Having heard from a mutual friend that Sir William would be looking him up at the Duchess’, Adam repaired to the scene rather more early than was his custom. He had seen but little of the captain for a matter of several years. He was chiding himself upon the negligence by which this had been made possible, when he arrived at the house.
The funeral of the faithful Pike, and the plight of the lorn old Halberd, since losing his comrade, had depressed Adam’s spirits immeasurably. Halberd had been following him about, dumbly, ever since the dire event in the family. He said but little; he made no complaints of his loneliness. He simply hung on Adam’s footsteps, like a homeless old dog, whose one remaining instinct is faithfulness and undying affection, waiting for his master when he came from the brightly-lighted houses, pleased and excited whenever he could have the Sachem to talk with on the topic of Pike’s many virtues and traits of character that confirmed him in his fellow’s affections.
Adam had taken the lorn beef-eater into his own apartments, where he could keep a more careful watch over his health and his negative happiness. No friend among all his noble acquaintances had such a hold on Adam’s heart as had this bragging old remnant of his retinue, and to none did he drop the mask of frivolity as he did before this companion, whom nothing could discourage nor alter.
Thus he had been glad to think of going no more where the Duchess, Lady Margaret and the others assembled, with their tinsel show, their thinly-plated talk, their gambling and amours, but had contemplated going away with Halberd, into Nature’s simpler walks and profounder beauties.
The garish glitter struck inharmoniously upon him, as he walked impatiently through the brilliant rooms, in a search for Sir William Phipps, who had not yet arrived. He presently found himself confronted by Suffle, who, in turn, had been looking about for Lady Margaret.
“How do you do?” said Suffle, at once. “My dear Rust, I am charmed to see you again. I have been wanting to see you, ’pon my word. Would you mind just giving me a few minutes’ talk?”
“One of my greatest delights is derived from listening to a brilliant conversationalist,” said Rust. “Where shall we go?”
“There is no one as yet in the dice-box,” said the other. “If you don’t mind, we might stroll in there by ourselves.”
Saying, “I am yours to command,” Adam followed leisurely behind his friend to the now empty room employed nightly for gambling.
“It’s rather a delicate business—what I have to say,” confessed Suffle, by way of a preface, “but you are a frank, decent fellow, that a man can talk to, well—openly—don’t you know.”