TWENTY SEVEN
1113 Words
He took sparring lessons at Jackson's Saloon; shot at Mangro's Galleries; fenced at Angelo's; drank Blue Ruin in Boa's Parlor; drove to races in his own tilbury, and generally behaved very much as any other young gentleman of fortune did, who fancied himself as a fashionable buck. His conversation became interlaced with scanty expressions; he lost a great deal of money playing at Manio, or laying bets with his friends; drank rather too much; and began to cause his sister a good deal of alarm. When she confronted him, he merely laughed, assured her he might be trusted to keep the line, went off to join a party of sporting gentlemen, and returned in the small hours considerably intoxicated, or - as he himself phrased it - a trifle above par.
Elizabeth turned to her cousin for advice. With the Admiral she could never be upon intimate terms, but Bartholomew Tellaro had very soon become a close friend.
He listened to her gravely. He agreed with her that Patrick was living at too furious a rate, but said gently, "You know I would do anything in my power for you. I have seen all you described, and been sorry for it, and wondered that Lord Clements should not intervene".
She turned her eyes upon him. "Could not you?" she asked.
He smiled. "I have no right, cousin. Do you think Parte would listen to me? I am sure he would not. He would write me down as a dull fellow, and be done with me. It is..." he hesitated. "May I speak plainly?"
"I wish you would".
"Then I will say that I think it is for Lord Clements to exert his authority. He alone has the right".
"It was Lord Clements who put Patrick's name in White's", said Elizabeth bitterly. "I was glad at first, but I did not know that it was all gaming there. It was he who took him to that horrid tavern they call Boa's parlor, where he meets all the prize fighters he is forever talking about".
Mr Tellaro was silent for a moment. He said at length, "I did not know. Yet he could hardly be blamed. It is his own world, and the one Parte was all eagerness to enter. Lord Clements is himself a gamester, a very notable Corinthian. He is of the Gatineau House set. It may be that he is not concerning himself very closely with Parte's doings. Speak to him, Elizabeth. He must attend to you".
"Why do you say that?" she asked, frowning.
"Pardon me, my dear cousin, it has seemed to me sometimes that his lordship betrays a certain partiality - I will say no more".
"Oh, no!" she said, with strong revulsion. "You are mistaken. Such a notion is unthinkable".
He made a movement as though he would have taken her hand, but controlled it, and said with an earnest look, "I am glad".
"You have something against him?" she said quickly.
"Nothing. If I was afraid - if I disliked the thought that there might be some partiality, you must forgive me. I could not help myself. But I have said too much. Speak to Lord Clements about Parte. Surely he cannot want him to be growing wild!"
She was a good deal stirred by this speech, and by the look that went with it. She was not in the least displeased. She liked him too well, but she wished him to say no more. A declaration seemed to be imminent. She was thankful that he did not make it, she did not know her own heart.
His advice was too sensible to be lightly ignored. She thought about it, realized the justice of what he had said, and went to call on Clements, driving herself in her phaeton. To request his coming to Spear Street would mean the presence of Mrs Andromeda. She supposed there would be no impropriety in a ward's visit to her guardian.
He took sparring lessons at Jackson's Saloon; shot at Mangro's Galleries; fenced at Angelo's; drank Blue Ruin in Boa's Parlor; drove to races in his own tilbury, and generally behaved very much as any other young gentleman of fortune did, who fancied himself as a fashionable buck. His conversation became interlaced with scanty expressions; he lost a great deal of money playing at Manio, or laying bets with his friends; drank rather too much; and began to cause his sister a good deal of alarm. When she confronted him, he merely laughed, assured her he might be trusted to keep the line, went off to join a party of sporting gentlemen, and returned in the small hours considerably intoxicated, or - as he himself phrased it - a trifle above par.
Elizabeth turned to her cousin for advice. With the Admiral she could never be upon intimate terms, but Bartholomew Tellaro had very soon become a close friend.
He listened to her gravely. He agreed with her that Patrick was living at too furious a rate, but said gently, "You know I would do anything in my power for you. I have seen all you described, and been sorry for it, and wondered that Lord Clements should not intervene".
She turned her eyes upon him. "Could not you?" she asked.
He smiled. "I have no right, cousin. Do you think Parte would listen to me? I am sure he would not. He would write me down as a dull fellow, and be done with me. It is..." he hesitated. "May I speak plainly?"
"I wish you would".
"Then I will say that I think it is for Lord Clements to exert his authority. He alone has the right".
"It was Lord Clements who put Patrick's name in White's", said Elizabeth bitterly. "I was glad at first, but I did not know that it was all gaming there. It was he who took him to that horrid tavern they call Cribb's parlor, where he meets all the prize fighters he is forever talking about".
Mr Tellaro was silent for a moment. He said at length, "I did not know. Yet he could hardly be blamed. It is his own world, and the one Parte was all eagerness to enter. Lord Clements is himself a gamester, a very notable Corinthian. He is of the Gatineau House set. It may be that he is not concerning himself very closely with Parte's doings. Speak to him, Elizabeth. He must attend to you".
"Why do you say that?" she asked, frowning.
"Pardon me, my dear cousin, it has seemed to me sometimes that his lordship betrays a certain partiality - I will say no more".
- Writer
