‘Nor I either--or at least very rarely,’ said he, rising with the air of a man who felt no pleasure in what was going forward. ‘You don’t happen to know that young gentleman in the light-blue frock and white vest yonder?’ ‘No, I never saw him before.’ ‘I ‘m sorry for it,’ said he in a whisper; ‘he has just lost seventy thousand francs, and is going the readiest way to treble the sum by his play. I ‘m certain he is English by his look and appearance, and it is a cruel thing, a very cruel thing, not to give him a word of caution here.’ The words, spoken with a tone of feeling, interested me much in the speaker, and already I was angry with myself for having conceived a dislike to his appearance and a prejudice against his style of dress. ‘I see,’ continued he, after a few seconds’ pause--‘I see you agree with me. Let us try if we can’t find some one who may know him. If Wycherley is here--you know Sir Harry, I suppose?’ ‘I have not that honour.’ ‘Capital fellow--the best in the world. He’s in the Blues, and always about Windsor or St. James’s. He knows everybody; and if that young fellow be anybody, he’s sure to know him. Ah, how d’ye do, my lord?’ continued he, with an easy nod, as Lord Colebrook passed. ‘Eh, Crotty, how goes it?’ was the reply. ‘You don’t happen to know that gentleman yonder, my lord, do you?’ ‘Not I; who is he?’ ‘This gentleman and I were both anxious to learn who he is; he is losing a deal of money.’ ‘Eh, dropping his tin, is he? And you ‘d rather save him, Crotty? All right and sportsmanlike,’ said his lordship, with a knowing wink, and walked on. ‘A very bad one, indeed, I fear,’ said Crotty, looking after him; ‘but I didn’t think him so heartless as that. Let us take a turn, and look out for Wycherley.’ Now, although I neither knew Wycherley nor his friend Crotty, I felt it a case where one might transgress a little on etiquette, and probably save a young man--he didn’t look twenty--from ruin; and so, without more ado, I accompanied my new acquaintance through the crowded salons, elbowing and pushing along amid the hundreds that thronged there. Crotty seemed to know almost every one of a certain class; and as he went, it was a perpetual ‘Comment ça va,’ prince, count, or baron; or, ‘How d’ye do, my lord?’ or, ‘Eh, Sir Thomas, you here?’ etc; when at length, at the side of a doorway leading into the supper-room, we came upon the Honourable Jack, with two ladies leaning upon his arms. One glance was enough; I saw they were the alderman’s daughters. Sir Peter himself, at a little distance off, was giving directions to the waiter for supper. ‘Eh, Crotty, what are you doing to-night?’ said Jack, with a triumphant look at his fair companions; ‘any mischief going forward, eh?’ ‘Nothing half so dangerous as your doings,’ said Crotty, with a very arch smile; ‘have you seen Wycherley? Is he here?’