At this time your poor father, who was thoroughly disgusted at
his marriage, had stopped the supplies, you know, and Silas was very poor,
and as hungry as a hawk, and they said he pounced upon this rich London
gamester, intending to win his money. I am telling you now all that was
said afterwards. The races lasted I forget how many days, and Mr. Charke
stayed at Bartram-Haugh all this time and for some days after. It was
thought that poor Austin would pay all Silas's gambling debts, and so this
wretched Mr. Charke made heavy wagers with him on the races, and they
played very deep, besides, at Bartram. He and Silas used to sit up at night
at cards. All these particulars, as I told you, came out afterwards, for
there was an inquest, you know, and then Silas published what he called his
"statement," and there was a great deal of most distressing correspondence
in the newspapers.'
'And why did Mr. Charke kill himself?' I asked.
'Well, I will tell you first what all are agreed about. The second night
after the races, your uncle and Mr. Charke sat up till between two and
three o'clock in the morning, quite by themselves, in the parlour.
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