Farquhar, and he tried to speak
indifferently; but a grave look of intelligence clouded his eyes
as he looked for Mr. Benson's answer. "I have not met him
lately."
"No!" said Mr. Benson, with an expression of pain in his
countenance, though he, too, strove to speak in his usual tone.
"Leonard is not strong, and we find it difficult to induce him to
go much out-of-doors."
There was a little silence for a minute or two, during which Mr.
Farquhar had to check an unbidden sigh. But, suddenly rousing
himself into a determination to change the subject, he said--
"You will find rather a lengthened account of the exposure of Sir
Thomas Campbell's conduct at Baden. He seems to be a complete
blackleg, in spite of his baronetcy. I fancy the papers are glad
to get hold of anything just now."
"Who is Sir Thomas Campbell?" asked Mr. Benson.
"Oh, I thought you might have heard the report--a true one, I
believe--of Mr. Donne's engagement to his daughter. He must be
glad she jilted him now, I fancy, after this public exposure of
her father's conduct." (That was an awkward speech, as Mr.
Farquhar felt; and he hastened to cover it, by going on without
much connection.)
"Dick Bradshaw is my informant about all these projected
marriages in high life--they are not much in my way; but, since
he has come down from London to take his share in the business, I
think I have heard more of the news and the scandal of what, I
suppose, would be considered high life, than ever I did before;
and Mr.
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