
to talk with Fred alone, and he said, kindly, »I disturbed you, young gentleman,
because I have some pressing business with you. Walk with me to St Botolph's,
will you?«
    It was a fine night, the sky thick with stars, and Mr. Farebrother proposed
that they should make a circuit to the old church by the London road. The next
thing he said was -
    »I thought Lydgate never went to the Green Dragon?«
    »So did I,« said Fred. »But he said that he went to see Bambridge.«
    »He was not playing, then?«
    Fred had not meant to tell this, but he was obliged now to say, »Yes, he
was. But I suppose it was an accidental thing. I have never seen him there
before.«
    »You have been going often yourself, then, lately?«
    »Oh, about five or six times.«
    »I think you had some good reason for giving up the habit of going there?«
    »Yes. You know all about it,« said Fred, not liking to be catechised in this
way. »I made a clean breast to you.«
    »I suppose that gives me a warrant to speak about the matter now. It is
understood between us, is it not? - that we are on a footing of open friendship:
I have listened to you, and you will be willing to listen to me. I may take my
turn in talking a little about myself?«
    »I am under the deepest obligation to you, Mr. Farebrother,« said Fred, in a
state of uncomfortable surmise.
    »I will not affect to deny that you are under some obligation to me. But I
am going to confess to you, Fred, that I have been tempted to reverse all that
by keeping silence with you just now. When somebody said to me, Young Vincy has
taken to being at the billiard-table every night again - he won't bear the curb
long; I was tempted to do the opposite of what I am doing - to hold my tongue
and wait while you went down the ladder again, betting first and then --«
    »I have not made any bets,« said Fred, hastily.
    »Glad to hear it. But I say, my prompting was to look on and see you take
the wrong turning, wear out Garth's patience, and lose the best opportunity of
your life - the opportunity which you made some rather difficult effort to
secure.
