called for her carriage and drove to Shepherd's Inn, at the gate of
which she alighted, whence she found the way to her father's chambers,
"No. 4, third floor, name of Podmore over the door," the porteress said,
with many curtsies, pointing towards the door of the house, into which
the affectionate daughter entered and mounted the dingy stair. Alas! the
door, surmounted by the name of Podmore, was opened to her by poor Cos
in his shirt-sleeves, and prepared with the gridiron to receive the
mutton-chops which Mrs. Bolton had gone to purchase.

Also, it was not pleasant for Sir Charles Mirabel to have letters
constantly addressed to him at Brookes's, with the information that
Captain Costigan was in the hall, waiting for an answer; or when he went
to play his rubber at the Travellers', to be obliged to shoot out of
his brougham and run up the steps rapidly, lest his father-in-law should
seize upon him; and to think that while he read his paper or played his
whist, the Captain was walking on the opposite side of Pall Mall, with
that dreadful cocked hat, and the eye beneath it fixed steadily upon
the windows of the club. Sir Charles was a weak man; he was old, and had
many infirmities: he cried about his father-in-law to his wife, whom he
adored with senile infatuation: he said he must go abroad,--he must go
and live in the country--he should die or have another fit if he saw
that man again--he knew he should. And it was only by paying a second
visit to Captain Costigan, and representing to him, that if he plagued
Sir Charles by letters or addressed him in the street, or made any
further applications for loans, his allowance would be withdrawn
altogether, that Lady Mirabel was enabled to keep her papa in order, and
to restore tranquillity to her husband. And on occasion of this visit,
she sternly rebuked Bows for not keeping a better watch over the
Captain; desired that he should not be allowed to drink in that shameful
way; and that the people at the horrid taverns which he frequented
should be told, upon no account to give him credit. "Papa's conduct
is bringing me to the grave," she said (though she looked perfectly
healthy), "and you, as an old man, Mr. Bows, and one that pretended to
have a regard for us, ought to be ashamed of abetting him in it." Those
were the thanks which honest Bows got for his friendship and his life's
devotion. And I do not suppose that the old philosopher was much worse
off than many other men,