? Should he abandon Marie Melmotte altogether,never go to Grosvenor Square again, and drop the whole family,including the Great Mexican Railway? Then an idea occurred to him.Nidderdale had explained to him the result of his application forshares. "You see we haven't bought any and therefore can't sell any.There seems to be something in that. I shall explain it all to mygovernor, and get him to go a thou' or two. If he sees his way to getthe money back, he'd do that and let me have the difference." On thatSunday afternoon Sir Felix thought over all this. "Why shouldn't he'go a thou,' and get the difference?" He made a mental calculation.L12 10_s._ per L100! L125 for a thousand! and all paid in readymoney. As far as Sir Felix could understand, directly the oneoperation had been perfected the thousand pounds would be availablefor another. As he looked into it with all his intelligence hethought that he began to perceive that that was the way in which theMelmottes of the world made their money. There was but one objection.He had not got the entire thousand pounds. But luck had been on thewhole very good to him. He had more than the half of it in realmoney, lying at a bank in the city at which he had opened an account.And he had very much more than the remainder in I. O. U.'s fromDolly Longestaffe and Miles Grendall. In fact if every man had hisown,--and his bosom glowed with indignation as he reflected on theinjustice with which he was kept out of his own,--he could go intothe city and take up his shares to-morrow, and still have ready moneyat his command. If he could do this, would not such conduct on hispart be the best refutation of that charge of not having any fortunewhich Melmotte had brought against him? He would endeavour to workthe money out of Dolly Longestaffe;--and he entertained an idea thatthough it would be impossible to get cash from Miles Grendall, hemight use his claim against Miles in the city. Miles was Secretary tothe Board, and might perhaps contrive that the money required for theshares should not be all ready money. Sir Felix was not very clearabout it, but thought that he might possibly in this way use theindebtedness of Miles Grendall. "How I do hate a fellow who does notpay up," he said to himself as he sat alone in his club, waiting forsome friend to come in. And he formed in his head Draconic laws whichhe would fain have executed upon men who lost money at play and didnot pay. "How the deuce fellows can look one in the face, is what Ican't understand," he said to himself.
He thought over this great stroke of exhibiting himself to Melmotteas a capitalist till he gave up his idea of abandoning his suit.So he wrote a note to Marie Melmotte in accordance with herinstructions.
DEAR M.,
Your father cut up very rough,--about money. Perhaps you had better see him yourself; or would your mother?
Yours always,
F.
This, as directed, he put under cover to Madame Didon,--GrosvenorSquare, and posted at the club. He had put nothing at any rate in theletter which could commit him.
There was generally on Sundays a house dinner, so called, at eighto'clock. Five or six men would sit down, and would always gambleafterwards. On this occasion Dolly Longestaffe sauntered in at aboutseven in quest of sherry and bitters, and Felix found the opportunitya good one to speak of his money. "You couldn't cash your I. O. U.'sfor me to-morrow;--could you?"
"To-morrow! oh, lord!"
"I'll tell you why. You know I'd tell you anything because I think weare really friends. I'm after that daughter of Melmotte's."
"I'm told you're to have her."
"I don't know about that. I mean to try at any rate. I've gone in youknow for that Board in the city."
"I don't know anything about Boards, my boy."
"Yes, you do, Dolly. You remember that American fellow, Montague'sfriend, that was here one night and won all our money."
"The chap that had the waistcoat, and went away in the morning toCalifornia. Fancy starting to California after a hard night. I alwayswondered whether he got there alive."
"Well;--I can't explain to you all about it, because you hate thosekinds of things."
"And because I am such a fool."
"I don't think you're a fool at all, but it would take a week. Butit's absolutely essential for me to take up a lot of shares in thecity to-morrow;--or perhaps Wednesday might do. I'm bound to payfor them, and old Melmotte will think that I'm utterly hard up ifI don't. Indeed he said as much, and the only objection about meand this girl of his is as to money. Can't you understand, now, howimportant it may be?"
"It's always important to have a lot of money. I know that."
"I shouldn't have gone in for this kind of thing if I hadn't thoughtI was sure. You know how much you owe me, don't you?"
"Not in the least."
"It's about eleven hundred pounds!"
"I shouldn't wonder."
"And Miles Grendall owes me two thousand. Grasslough and Nidderdalewhen they lose always pay with Miles's I. O. U.'s."
"So should I, if I had them."
"It'll come to that soon that there won't be any other stuff going,and they really ain't worth anything. I don't see what's the use ofplaying when this rubbish is shoved about the table. As for Grendallhimself, he has no feeling about it."
"Not the least, I should say."
"You'll try and get me the money, won't you, Dolly?"
