Rank and Talent; A Novel, Vol. 3 (of 3)Scargill, William Pitt
General
Rank and Talent; A Novel, Vol. 3 (of 3)
Scargill, William Pitt
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
When this explanation was entered into, if explanation it may be called,
the two friends looked at one another like a couple of fools, or perhaps
to speak more properly, like a couple of knaves. The Right. Hon. the Earl
of Trimmerstone was so exceedingly out of humor with himself, that he
scarcely knew how to act or what to say. He was going to say, “Sloper, I
can never trust you again.” But upon second thoughts he considered that
Sloper was really no worse than he had previously known him to be. He was
tempted to call Sloper a knave; but he recollected that he himself was
as great a knave. He was tempted to think that he would discontinue all
intimacy with a man who had thus, as he called it, defrauded him; but he
recollected that Singleton Sloper had been serviceable to him, and might
be again; and he thought it better to depend on a rogue that he did know,
than to run the risk of relying on a rogue that he did not know.
It might not be at this juncture that his lordship’s character received
the deepest stain of degradation; but it was at this period, and by this
circumstance, that his lordship was brought to feel how very low he had
sunk in the scale of moral worth. Then did he again and more deeply than
ever regret that the days of his independence were passed away, and that
he had sacrificed for the sake of honors which were no honor to him, that
composure of mind and that independence of spirit which had in early life
been his portion and blessing. He became very low-spirited, and almost
morose. His appetite for pleasure was greatly abated. He no longer
considered the turf and the betting-table the true and supreme enjoyment
of life, or the dignified enjoyment of rank and fortune.
Many days passed away in a state of nervous depression bordering on
insanity; and had he in this period laid violent hands on himself, there
would have been quite sufficient evidence to convince a coroner’s jury
that a verdict of insanity should be brought in.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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