 this unexpected meeting at Leubronn, the baronet
felt much curiosity to know how things had been going on at Diplow, was bent on
being as civil as possible to his nephew, and looked forward to some private
chat with Lush.
    Between Deronda and Grandcourt there was a more faintly marked but peculiar
relation, depending on circumstances which have yet to be made known. But on no
side was there any sign of suppressed chagrin on the first meeting at the table
d'hôte, an hour after Grandcourt's arrival; and when the quartette of gentlemen
afterwards met on the terrace, without Lady Mallinger, they moved off together
to saunter through the rooms, Sir Hugo saying as they entered the large saal -
    »Did you play much at Baden, Grandcourt?«
    »No; I looked on and betted a little with some Russians there.«
    »Had you luck?«
    »What did I win, Lush?«
    »You brought away about two hundred,« said Lush.
    »You are not here for the sake of the play, then?« said Sir Hugo.
    »No; I don't care about play now. It's a confounded strain,« said
Grandcourt, whose diamond ring and demeanour, as he moved along playing slightly
with his whisker, were being a good deal stared at by rouged foreigners
interested in a new milord.
    »The fact is, somebody should invent a mill to do amusements for you, my
dear fellow,« said Sir Hugo, »as the Tartars get their praying done. But I agree
with you; I never cared for play. It's monotonous - knits the brain up into
meshes. And it knocks me up to watch it now. I suppose one gets poisoned with
the bad air. I never stay here more than ten minutes. But where's your gambling
beauty, Deronda? Have you seen her lately?«
    »She's gone,« said Deronda, curtly.
    »An uncommonly fine girl, a perfect Diana,« said Sir Hugo, turning to
Grandcourt again. »Really worth a little straining to look at her. I saw her
winning, and she took it as coolly as if she had known it all beforehand. The
same day Deronda happened to see her losing like wildfire, and she bore it with
immense pluck. I suppose she was cleaned out, or was wise enough to stop in
time. How do you know she's gone?«
    »Oh, by the Visitor-list,« said Deronda, with a scarcely perceptible shrug.
»Vandernoodt told me her
