“I am curious to learn how you became acquainted with these financial abilities of Miss Henderson?” said Lady Dorothea, haughtily. “Simply enough. I was poring over these confounded accounts one day at Manheim, and I chanced to ask her a question,--something about compound interest, I think it was,--and so she came and looked over what I was doing, or rather endeavoring to do. It was that affair with Throgmorton, where I was to meet one third of the bills, and Merl and he were to look to the remainder; but there was a reservation that if Comus won the Oaks, I was to stand free--no, that's not it--if Comus won the double event--” “Never mind your stupid contract. What of Miss Henderson?” broke in Lady Dorothea. “Well, she came over, as I told you, and took up a pencil and began working away with all sorts of signs and crosses,--regular algebra, by Jove!--and in about five minutes out came the whole thing, all square, showing that I stood to win on either event, and came off splendidly if the double should turn up. 'I wish,' said I to her, 'you 'd just run your eye over my book and see how I stand.' She took it over to the fire, and before I could well believe she had glanced at it, she said: 'This is all full of blunders. You have left yourself open to three casualties, any one of which will sweep away all your winnings. Take the odds on Roehampton, and lay on Slingsby a couple of hundred more,--three, if you can get it,--and you 'll be safe enough. And when you 've done that,' said she, 'I have another piece of counsel to give; but first say will you take it?' 'I give you my word upon it,' said I. 'Then it is this,' said she: 'make no more wagers on the turf. You haven't skill to make what is called a “good book,” and you 'll always be a sufferer.'” “Did n't she vouchsafe to offer you her admirable assistance?” asked her Ladyship, with a sneer. “No, by Jove!” said he, not noticing the tone of sarcasm; “and when I asked her, 'Would not she afford me a little aid?' she quickly said, 'Not on any account. You are now in a difficulty, and I willingly come forward to extricate you. Far different were the case should I conspire with you to place others in a similar predicament. Besides, I have your pledge that you have now done with these transactions, and forever.'” “What an admirable monitor! One only wonders how so much morality coexists with such very intimate knowledge of ignoble pursuits.” “By Jove! she knows everything,” broke in the Captain. “Such a canter as she gave me t' other morning about idleness and the rest of it, saying how I ought to study Hindostanee, and get a staff appointment, and so on,--that every one ought to place himself above the accidents of fortune; and when I said something about having no opportunity at hand, she replied, 'Never complain of that; begin with _me_. I know quite enough to initiate you; and as to Sanscrit, I 'm rather “up” in it.'”