His face fell, and he stood before his father almost
like a culprit. 'We might as well have it out about his racing,'
said the Duke. 'Something has to be said about it. You have lost
an enormous sum of money.' The Duke's tone in saying this became
terribly severe. Such at least was its sound in his son's ears. He
did not mean to be severe.
But when he did speak of that which displeased him his voice
naturally assumed that tone of indignation with which in days of
yore he had been wont to denounce the public extravagance of his
opponents in the House of Commons. The father paused, but the son
could not speak at the moment. 'And worse than that,' continued
the Duke; 'you have lost it in as bad company as you could have
found had you picked all England through.'
'Mr Lupton, and Sir Henry Playfair, and Lord Stirling were in the
room when the bets were made.'
'Were the gentlemen you name concerned with Major Tifto?'
'No, sir.'
'Who can tell with whom he may be in a room? Though rooms of that
kind are, I think, best avoided.' Then the Duke paused again, but
Silverbridge was now sobbing so that he could hardly speak.
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