Lord Loveland Discovers America

								

Two hundred were sprinkled about among Val's creditors, like pepper out
of a pot, where such seasoning was necessary. A hundred more were spent
outright, with heartburnings, upon obstinate tailors, hatters and
hosiers, who would not tail, hat nor hose, except upon instalments of
ready money. Fifty pounds were apologetically retained by Lady Loveland,
who grudged every penny to herself and especially to her servants.
Another fifty a little more than paid for a cabin almost worthy of his
lordship on the big ship Baltic. Fifty and some vague dust of gold and
silver went into Val's pocket for current expenses; and the remaining
hundred and fifty condensed into the form of a letter of credit.
Of course there ought to have been more, much more. But there would have
been less had not Loveland's man, Foxham, given notice at the last
moment. This inestimable person assured his master that nothing but the
most urgent necessity could have induced him to take such a course. He
suffered poignantly, Foxham intimated with proper respect, in the idea
that another must perform for his lordship those services which had been
his pleasure and duty; but Foxham's grandfather had died (even valets
have grandfathers) leaving a tidy sum; and as there were peculiarities
in the will, Foxham would lose his chance of inheriting if he left
England.
Loveland privately thought it almost equivalent to l�se majest� that
his man should desert him for such a selfish trifle as private interest.
But he would have scorned to retain a servant who wished to leave him;
besides, there were advantages in losing even such a treasure as Foxham
before the two passages were taken.
Val had learned from a friend that, if you sent your valet second class,
you were not able to command his services on shipboard. This seemed a
disgusting waste of money, and ought to be protested against in The
Times, or somewhere. On the other hand, he could not afford a
first-class fare for Foxham.
"I dare say I can get some fellow over there, if everything goes well,"
said he. "Meanwhile I shall save money on old Fox. He hasn't opened his
mouth about wages. Jolly impudent if he had, because of course he knows
I'll pay up when its convenient. And anyhow, a hundred and fifty in the
letter of credit is the least I can rub along with, on the other side. I
must 'look sharp' as Harborough says, and pick up the right girl, so as
to get everything in shape as soon as possible, or I may find myself in
a mess."
"Don't imagine anything so horrid, darling," said Lady Loveland, anxious
to prop up her son's spirits as well as his credit. "Think only of the
best. But I'm sorry about Foxham. He turns you out so perfectly."
"Oh, I learned to shift for myself like a regular navvy in South
Africa," Loveland consoled her. "A chap has to keep clean and have the
right folds in his trousers, whatever happens; and I worried along
somehow without disgracing the family. I can do the same now, though