ever been much idea of catching Vossner. We close
altogether next Monday, and the furniture is to be gone to law for.
Flatfleece says it belongs to him under what he calls a deed of sale.
Indeed, everything that everybody has seems to belong to Flatfleece.
He's always in and out of the club, and has got the key of the
cellar.'

'That don't matter,' said Nidderdale, 'as Vossner took care that there
shouldn't be any wine.'

'He's got most of the forks and spoons, and only lets us use what we
have as a favour.'

'I suppose one can get a dinner here?'

'Yes; to-day you can, and perhaps to-morrow,'

'Isn't there any playing?' asked Felix with dismay.

'I haven't seen a card this fortnight,' said Dolly. 'There hasn't been
anybody to play. Everything has gone to the dogs. There has been the
affair of Melmotte, you know;--though, I suppose, you do know all about
that.'

'Of course I know he poisoned himself.'

'Of course that had effect,' said Dolly, continuing his history.
'Though why fellows shouldn't play cards because another fellow like
that takes poison, I can't understand. Last year the only day I
managed to get down in February, the hounds didn't come because some
old cove had died. What harm could our hunting have done him? I call
it rot.'

'Melmotte's death was rather awful,' said Nidderdale.

'Not half so awful as having nothing to amuse one. And now they say
the girl is going to be married to Fisker. I don't know how you and
Nidderdale like that. I never went in for her myself. Squercum never
seemed to see it.'

'Poor dear!' said Nidderdale. 'She's welcome for me, and I dare say she
couldn't do better with herself. I was very fond of her;--I'll be shot
if I wasn't.'

'And Carbury too, I suppose,' said Dolly.

'No; I wasn't. If I'd really been fond of her I suppose it would have
come off. I should have had her safe enough to America, if I'd cared
about it.' This was Sir Felix's view of the matter.

'Come into the smoking-room, Dolly,' said Nidderdale. 'I can stand
most things, and I try to stand everything; but, by George, that
fellow is such a cad that I cannot stand him. You and I are bad
enough,--but I don't think we're so heartless as Carbury.'

'I don't think I'm heartless at all,' said Dolly. 'I'm good-natured to
everybody that is good-natured to me,--and to a great many people who
ain't. I'm going all the way down to Caversham next week to see my
sister married, though I hate the place and