United States or Greece ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
It was not only that he had robbed the club, and robbed every member of the club who had ventured to have personal dealings with him. Although a bad feeling in regard to him was no doubt engendered in the minds of those who had suffered deeply, it was not that alone which cast an almost funereal gloom over the club. The sorrow was in this, that with Herr Vossner all their comforts had gone.
But the affair was one of no consequence. Wasn't the post running every day? Then Herr Vossner came from his bed, suddenly arrayed in a dressing-gown, and there was a conference in a corner between him, the two lords, and Mr Grendall.
Herr Vossner purveyed the viands and wines, and paid for them. Lord Nidderdale took the chair, with Fisker on his right hand, and Melmotte on his left, and, for a fast-going young lord, was supposed to have done the thing well. There were only two toasts drunk, to the healths of Mr Melmotte and Mr Fisker, and two speeches were of course made by them.
He's always in and out of the club, and has got the key of the cellar. 'That don't matter, said Nidderdale, 'as Vossner took care that there shouldn't be any wine. 'He's got most of the forks and spoons, and only lets us use what we have as a favour. 'I suppose one can get a dinner here? 'Yes; to-day you can, and perhaps to-morrow, 'Isn't there any playing? asked Felix with dismay.
'What the deuce is Vossner about? said he, pulling out his watch. It was nearly five o'clock. He rang the bell, and knocked at the door, feeling that this was an occasion for courage. One of the servants, in what we may call private clothes, after some delay, drew back the bolts, and told him the astounding news; The club was shut up! 'Do you mean to say I can't come in? said Sir Felix.
'Wasn't Vossner ever caught? asked the baronet. 'Caught! ejaculated Dolly. 'No; but he has caught us. I don't know that there has ever been much idea of catching Vossner. We close altogether next Monday, and the furniture is to be gone to law for. Flatfleece says it belongs to him under what he calls a deed of sale. Indeed, everything that everybody has seems to belong to Flatfleece.
The I.O.U.'s had been nearly all converted into money, with the assistance of Herr Vossner, excepting those of Miles Grendall. The resolution mentioned did not refer back to Grendall's former indebtedness, but was intended to include a clause that he must in future pay ready money. Nidderdale had communicated to him the determination of the committee.
'By George! The wrong that was done him filled the young baronet's bosom with indignation. He had intended, he assured himself, to dine at his club, to spend the evening there sportively, to be pleasant among his chosen companions. And now the club was shut up, and Vossner had gone away! What business had the club to be shut up? What right had Vossner to go away?
'What we ought to do, said Dolly, who was pervaded by a sense of his own good fortune in regard to Squercum, 'is to get some fellow like Vossner, and make him tell us how much he wants to steal above his regular pay. Then we could subscribe that among us. I really think that might be done.
There was a second conference between Herr Vossner and the two lords, in another room, which ended in the preparation of a document by which Miles Grendall undertook to pay to Herr Vossner £450 at the end of three months, and this was endorsed by the two lords, by Sir Felix, and by Paul Montague; and in return for this the German produced £322 10s. in notes and gold.
Word Of The Day