The old gentleman smiled not when his lordship smiled; but changing a sneer for a frown, he said: “And what construction, my lord, is favorable enough to your taste to be put on the fact of your money, or rather your wife’s money, lost at the gaming-table?”
His lordship started, and looked pale; and the amount of his loss came over him like a dream.
“Yes,” continued the old gentleman, “I will totally acquit you of any intention of losing your money; but can you acquit yourself of a mean and contemptible design of plundering a simple and untutored boy, by the assistance of that contemptible fellow, Singleton Sloper?”
“Mr. Singleton Sloper, sir,” replied the Earl, “is a gentleman of good family.”
“So much the worse for his family, for they have reason to be ashamed of him; and you, my lord, would never have taken notice of him, or associated with him, but for purposes of gaming. I know the whole transaction. I know that you had encouraged Sloper to induce that simple boy to sit down and play with you, and that you made yourself sure of repaying yourself by his means for the losses which you had yourself sustained. You cannot deny the fact; and I think you cannot put a very favorable construction upon it.”
All that the old gentleman said was perfectly true, and the Right Hon. Earl knew it to be so; and though he had not been ashamed to act thus, he did feel ashamed at the mention of it.
It is very unpleasant to have a serious accusation brought home so pointedly; but it is more unpleasant still not to be able to say a single word by way of extenuation. His lordship, not caring to be speechless and self-convicted, replied:
“There was nothing but fair play, sir, used or intended; as is manifest from the fact of my having been loser.”
“Whatever was intended, I know not; but I cannot call it fair play to take advantage of youth and inexperience: that, I know, you designed to do; and I am very happy the design was frustrated. My Lord of Trimmerstone, you and I must come to a better understanding. I will not suffer you to suppose that my property is to be made answerable for your gambling-debts. I have once told you the condition on which my will was made; and on that condition I am well assured you are never likely to receive a shilling of my property. But as I have no design to leave you without some legacy, I will tell you now that I will make one more, and that a final alteration. A legacy of thirty thousand pounds you will find in my last will and testament. You know best how much of that is already anticipated; and as a friend, I would advise you to make the best of what remains. It must be a miracle of reformation that will make any change in this disposal.”
Without waiting for a word in answer, the old gentleman rung for his carriage and departed, leaving the Right Hon. the Earl of Trimmerstone in a very disagreeable position.