theatrical
hangers-on, especially from such men when she heard that they were
also lords. But as she was driven away, she took another glance at
the lord, and thought that he did not look so old as when she had
seen him at a greater distance.

But she had failed altogether in her purpose of borrowing money from
M. Le Gros. And for his sake she regretted much that the attempt had
been made. She had already learned one or two details with reference
to M. Le Gros. Though his manners and appearance were so pleasant, he
was only a subaltern about the theatre; and he was a subaltern whom
this lord and lessee called simply Le Gros. And from the melancholy
nature of his face when the application for money was made to him,
she had learned that he was both good-natured and impecunious. Of
herself, in regard to the money, she thought very little at the
present moment. There were still six weeks to run, and Rachel's
nature was such that she could not distress herself six weeks in
advance of any misfortune. She was determined that she would not tell
her father of her failure. As for him, he would not probably say a
word further of their want of money till the time should come. He
confined his prudence to keeping a sum in his pocket sufficient to
take them back to New York.

As the days went on which were to bring her engagement at "The
Embankment" to an end, Rachel heard a further rumour about herself.
Rumours did spring up at "The Embankment" to which she paid very
little attention. She had heard the same sort of things said as to
other ladies at the theatre, and took them all as a matter of course.
Had she been asked, she would have attributed them all to Madame
Socani; because Madame Socani was the one person whom, next to Mr.
Moss, she hated the most. The rumour in this case simply stated that
she had already been married to Mr. Jones, and had separated from her
husband. "Why do they care about such a matter as that?" she said to
the female from whom she heard the rumour. "It can't matter to me as
a singer whether I have five husbands."

"But it is so interesting," said the female, "when a lady has a
husband and doesn't own him; or when she owns him and hasn't really
got him; it adds a piquancy to life, especially to theatrical life,
which does want these little assistances."

Then one evening Lord Castlewell did call upon her at "The
Embankment." Her father was not with her, and she was constrained by
the circumstances o