"Melmotte has been at me twice. He wants me to agree to sellsomething. He's an old thief, and of course he means to rob me. Youmay tell him that if he'll let me have the money in the way I'veproposed, you are to have a thousand pounds out of it. I don't knowany other way."
"You could write me that,--in a business sort of way."
"I couldn't do that, Carbury. What's the use? I never write anyletters. I can't do it. You tell him that; and if the sale comes off,I'll make it straight."
Miles Grendall also dined there, and after dinner, in thesmoking-room, Sir Felix tried to do a little business with theSecretary. He began his operations with unusual courtesy, believingthat the man must have some influence with the great distributor ofshares. "I'm going to take up my shares in that company," said SirFelix.
"Ah;--indeed." And Miles enveloped himself from head to foot insmoke.
"I didn't quite understand about it, but Nidderdale saw Melmotte andhe has explained it. I think I shall go in for a couple of thousandon Wednesday."
"Oh;--ah."
"It will be the proper thing to do;--won't it?"
"Very good--thing to do!" Miles Grendall smoked harder and harder asthe suggestions were made to him.
"Is it always ready money?"
"Always ready money," said Miles shaking his head, as though inreprobation of so abominable an institution.
"I suppose they allow some time to their own Directors, if a deposit,say 50 per cent., is made for the shares?"
"They'll give you half the number, which would come to the samething."
Sir Felix turned this over in his mind, but let him look at it as hewould, could not see the tr
uth of his companion's remark. "You knowI should want to sell again,--for the rise."
"Oh; you'll want to sell again."
"And therefore I must have the full number."
"You could sell half the number, you know," said Miles.
"I'm determined to begin with ten shares;--that's L1,000. Well;--Ihave got the money, but I don't want to draw out so much. Couldn'tyou manage for me that I should get them on paying 50 per cent.down?"
"Melmotte does all that himself."
"You could explain, you know, that you are a little short in your ownpayments to me." This Sir Felix said, thinking it to be a delicatemode of introducing his claim upon the Secretary.
"That's private," said Miles frowning.
"Of course it's private; but if you would pay me the money I couldbuy the shares with it, though they are public."
"I don't think we could mix the two things together, Carbury."
"You can't help me?"
"Not in that way."
"Then, when the deuce will you pay me what you owe me?" Sir Felix wasdriven to this plain expression of his demand by the impassibility ofhis debtor. Here was a man who did not pay his debts of honour, whodid not even propose any arrangement for paying them, and who yethad the impudence to talk of not mixing up private matters withaffairs of business! It made the young baronet very sick. MilesGrendall smoked on in silence. There was a difficulty in answering thequestion, and he therefore made no answer. "Do you know how much youowe me?" continued the baronet, determined to persist now that he hadcommenced the attack. There was a little crowd of other men in theroom, and the conversation about the shares had been commenced inan under-tone. These two last questions Sir Felix had asked in awhisper, but his countenance showed plainly that he was speaking inanger.
"Of course I know," said Miles.
"Well?"
"I'm not going to talk about it here."
"Not going to talk about it here?"
"No. This is a public room."
"I am going to talk about it," said Sir Felix, raising his voice.
"Will any fellow come up-stairs and play a game of billiards?" saidMiles Grendall rising from his chair. Then he walked slowly out ofthe room, leaving Sir Felix to take what revenge he pleased. For amoment Sir Felix thought that he would expose the transaction to thewhole room; but he was afraid, thinking that Miles Grendall was amore popular man than himself.
It was Sunday night; but not the less were the gamblers assembled inthe card-room at about eleven. Dolly Longestaffe was there, and withhim the two lords, and Sir Felix, and Miles Grendall of course, and,I regret to say, a much better man than any of them, Paul Montague.Sir Felix had doubted much as to the propriety of joining the party.What was the use of playing with a man who seemed by general consentto be liberated from any obligation to pay? But then if he did notplay with him, where should he find another gambling table? Theybegan with whist, but soon laid that aside and devoted themselves toloo. The least respected man in that confraternity was Grendall, andyet it was in compliance with the persistency of his suggestion thatthey gave up the nobler game. "Let's stick to whist; I like cuttingout," said Grasslough. "It's much more jolly having nothing to do nowand then; one can always bet," said Dolly shortly afterwards. "I hateloo," said Sir Felix in answer to a third application. "I like whistbest," said Nidderdale, "but I'll play anything anybody likes;--pitchand toss if you please." But Miles Grendall had his way, and loo wasthe game.
