. Even
though his friendship with the young man were but a mock friendship,--
though it would too probably be turned into bitter enmity before three
months had passed by,--still there was a pleasure in it. The Grendalls
had left him since the day of the dinner,--Miles having sent him a
letter up from the country complaining of severe illness. It was a
comfort to him to have someone to whom he could speak, and he much
preferred Nidderdale to Miles Grendall.

This conversation took place in the smoking-room. When it was over
Melmotte went into the House, and Nidderdale strolled away to the
Beargarden. The Beargarden had been opened again though with
difficulty, and with diminished luxury. Nor could even this be done
without rigid laws as to the payment of ready money. Herr Vossner had
never more been heard of, but the bills which Vossner had left unpaid
were held to be good against the club, whereas every note of hand
which he had taken from the members was left in the possession of Mr
Flatfleece. Of course there was sorrow and trouble at the Beargarden;
but still the institution had become so absolutely necessary to its
members that it had been reopened under a new management. No one had
felt this need more strongly during every hour of the day,--of the day
as he counted his days, rising as he did about an hour after noon and
going to bed three or four hours after midnight,--than did Dolly
Longestaffe. The Beargarden had become so much to him that he had
begun to doubt whether life would be even possible without such a
resort for his hours. But now the club was again open, and Dolly could
have his dinner and his bottle of wine with the luxury to which he was
accustomed.

But at this time he was almost mad with the sense of injury.
Circumstances had held out to him a prospect of almost unlimited ease
and indulgence. The arrangement made as to the Pickering estate would
pay all his debts, would disembarrass his own property, and would
still leave him a comfortable sum in hand. Squercum had told him that
if he would stick to his terms he would surely get them. He had stuck
to his terms and he had got them. And now the property was sold, and
the title-deeds gone,--and he had not received a penny! He did not
know whom to be loudest in abusing,--his father, the Bideawhiles, or Mr
Melmotte. And then it was said that he had signed that letter! He was
very open in his manner of talking about his misfortune at the club.
His fat