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There was an attempt that night to get up a game of cards; but Nidderdale would not play because he was offended with Dolly Longestaffe; and Miles Grendall was away in the country, a fugitive from the face of Melmotte, and Carbury was in hiding at home with his countenance from top to bottom supported by plasters, and Montague in these days never went to the club.
He had condescended to ask Mr Melmotte to make him a director of the South Central Pacific and Mexican Railway, and he, Adolphus Longestaffe of Caversham, had had his request refused! Mr Longestaffe had condescended very low. 'You have made Lord Alfred Grendall one! he had said in a complaining tone. Then Mr Melmotte explained that Lord Alfred possessed peculiar aptitudes for the position.
The Governor said that I was to do it, and so I've done it. 'They say, you know, there's something between you and Melmotte's daughter. 'But if there is, what has that to do with a railway in the city? And why should Carbury be there? And, heaven and earth, why should old Grendall be a Director?
Mr Longestaffe was astonished to find how soon the business was done, and how very little he had been called on to do. Miles Grendall had read something out of a book which he had been unable to follow. Then the chairman had read some figures. Mr Cohenlupe had declared that their prosperity was unprecedented; and the Board was over.
At last he felt certain that he saw a card go into the man's sleeve, and remembered at the moment that the winner had owed his success to a continued run of aces. He was tempted to rush at once upon the player, and catch the card on his person. But he feared. Grendall was a big man; and where would he be if there should be no card there?
'Curs! said Melmotte almost aloud. 'They neither of them will be there. If any evil can be done to me by treachery and desertion, they will do it. Then it occurred to him to think whether the Grendall article had been worth all the money that he had paid for it. 'Curs! he said again. He walked down into the hall, and through the banqueting-room, and stood at the place where he himself had sat.
At the last moment Lord Alfred Grendall had been asked, not because he was at all in favour with any of the Longestaffes, but in order that he might be useful in disposing of the great Director. Lord Alfred was used to him and could talk to him, and might probably know what he liked to eat and drink.
This went on for an hour, during which Grendall still won, and won heavily from Paul Montague. 'I never saw a fellow have such a run of luck in my life, said Grasslough. 'You've had two trumps dealt to you every hand almost since we began! 'Ever so many hands I haven't played at all, said Miles. 'You've always won when I've played, said Dolly. 'I've been looed every time.
He had only lately come among them, had as yet had no dealing in I.O.U.'s, and was the last man in the company who ought to be made responsible for the impecuniosity of Miles Grendall. He, the impecunious one, the one whose impecuniosity extended to the absolute want of credit, sat silent, stroking his heavy moustache.
It had been impossible to convince him that Miles Grendall had cheated at cards, and the idea that Mr Melmotte had forged was as improbable and shocking to him as that an officer should run away in battle. Common soldiers, he thought, might do that sort of thing.
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