'What do you get then, by going into the city?' asked Sir Felix.
'I'm blessed if I know what I get. I suppose something will turn up some day.'
'In the meantime, you know, there are our names. And Grendall is making a fortune out of it.'
'Poor old duffer,' said his lordship. 'If he's doing so well, I think Miles ought to be made to pay up something of what he owes. I think we ought to tell him that we shall expect him to have the money ready when that bill of Vossner's comes round.'
'Yes, by George; let's tell him that. Will you do it?'
'Not that it will be the least good. It would be quite unnatural to him to pay anything.'
'Fellows used to pay their gambling debts,' said Sir Felix, who was still in funds, and who still held a considerable assortment of I.O.U.'s.
'They don't now,--unless they like it. How did a fellow manage before, if he hadn't got it?'
'He went smash,' said Sir Felix, 'and disappeared and was never heard of any more. It was just the same as if he'd been found cheating. I believe a fellow might cheat now and nobody'd say anything!'
'I shouldn't,' said Lord Nidderdale. 'What's the use of being beastly ill-natured? I'm not very good at saying my prayers, but I do think there's something in that bit about forgiving people. Of course cheating isn't very nice: and it isn't very nice for a fellow to play when he knows he can't pay; but I don't know that it's worse than getting drunk like Dolly Longestaffe, or quarrelling with everybody as Grasslough does,--or trying to marry some poor devil of a girl merely because she's got money. I believe in living in glass houses, but I don't believe in throwing stones. Do you ever read the Bible, Carbury?'
'Read the Bible! Well;--yes;--no;--that is, I suppose, I used to do.'
'I often think I shouldn't have been the first to pick up a stone and pitch it at that woman. Live and let;--live that's my motto.'
'But you agree that we ought to do something about these shares?' said Sir Felix, thinking that this doctrine of forgiveness might be carried too far.
'Oh, certainly. I'll let old Grendall live with all my heart; but then he ought to let me live too. Only, who's to bell the cat?'
'What cat?'
'It's no good our going to old Grendall,' said Lord Nidderdale, who had some understanding in the matter, 'nor yet to young Grendall. The one would only grunt and say nothing, and the other would tell every lie that came into his head. The cat in this matter I take to be our great master, Augustus Melmotte.'