He dropped the paper in his heat. I picked it up. "And that's only one phase of their fast life, these billiard-rooms," he continued. "There are other things: singing-halls, and cider cellars--and all sorts of places. You steer clear of the lot, Johnny. And warn Todhetley. He wants warning perhaps more than you do." "Tod has caught no harm, I think, except----" "Except what?" asked he sharply, as I paused. "Except that I suppose it costs him money, sir." "Just so. A good thing too. If these seductions (as young fools call them) could be had without money, the world would soon be turned upside down. But as to harm, Johnny, once a young fellow gets to feel at home in these places, I don't care how short his experience may be, he loses his self-respect. He does; and it takes time to get it back again. You and Joe had not been gone five minutes last night, with your 'Honourable' and the other fellow in scarlet, when there was a row in the room. Two men quarrelled about a bet; sides were taken by the spectators, and it came to blows. I have heard some reprobate language in my day, Johnny Ludlow, but I never heard such as I heard then. Had you been there, I'd have taken you by the back of the neck and pitched you out of the window, before your ears should have been tainted with it." "Did you go to the billiard-room, expecting to see me there, Mr. Brandon?" I asked. And the question put his temper up. "Go to the billiard-room, expecting to see _you_ there, Johnny Ludlow!" he retorted, his voice a small shrill pipe. "How dare you ask it? I'd as soon have expected to see the Bishop of London there, as you. I can tell you what, young man: had I known you were going to these places, I should pretty soon have stopped it. Yes, sir: you are not out of my hands yet. If I could not stop you personally, I'd stop every penny of your pocket-money." "We couldn't think--I and Tod--what else you had gone for sir," said I, in apology for having put the question. "I don't suppose you could. I have a graceless relative, Johnny Ludlow; a sister's son. He is going to the bad, fast, and she got me to come up and see what he was after. I could not find him; I have not found him yet; but I was told that he frequented those rooms, and I went there on speculation. Now you know. He came up to London nine months ago as pure-hearted a young fellow as you are: bad companions laid hold of him, and are doing their best to ruin him. I should not like to see _you_ on the downward road, Johnny; and you shan't enter on it if I can put a spoke in the wheel. Your father was my good friend." "There is no fear for me, Mr. Brandon." "Well, Johnny, I hope not. You be cautious, and come and dine with me this evening. And now will you promise me one thing: if you get into any trouble or difficulty at any time, whether it's a money trouble, or what not, you come to me with it. Do you hear?" "Yes, sir. I don't know any one I would rather take it to."