We fund our winnings, and consider to refund, a work of
supererogation--In looking after my father, I obey the old adage,
"Follow your nose."
As soon as we were in the street, I commenced an inquiry as to the
Major's motives. "Not one word, my dear fellow, until we are at home,"
replied he. As soon as we arrived, he threw himself in a chair, and
crossing his legs, commenced: "You observe, Newland, that I am very
careful that you should do nothing to injure your character. As for my
own, all the honesty in the world will not redeem it; nothing but a
peerage will ever set me right again in this world, and a coronet will
cover a multitude of sins. I have thought it my duty to add something to
our finances, and intend to add very considerably to them before we
leave Cheltenham. You have won one hundred and twenty-eight pounds."
"Yes," replied I; "but you have lost it."
"Granted; but, as in most cases, I never mean _to pay_ my losses, you
see that it must be a winning speculation as long as we play against
each other."
"I perceive," replied I; "but am not I a confederate?"
"No; you paid when you lost, and took your money when you won. Leave me
to settle my own debts of honour."
"But you will meet him again to-morrow night."
"Yes, and I will tell you why. I never thought it possible that we could
have met two such bad players at the club. We must now play against
them, and we must win in the long run: by which means I shall pay off
the debt I owe him, and you will win and pocket money."
"Ah," replied I, "if you mean to allow him a chance for his money, I
have no objection--that will be all fair."
"Depend upon it, Newland, when I know that people play as badly as they
do, I will not refuse them; but when we sit down with others, it must be
as it was before--we must play against each other, and I shall owe the
money. I told the fellow that I never would pay him."
"Yes; but he thought you were only joking."
"That is his fault--I was in earnest. I could not have managed this had
it not been that you are known to be a young man of ten thousand pounds
per annum, and supposed to be my dupe. I tell you so candidly; and now
good-night."
I turned the affair over in my mind as I undressed--it was not
honest--but I paid when I lost, and I only took the money when I
won,--still I did not like it; but the bank notes caught my eye as they
lay on the table, and--I was satisfied. Alas! how easy are scruples
removed when we want money! How many are there who, when in a state of
prosperity and affluence, when not tried by temptation, would have
blushed at the bare idea of a dishonest action, have raised and held up
their hands in abhorrence, when they have heard that others have been
found guilty; and yet, when in adversity, have themselves committed the
very acts which before they so loudly condemned! How many of the other
sex, who have expressed their indignation and contempt at those who have
fallen, when tempted, have fallen themselves! Let us therefore be
charitable; none of us can tell to what we may be reduced by
circumstances; and when we acknowledge that the error is great, let us
feel sorrow and pity rather than indignation, and pray that we also may
not be "_led into temptation_"
As agreed upon, the next evening we repaired to the club, and found the
two gentlemen ready to receive us. This time the Major refused to play
unless it was with me, as I had such good fortune, and no difficulty was
made by our opponents. We sat down and played till four o'clock in the
morning. At first, notwithstanding our good play, fortune favoured our
adversaries; but the luck soon changed, and the result of the evening
was, that the Major had a balance in his favour of forty pounds, and I
rose a winner of one hundred and seventy-one pounds, so that in two
nights we had won three hundred and forty-two pounds. For nearly three
weeks this continued, the Major not paying when not convenient, and we
quitted Cheltenham with about eight hundred pounds in our pockets; the
Major having paid about one hundred and twenty pounds to different
people who frequented the club; but they were Irishmen, who were not to
be trifled with. I proposed to the Major that we should pay those debts,
as there still would be a large surplus: he replied, "Give me the
money." I did so. "Now," continued he, "so far your scruples are
removed, as you will have been strictly honest; but, my dear fellow, if
you know how many debts of this sort are due to me, of which I never did
touch one farthing, you would feel as I do--that it is excessively
foolish to _part with money_. I have them all booked here, and may some
day pay--when convenient; but, at present, most decidedly it is not so."
The Major put the notes into his pocket, and the conversation was
dropped.
The next morning we had ordered our horses, when Timothy came up to me,
and made a sign, as we were at breakfast, for me to come out. I followed
him.
"Oh! sir, I could not help telling you, but there is a gentleman with--"
"With what?" replied I, hastily.
"With your nose, sir, exactly--and in other respects very like you--just
about the age your father should be."
"Where is he, Timothy?" replied I, all my feelings in 'search of my
father,' rushing into my mind.
"Down below, sir, about to set off in a post-chaise and four, now waiting
at the door."
I ran down with my breakfast napkin in my hand, and hastened to the
portico of the hotel--he was in his carriage, and the porter was then
shutting the door. I looked at him. He was, as Timothy said, _very like_
me indeed, the _nose_ exact. I was breathless, and I continued to gaze.
"All right," cried the ostler.
"I beg your pardon, sir,--" said I, addressing the gentleman in the
carriage, who perceiving a napkin in my hand, probably took me for one
of the waiters, for he replied very abruptly, 'I have remembered you;'
and pulling up the glass, away whirled the chariot, the nave of the hind
wheel striking me a blow on the thigh which numbed it so, that it was
with difficulty I could limp up to our apartments, when I threw myself
on the sofa in a state of madness and despair.
"Good heavens, Newland, what is the matter?" cried the Major.
"Matter," replied I, faintly. "I have seen my father."
"Your father, Newland? you must be mad. He was dead before you could
recollect him--at least so you told me. How then, even if it were his
ghost, could you have recognised him?"
The Major's remarks reminded me of the imprudence I had been guilty of.
"Major," replied I, "I believe I am very absurd; but he was so like me,
and I have so often longed after my father, so long wished to see him
face to face--that--that--I'm a great fool, that's the fact."
"You must go to the next world, my good fellow, to meet him face to
face, that's clear; and I presume, upon a little consideration, you will
feel inclined to postpone your journey. Very often in your sleep I have
heard you talk about your father, and wondered why you should think so
much about him."
"I cannot help it," replied I. "From my earliest days my father has ever
been in my thoughts."
"I can only say, that very few sons are half so dutiful to their
fathers' memories--but finish your breakfast, and then we start for
London."
I complied with his request as well as I could, and we were soon on our
road. I fell into a reverie--my object was to again find out this
person, and I quietly directed Timothy to ascertain from the post-boys
the directions he gave at the last stage. The Major perceiving me not
inclined to talk, made but few observations; one, however struck me.
"Windermear," said he, "I recollect one day, when I was praising you,
said carelessly, 'that you were a fine young man, but a _little tête
montée_ upon one point.' I see now it must have been upon this." I made
no reply, but it certainly was a strange circumstance that the Major
never had any suspicions on this point--yet he certainly never had. We
had once or twice talked over my affairs. I had led him to suppose that
my father and mother died in my infancy, and that I should have had a
large fortune when I came of age; but this had been entirely by indirect
replies, not by positive assertions; the fact was, that the Major, who
was an adept in all deceit, never had an idea that he could have been
deceived by one so young, so prepossessing, and apparently so ingenuous
as myself. He had, in fact, deceived himself. His ideas of my fortune
arose entirely from my asking him, whether he would have refused the
name of _Japhet_ for ten thousand pounds per annum. Lord Windermear,
after having introduced me, did not consider it at all necessary to
acquaint the Major with my real history, as it was imparted to him in
confidence. He allowed matters to take their course, and me to work my
own way in the world. Thus do the most cunning overreach themselves, and
with their eyes open to any deceit on the part of others, prove quite
blind when they deceive themselves.
Timothy could not obtain any intelligence from the people of the inn at
the last stage, except that the chariot had proceeded to London. We
arrived late at night, and, much exhausted, I was glad to go to bed.