would not marry without her parents'
consent, of which there was no hope till he had at least trebled his
means. His choice of a profession was absurd, dictated merely by social
opinion; he should have been working hard in a commercial office, or at
some open-air pursuit. Naturally he turned again to the thought of
gambling, this time the great legalised game of hazard, wherein he was
as little likely to prosper as among the blacklegs of Brussels. Rolfe
liked him for his ingenuousness, and for the vein of poetry in his
nature. The love affair still went on, but Morphew seldom alluded to
it, and his seasoned friend thought of it as a youthful ailment which
would pass and be forgotten.

'I'm convinced,' said the young man presently, 'that any one who really
gives his mind to it can speculate with moderate success. Look at the
big men--the brokers and the company promoters, and so on; I've met
some of them, and there's nothing in them--nothing! Now, there's Bennet
Frothingham. You know him, I think?'

Rolfe nodded.

'Well, what do you think of him? Isn't he a very ordinary fellow? How
has he got such a position? I'm told he began just in a small way--by
chance. No doubt _he_ found it so easy to make money he was surprised
at his success. Tripcony has told me a lot about him. Why, the
"Britannia" brings him fifteen thousand a year; and he must be in a
score of other things.'

'I know nothing about the figures,' said Rolfe, 'and I shouldn't put
much faith in Tripcony; but Frothingham, you may be sure, isn't quite
an ordinary man.'

'Ah, well, of course there's a certain knack--and then, experience--'

Morphew emptied his glass, and refilled it. Nearly all the tables in
the room were now occupied, and the general hum of talk gave security
to intimate dialogue. Flushed and bright-eyed, the young man presently
leaned forward.

'If I could count upon five hundred, she would take the step.'

'Indeed?'

'Yes, that's settled. What do you think? Plenty of people live very
well on less.'

'You want my serious opinion?'

'If you _can_ be serious.'

'Then I think that the educated man who marries on less than a thousand
is either mad or a criminal.'

'Bosh! We won't talk about it.'

They rose, and walked towards the smoking-room, Rolfe giving a nod here
and there as he passed acquaintances. In the hall someone addressed him.

'How does Carnaby take this affair?'

'What affair?'

'Don't you know? Their house has