Each and all of these worthies came round the colonel with their
various blandishments; but he had courage enough to resist them, and
to button up his notes in the pocket of his coat, and go home to
Strong, and "sport" the outer door of the chambers. Honest Strong had
given his fellow-lodger good advice about all his acquaintances; and
though, when pressed, he did not mind frankly taking twenty pounds
himself out of the colonel's winnings, Strong was a great deal too
upright to let others cheat him.
He was not a bad fellow when in good fortune, this Altamont. He
ordered a smart livery for Grady, and made poor old Costigan shed
tears of quickly dried gratitude by giving him a five-pound note after
a snug dinner at the Back-Kitchen, and he bought a green shawl for
Mrs. Bolton, and a yellow one for Fanny: the most brilliant
"sacrifices" of a Regent-street haberdasher's window. And a short time
after this, upon her birth-day, which happened in the month of June,
Miss Amory received from "a friend" a parcel containing an enormous
brass-inlaid writing-desk, in which there was a set of amethysts, the
most hideous eyes ever looked upon--a musical snuff-box, and two
keepsakes of the year before last, and accompanied with a couple of
gown-pieces of the most astounding colors, the receipt of which goods
made the Sylphide laugh and wonder immoderately.
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