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But not a person had called to-day, the day after the great party, and even she, though she was naturally callous in such matters, had begun to think that she was deserted. She had, too, become so used to the presence of the Grendalls, that she now missed their company.
And then it was certain that one of the young Grendalls, Lord Alfred's second son, had been appointed to some mercantile position, for which he received a salary which his most intimate friends thought that he was hardly qualified to earn.
'The father and son are two d curs. This of course frightened Madame Melmotte, and she joined this desertion of the Grendalls to her own solitude all the day. 'Is there anything wrong, Melmotte? she said afterwards, creeping up to him in the back parlour, and speaking in French. 'What do you call wrong? 'I don't know; but I seem to be afraid of something.
But the committee shook its heads, not thinking it possible that the club could be re-established on a basis of three Miles Grendalls. Then dreadful rumours were heard. The Beargarden must surely be abandoned. 'It is such a pity, said Nidderdale, 'because there never has been anything like it. 'Smoke all over the house! said Dolly.
The Grendalls had retired altogether out of town, and were no longer even heard of. Lord Alfred had not been seen since the day of the dinner. The Duchess of Albury, too, went into the country some weeks earlier than usual, quelled, as the world said, by the general Melmotte failure. But this departure had not as yet taken place at the time at which we have now arrived.
It had been an accident, and an accident that was distressing to some of the Melmottites. There was much to be done about the dinner, which could not be omitted; and much also as to the election, which was imperative. The two Grendalls, father and son, found themselves to be so driven that the world seemed for them to be turned topsy-turvy.
Melmotte dined at home that evening with no company but that of his wife and daughter. Latterly one of the Grendalls had almost always joined their party when they did not dine out. Indeed, it was an understood thing, that Miles Grendall should dine there always, unless he explained his absence by some engagement, so that his presence there had come to be considered as a part of his duty.
Melmotte and the two Grendalls had just come over from their work in the square, and the financier was full of the priest's visit to him. Madame Melmotte was there, and Miss Longestaffe, who was to be sent for by her friend Lady Monogram that afternoon, and, after they had sat down, Marie came in. Nidderdale got up and shook hands with her, of course as though nothing had happened.
Indeed, there had sprung up a considerable intimacy between the Grendall family, that is Lord Alfred's branch of the Grendalls, and the Melmottes; which was as it should be, as each could give much and each receive much.
And as Father Barham walked up the room and came close to the scene of action, unperceived by either of the Grendalls, Mr Melmotte was trying, but trying in vain, to move his own seat nearer to Imperial Majesty. A bar had been put up of such a nature that Melmotte, sitting in the seat prepared for him, would absolutely be barred out from the centre of his own hall.
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