‘What the —— is the good of
that?’ said Dolly from the coach-box. ‘Take
your licking and don’t squeal.’
’That’s all very well. I can take
my licking as well as another man. But one has
to look to the causes of these things. I never
saw Peppermint ride so badly. Before he got round
the corner I wished I’d been on the horse myself.’
‘I don’t believe it was Peppermint’s
fault a bit,’ said Silverbridge.
’Well;—perhaps not. Only I did
think I was a pretty good judge of riding.’
Then Tifto again settled down into silence.
But though much money had been lost, and a great deal
of disappointment had to be endured by our party in
reference to the Derby, the most injurious and most
deplorable event in the day’s history had not
occurred yet. Dinner had been ordered at the
Beargarden at seven,—an hour earlier than
would have been named had it not been that Lord Gerald
must be at Eastern Counties Railway Station at nine
pm. An hour an half for dinner and a cigar afterwards,
and half an hour to get to the railway station would
not be more than time enough.
But of all men alive Dolly Longstaff was the most
unpunctual. He did not arrive till eight.
The others were not there before half-past seven,
and it was nearly eight before any of them sat down.
At half-past eight Silverbridge began to be very anxious
about his brother, and told him that he ought to start
without further delay. A hansom cab was waiting
at the door, but Lord Gerald still delayed. He
knew, he said, that the special would not start till
half-past nine. There were a lot of fellows who
were dining about everywhere, and they would never
get to the station by the hour fixed. It became
apparent to the elder brother that Gerald would stay
altogether unless he were forced to go, and at last
he did get up and pushed the young fellow out.
’Drive like the very devil,’ he said to
the cabman, explaining to him something of the circumstances.
The cabman did do his best, but a cab cannot be made
to travel from the Beargarden, which as all the world
knows is close to St James’s Street, to Liverpool
Street in the City in ten minutes. When Lord
Gerald reached the station the train had started.
At twenty minutes to ten the young man reappeared
at the club. ‘Why on earth didn’t
you take a special for yourself?’ exclaimed
Silverbridge.
‘They wouldn’t give me one.’
After it was apparent to all of them that what had
just happened had done more to ruffle our hero’s
temper than his failure and loss at the races.
‘I wouldn’t have had it to happen for
any money you could name,’ said the elder brother
to the younger, as he took him home to Carlton Terrace.
‘If they do send me down, what’s the odds?’
said the younger brother, who was not quite as sober
as he might have been.
’After what happened to me it will almost break
the governor’s heart,’ said the heir.