At about two o'clock Grendall was the only winner. The play had notbeen very high, but nevertheless he had won largely. Whenever alarge pool had collected itself he swept it into his garners. Themen opposed to him hardly grudged him this stroke of luck. He hadhitherto been unlucky; and they were able to pay him with his ownpaper, which was so valueless that they parted with it without apang. Even Dolly Longestaffe seemed to have a supply of it. The onlyman there not so furnished was Montague, and while the sums won werequite small he was allowed to pay with cash. But to Sir Felix it wasfrightful to see ready money going over to Miles Grendall, as underno circumstances could it be got back from him. "Montague," he said,"just change these for the time. I'll take them back, if you stillhave them when we've done." And he handed a lot of Miles's paperacross the table. The result of course would be that Felix wouldreceive so much real money, and that Miles would get back more of hisown worthless paper. To Montague it would make no difference, and hedid as he was asked;--or rather was preparing to do so, when Milesinterfered. On what principle of justice could Sir Felix come betweenhim and another man? "I don't understand this kind of thing," hesaid. "When I win from you, Carbury, I'll take my I. O. U.'s, as longas you have any."
"By George, that's kind."
"But I won't have them handed about the table to be changed."
"Pay them yourself, then," said Sir Felix, laying a handful down onthe table.
"Don't let's have a row," said Lord Nidderdale.
"Carbury is always making a row," said Grasslough.
"Of course he is," said Miles Grendall.
"I don't make more row than anybody else; but I do say that as wehave such a lot of these things, and as we all know that we don't getcash for them as we want it, Grendall shouldn't take money and walkoff with it."
"Who is walking off?" said Miles.
"And why should you be entitled to Montague's money more than any ofus?" asked Grasslough.
The matter was debated, and was thus decided. It was not to beallowed that Miles's paper should be negotiated at the table inthe manner that Sir Felix had attempted to adopt. But Mr. Grendallpledged his honour that when they broke up the party he would applyany money that he might have won to the redemption of his I. O. U.'s,paying a regular percentage to the holders of them. The decisionmade Sir Felix very cross. He knew that their condition at six orseven in the morning would not be favourable to such commercialaccuracy,--which indeed would require an accountant to effect it; andhe felt sure that Miles, if still a winner, would in truth walk offwith the ready money.
For a considerable time he did not speak, and became very moderate inhis play, tossing his cards about, almost always losing, but losinga minimum, and watching the board. He was sitting next to Grendall,and he thought that he observed that his neighbour moved his chairfarther and farther away from him, and nearer to Dolly Longestaffe,who was next to him on the other side. This went on for an hour,during which Grendall still won,--and won heavily from Paul Montague."I never saw a fellow have such a run of luck in my life," saidGrasslough. "You've had two trumps dealt to you every hand almostsince we began!"
"Ever so many hands I haven't played at all," said Miles.
"You've always won when I've played," said Dolly. "I've been looedevery time."
"You oughtn't to begrudge me one run of luck, when I've lostso much," said Miles, who, since he began, had destroyed papercounters of his own making, supposed to represent considerably aboveL1,000, and had also,--which was of infinitely greater concern tohim,--received an amount of ready money which was quite a godsend tohim.
"What's the good of talking about it?" said Nidderdale. "I hate allthis row about winning and losing. Let's go on, or go to bed." Theidea of going to bed was absurd. So they went on. Sir Felix, however,hardly spoke at all, played very little, and watched Miles Grendallwithout seeming to watch him. At last he felt certain that he sawa card go into the man's sleeve, and remembered at the moment thatthe winner had owed his success to a continued run of aces. He wastempted to rush at once upon the player, and catch the card on hisperson. But he feared. Grendall was a big man; and where would he beif there should be no card there? And then, in the scramble, therewould certainly be at any rate a doubt. And he knew that the menaround him would be most unwilling to believe such an accusation.Grasslough was Grendall's friend, and Nidderdale and DollyLongestaffe would infinitely rather be cheated than suspect any oneof their own set of cheating them. He feared both the violence ofthe man he should accuse, and also the impassive good humour of theothers. He let t
hat opportunity pass by, again watched, and again sawthe card abstracted. Thrice he saw it, till it was wonderful to himthat others also should not see it. As often as the deal came round,the man did it. Felix watched more closely, and was certain that ineach round the man had an ace at least once. It seemed to him thatnothing could be easier. At last he pleaded a headache, got up, andwent away, leaving the others playing. He had lost nearly a thousandpounds, but it had been all in paper. "There's something the matterwith that fellow," said Grasslough.
"There's always something the matter with him, I think," said Miles."He is so awfully greedy about his money." Miles had become somewhattriumphant in his success.
"The less said about that, Grendall, the better," said Nidderdale."We have put up with a good deal, you know, and he has put up withas much as anybody." Miles was cowed at once, and went on dealingwithout manoeuvring a card on that hand.