`Well, what of that? many a better man than you has lived and died in debt, and they can't put you in prison, you know, because you're a peer.' And I handed him his fourth tumbler.
`But I hate to be in debt!' he shouted. `I wasn't born for it, and I cannot bear it!'
`What can't be cured must be endured,' said I, beginning to mix the fifth.
`And then, I've lost my Caroline,' And he began to snivel then, for the brandy had softened his heart.
`No matter,' I answered, `there are more Carolines in the world than one.'
`There's only one for me,' he replied, with a dolorous sigh. `And if there were fifty more, who's to get them, I wonder, without money?'
`Oh, somebody will take you for your title; and then you've your family estate yet; that's entailed, you know,'
`I wish to God I could sell it to pay my debts,' he muttered.
`And then,' said Grimsby, who had just come in, `you can try again, you know. I would have one more chance if I were you.
I'd never stop here.'
`I won't, I tell you!' shouted he. And he started up and left the room--walking rather unsteadily, for the liquor had got into his head.
He was not so much used to it then, but after that, he took to it kindly to solace his cares.
`He kept his oath about gambling (not a little to the surprise of us all), though Grimsby did his utmost to tempt him to break it: but how he had got hold of another habit that bothered him nearly as much, for he soon discovered that the demon of drink was as black as the demon of play, and nearly as hard to get rid of--especially as his kind friends did all they could to second the promptings of his own insatiable cravings.'
`Then, they were demons themselves,' cried I, unable to contain my indignation. `And you, Mr Huntingdon, it seems, were the first to tempt him.'
`Well, what could we do?' replied he, deprecatingly--`We meant it in kindness--we couldn't bear to see the poor fellow so miserable:--and besides, he was such a damper upon us, sitting there, silent and glum, when he was under the threefold influence of the loss of his sweetheart, the loss of his fortune, and the reaction of the last night's debauch; whereas, when he had something in him, if he was not merry himself, he was an unfailing source of merriment to us. Even Grimsby could chuckle over his odd Sayings: they delighted him far more than my merry jests or Hattersleys riotous mirth. But one evening, when we were sitting over our wine, after one of our club dinners, and had all been hearty together,--Lowborough giving us mad toasts, and heating our wild songs and bearing a hand in the applause, if he did not help us to sing them himself,--he suddenly relapsed into silence, sinking his head on his hand, and never lifting his glass to his lips;--but this was nothing new; so we let him alone, and went on with our jollification, till, suddenly raising his head, he interrupted us in the middle of a roar of laughter by exclaiming,--`Gentlemen, where is all this to end?--Will you just tell me that now?--Where is it all to end?'
`In hell fire,' growled Grimsby.
`You've hit it--I thought so!' cried he. `Well then, I'll tell you what'--he rose, `A speech, a speech!' shouted we. `Hear, hear! Lowborough's going to give us a speech!'
`He waited calmly till the thunders of applause and jingling of glasses had ceased, and then proceeded,--`It`s only this, gentlemen,--that I think we'd letter go no farther.
We'd better stop while we can,'
`Just so!' cried Hattersley--`Stop poor sinner, stop and think Before you farther go, No longer sport upon the brink Of everlasting woe.'
`Exactly!' replied his lordship, with the utmost gravity. `And if you choose to visit the bottomless pit, I won't go with you--we must part company, for I swear I'll not move another step towards it!--What's this?' he said, taking up his glass of wine.
`Taste it,' suggested I.
`This is hell broth!' he exclaimed. `I renounce it for ever!'
And he threw it out into the middle of the table, `Fill again!' said I, handing him the bottle--`and let us drink to your renunciation.'
`Its rank poison,' said he, grasping the bottle by the neck, `and I forswear it! I've given up gambling, and I'll give up this too.' He was on the point of deliberately pouring the whole contents of the bottle on to the table, but Hargrave wrested it from him, `On you be the curse, then!' said he. And backing from the room, he shouted, `Farewell, ye tempters!' and vanished amid shouts of laughter and applause.
`We expected him back among us the next day; but to our surprise, the place remained vacant: we saw nothing of him for a whole week; and we really began to think he was going to keep his word. At last, one evening, when we were most of us as sembled together again, he entered, silent and grim as a ghost, and would have quietly slipped into his usual seat at my elbow, but we all rose to welcome him, and several voices were raised to ask what he would have, and several hands were busy with bottle and glass to serve him; but I knew a smoking tumbler of brandy and water would comfort him best, and had nearly prepared it, when he peevishly pushed it away, saying, `Do let me alone Huntingdon! Do be quiet, all of you! I'm not come to join you: I'm only come to be with you awhile, be cause I can't bear my own thoughts.' And he folded his arms and leant back in his chair; so we let him be. But I left the glass by him; and after a while, Grimsby Bed my attention towards it, by a significant wink; and, on turning my head, I saw it was drained to the bottom. He made a sign to replenish, and quietly pushed up the bottle. I willingly complied; but Lowborough detected the pantomime, and, nettled at the intelligent grins that were passing between us, snatched the glass from my hand, dashed the contents of it in Grimsby's face, threw the empty tumbler at me, and then bolted from the room.'
`I hope he broke your head,' said I.