"Down, Juba!--down, sir!" repeated Mr. Vincent, in a tone of bitter feeling, all his a.s.sumed gaiety forsaking him at this instant: "Down, Juba!--down, sir, down!" as low as your master, thought he; and pushing back his chair, he rose from table, and precipitately left the room.

Little notice was taken of his retreat; the chairs closed in; and the gap which his vacant place left was visible but for a moment: the company were as gay as before; the fair Annabella smiled with a grace as attractive; and Mrs. Luttridge exulted in the success of her schemes--whilst her victim was in the agonies of despair.

Clarence Hervey, who had watched every change of Vincent's countenance, saw the agony of soul with which he rose from the table, and quitted the room: he suspected his purpose, and followed him immediately; but Mr.

Vincent had got out of the house before he could overtake him; which way he was gone no one could tell, for no one had seen him; the only information he could gain was, that he might possibly be heard of at Nerot's Hotel, or at Governor Montford's, in Portland-place. The hotel was but a few yards from Mrs. Luttridge's. Clarence went there directly.

He asked for Mr. Vincent. One of the waiters said, that he was not yet come in; but another called out, "Mr. Vincent, sir, did you say? I have just shown him up to his room."

"Which is the room?--I must see him instantly," cried Hervey.

"Not to-night--you can't see him now, sir. Mr. Vincent won't let you in, I can a.s.sure you, sir. I went up myself three minutes ago, with some letters, that came whilst he was away, but he would not let me in. I heard him double-lock the door, and he swore terribly. I can't go up again at this time o'night--for my life I dare not, sir."

"Where is his own man?--Has Mr. Vincent any servant here?--Mr. Vincent's man!" cried Clarence; "let me see him!"

"You can't, sir. Mr. Vincent has just sent his black, the only servant he has here, out on some message. Indeed, sir, there's no use in going up," continued the waiter, as Clarence sprang up two or three stairs at once: "Mr. Vincent has desired n.o.body may disturb him. I give you my word, sir, he'll be very angry; and, besides, 'twould be to no purpose, for he'll not unlock the door."

"Is there but one door to the room?" said Mr. Hervey; and, as he asked the question, he pulled a guinea out of his pocket, and touched the waiter's hand with it.

"Oh, now I recollect--yes, sir, there's a private door through a closet: may be that mayn't be fastened."

Clarence put the guinea into the waiter's hand, who instantly showed him the way up the back staircase to the door that opened into Mr. Vincent's bed-chamber.

"Leave me now," whispered he, "and make no noise."

The man withdrew; and as Mr. Hervey went close to the concealed door, to try if it was fastened, he distinctly heard a pistol c.o.c.ked. The door was not fastened: he pushed it softly open, and saw the unfortunate man upon his knees, the pistol in his hand, his eyes looking up to heaven.

Clarence was in one moment behind him; and, seizing hold of the pistol, he s.n.a.t.c.hed it from Vincent's grasp with so much calm presence of mind and dexterity, that, although the pistol was c.o.c.ked, it did not go off.

"Mr. Hervey!" exclaimed Vincent, starting up. Astonishment overpowered all other sensations. But the next instant recovering the power of speech, "Is this the conduct of a gentleman, Mr. Hervey--of a man of honour," cried he, "thus to intrude upon my privacy; to be a spy upon my actions; to triumph in my ruin; to witness my despair; to rob me of the only--"

He looked wildly at the pistol which Clarence held in his hand; then s.n.a.t.c.hing up another, which lay upon the table, he continued, "You are my enemy--I know it; you are my rival; I know it; Belinda loves you!

Nay, affect not to start--this is no time for dissimulation--Belinda loves you--you know it: for her sake, for your own, put me out of the world--put me out of torture. It shall not be called murder: it shall be called a duel. You have been a spy upon my actions--I demand satisfaction. If you have one spark of honour or of courage within you, Mr. Hervey, show it now--fight me, sir, openly as man to man, rival to rival, enemy to enemy--fire."

"If you fire upon me, you will repent it," replied Clarence calmly; "for I am not your enemy--I am not your rival."

"You _are_," interrupted Vincent, raising his voice to the highest pitch of indignation: "you are my rival, though you dare not avow it! The denial is base, false, unmanly. Oh, Belinda, is this the being you prefer to _me_? Gamester--wretch, as I am, my soul never stooped to falsehood! Treachery I abhor; courage, honour, and a heart worthy of Belinda, I possess. I beseech you, sir," continued he, addressing himself, in a tremulous tone of contempt, to Mr. Hervey, "I beseech you, sir, to leave me to my own feelings--and to myself."

"You are not yourself at this moment, and I cannot leave you to such mistaken feelings," replied Hervey: "command yourself for a moment, and hear me; use your reason, and you will soon be convinced that I am your friend."

"My friend!"

"Your friend. For what purpose did I come here? to s.n.a.t.c.h this pistol from your hand? If it were my interest, my wish, that you were out of the world, why did I prevent you from destroying yourself? Do you think _that_ the action of an enemy? Use your reason."

