Of course he was much in the House of Commons, but that also was stupid. Indeed everything would be stupid till Isabel came back. Perhaps dinner was more comfortable at the club than at the House. And then, as everybody knew, it was a good thing to change the scene. Therefore he dined at the club, and though he would keep his hansom and go down to the House again in the course of the evening, he spent many long hours at the Beargarden. "There'll very soon be an end of this as far as you are concerned," said Mr. Lupton to him one evening as they were sitting in the smoking-room after dinner.
"The sooner the better as far as this place is concerned."
"This place is as good as any other. For the matter of that I like the Beargarden since we got rid of two or three not very charming characters."
"You mean my poor friend Tifto," said Silverbridge.
"No;—I was not thinking of Tifto. There were one or two here who were quite as bad as Tifto. I wonder what has become of that poor devil?"
"I don't know in the least. You heard of that row about the hounds?"
"And his letter to you."
"He wrote to me,—and I answered him, as you know. But whither he vanished, or what he is doing, or how he is living, I have not the least idea."
"Gone to join those other fellows abroad, I should say. Among them they got a lot of money,—as the Duke ought to remember."
"He is not with them," said Silverbridge, as though he were in some degree mourning over the fate of his unfortunate friend.