'
'What had Silverbridge to do with it?'
'Nothing, sir. I wrote to Silverbridge because I didn't know what
to do. I knew he would stand me.'
'Who is to stand either of you if you go on thus I do not know.'
To this Gerald of course made no reply, but an idea came across
his mind that he knew who would stand both himself and his
brother. 'How did Silverbridge mean to get the money?'
'He said he would ask you. But I thought that I ought to tell
you.'
'Is that all?'
'All what, sir?'
'Are there other debts?' To this Gerald made no reply. 'Other
gambling debts?'
'No, sir;--not a shilling of that kind. I have never played
before.'
'Does it ever occur to you that going on at that rate you may very
soon lose all the fortune that will ever come to you? You were
not yet of age and you lost three thousand four hundred pounds at
cards to a man whom you probably knew to be a professed gambler!'
Then the Duke seemed to wait for a reply, but poor Gerald had not
a word to say. 'Can you explain to me what benefit you proposed to
yourself when you played for such stakes as that?'
'I hoped to win back what I had lost.
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