e going on,
which comes to us I think through our skins when we are at home. A
feeling of absence pervades me. Otherwise I like it. And you;--what
have you been doing?"

"Shooting a little," said Silverbridge, in a mooncalf tone.

"Shooting a great deal, if what I see in the newspapers be true about
Mr. Reginald Dobbes and his party. I presume it is a religion to
offer up hecatombs to the autumnal gods,--who must surely take a
keener delight in blood and slaughter than those bloodthirsty gods of
old."

"You should talk to Gerald about that, sir."

"Has Gerald been so great at his sacrifices? How will that suit with
Plato? What does Mr. Simcox say?"

"Of course they were all to have a holiday just at that time. But
Gerald is reading. I fancy that Gerald is clever."

"And he is a great Nimrod?"

"As to hunting."

"Nimrod I fancy got his game in any way that he could compass it. I
do not doubt but that he trapped foxes."

"With a rifle at deer, say for four hundred yards, I would back
Gerald against any man of his age in England or Scotland."

"As for backing, Silverbridge, do not you think that we had better
have done with that?" This was said hardly in a tone of reproach,
with something even of banter in it; and as the question was asked
the Duke was smiling. But in a moment all that sense of joyousness
which the young man had felt in singing his brother's praises was
expelled. His face fell, and he stood before his father almost like a
culprit. "We might as well have it out about this racing," continued
the Duke. "Something has to be said about it. You have lost an
enormous sum of money." The Duke's tone in saying this became
terribly severe. Such at least was its sound in his son's ears. He
did not mean to be severe.

But when he did speak of that which displeased him his voice
naturally assumed that tone of indignation with which in days of yore
he had been wont to denounce the public extravagance of his opponents
in the House of Commons. The father paused, but the son could not
speak at the moment.

"And worse than that," continued the Duke; "you have lost it in
as bad company as you could have found had you picked all England
through."

"Mr. Lupton, and Sir Henry Playfair, and Lord Stirling were in the
room when the bets were made."

"Were the gentlemen you name concerned with Major Tifto?"

"No, sir."

"Who can tell with whom he may be in a room? Though rooms of that
kind are, I think, best