en very real, there had also been
some elation; and as a net result, Lady Carbury was disposed to think
that her literary career might yet be a success. Mr Leadham's cheque
had been for a small amount, but it might probably lead the way to
something better. People at any rate were talking about her, and her
Tuesday evenings at home were generally full. But her literary life,
and her literary successes, her flirtations with Mr Broune, her
business with Mr Booker, and her crushing by Mr Alf's Mr Jones, were
after all but adjuncts to that real inner life of hers of which the
absorbing interest was her son. And with regard to him too she was
partly depressed, and partly elated, allowing her hopes however to
dominate her fears. There was very much to frighten her. Even the
moderate reform in the young man's expenses which had been effected
under dire necessity had been of late abandoned. Though he never told
her anything, she became aware that during the last month of the
hunting season he had hunted nearly every day. She knew, too, that he
had a horse up in town. She never saw him but once in the day, when
she visited him in his bed about noon, and was aware that he was
always at his club throughout the night. She knew that he was
gambling, and she hated gambling as being of all pastimes the most
dangerous. But she knew that he had ready money for his immediate
purposes, and that two or three tradesmen who were gifted with a
peculiar power of annoying their debtors, had ceased to trouble her in
Welbeck Street. For the present, therefore, she consoled herself by
reflecting that his gambling was successful. But her elation sprang
from a higher source than this. From all that she could hear, she
thought it likely that Felix would carry off the great prize; and then,--
should he do that,--what a blessed son would he have been to her! How
constantly in her triumph would she be able to forget all his vices,
his debts, his gambling, his late hours, and his cruel treatment of
herself! As she thought of it the bliss seemed to be too great for the
possibility of realisation. She was taught to understand that L10,000
a year, to begin with, would be the least of it; and that the ultimate
wealth might probably be such as to make Sir Felix Carbury the richest
commoner in England. In her very heart of hearts she worshipped
wealth, but desired it for him rather than for herself. Then her mind
ran away to baronies and earldoms, and she was l