"I cannot," said Vincent, striking his forehead; "I know not what to think--I am not master of myself. I conjure you, sir, for your own sake, to leave me."

"For my _own_ sake!" repeated Hervey, disdainfully: "I am not thinking of myself; nor can any thing you have said provoke me from my purpose.

My purpose is to save you from ruin, for the sake of a woman, whom, though I am no longer your rival, I have loved longer, if not better, than you have."

There was something so open in Hervey's countenance, such a strong expression of truth in his manner, that it could not be resisted, and Vincent, in an altered voice, exclaimed, "You acknowledge that you have loved Belinda--and could you cease to love her? Impossible!--And, loving her, must you not detest me?"

"No," said Clarence, holding out his hand to him; "I wish to be your friend. I have not the baseness to wish to deprive others of happiness because I cannot enjoy it myself. In one word, to put you at ease with me for ever, I have no pretensions, I can have none, to Miss Portman.

I am engaged to another woman--in a few days you will hear of my marriage."

Mr. Vincent threw the pistol from him, and gave his hand to Hervey.

"Pardon what I said to you just now," cried he; "I knew not what I said--I spoke in the agony of despair: your purpose is most generous--but it is in vain--you come too late--I am ruined, past all hope."

He folded his arms, and his eyes reverted involuntarily to his pistols.

"The misery that you have this night experienced," said Mr. Hervey, "was necessary to the security of your future happiness."

"Happiness!" repeated Vincent; "happiness--there is no happiness left for me. My doom is fixed--fixed by my own folly--my own rash, headstrong folly. Madman that I was, what could tempt me to the gaming-table?

Oh! if I could recall but a few days, a few hours of my existence! But remorse is vain--prudence comes too late. Do you know," said he, fixing his eyes upon Hervey, "do you know that I am a beggar? that I have not a farthing left upon earth? Go to Belinda; tell her so: tell her, that if she had ever the slightest regard for me, I deserve it no longer. Tell her to forget, despise, detest me. Give her joy that she has escaped having a gamester for a husband."

"I will," said Clarence, "I will, if you please, tell her what I believe to be true, that the agony you have felt this night, the dear-bought experience you have had, will be for ever a warning."

"A warning!" interrupted Vincent: "Oh, that it could yet be useful to me!--But I tell you it comes too late--nothing can save me."

"_I_ can," said Mr. Hervey. "Swear to me, for Belinda's sake--solemnly swear to me, that you will never more trust your happiness and hers to the hazard of a die--swear that you will never more, directly or indirectly, play at any game of chance, and I will restore to you the fortune that you have lost."

Mr. Vincent stood as if suspended between ecstasy and despair: he dared not trust his senses: with a fervent and solemn adjuration he made the vow that was required of him; and Clarence then revealed to him the secret of the E O table.

"When Mrs. Luttridge knows that I have it in my power to expose her to public shame, she will instantly refund all that she has iniquitously won from you. Even among gamblers she would be blasted for ever by this discovery: she knows it, and if she dared to brave public opinion, we have then a sure resource in the law--prosecute her. The laws of honour, as well as the laws of the land, will support the prosecution. But she will never let the affair go into a court of justice. I will see her early, as early as I can to-morrow, and put you out of suspense."

"Most generous of human beings!" exclaimed Vincent; "I cannot express to you what I feel; but your own heart, your own approbation--"

"Farewell, good night," interrupted Clarence; "I see that I have made a friend--I was determined that Belinda's husband should be my friend--I have succeeded beyond my hopes. And now I will _intrude_ no longer,"

said he, as he closed the door after him. His sensations at this instant were more delightful even than those of the man he had relieved from the depth of despair. How wisely has Providence made the benevolent and generous pa.s.sions the most pleasurable!

CHAPTER XXIX.

A JEW.

In the silence of the night, when the hurry of action was over, and the enthusiasm of generosity began to subside, the words, which had escaped from Mr. Vincent in the paroxysm of despair and rage--the words, "_Belinda loves you_"--recurred to Clarence Hervey; and it required all his power over himself to banish the sound from his ear, and the idea from his mind. He endeavoured to persuade himself that these words were dictated merely by sudden jealousy, and that there could be no real foundation for the a.s.sertion: perhaps this belief was a necessary support to his integrity. He reflected, that, at all events, his engagement with Virginia could not be violated; his proffered services to Mr. Vincent could not be withdrawn: he was firm and consistent.

Before two o'clock the next day, Vincent received from Clarence this short note:

"Enclosed is Mrs. Luttridge's acknowledgment, that she has no claims upon you, in consequence of what pa.s.sed last night. I said nothing about the money she had previously won, as I understand you have paid it.

"The lady fell into fits, but it would not do. The husband attempted to bully me; I told him I should be at his service, after he had made the whole affair public, by calling you out.

"I would have seen you myself this morning, but that I am engaged with lawyers and marriage settlements.

"Yours sincerely,

"CLARENCE HERVEY."