CHAPTER I.

eteyes,grizzledeyebrows,andill-combedscantyhairwhichseemedaslightmetamorphosisofthevulture.Andwhereelsewouldherladyshiphavegraciouslyconsentedtositbythatdry-lippedfemininefigureprematurelyold,witheredaftershortbloomlikeherartificialflowers,holdingashabbyvelvetreticulebeforeher,andoccasionallyputtinginhermouththepointwithwhichsheprickedhercard?Theretoo,verynearthefaircountess,wasarespectableLondontradesman,blondeandsoft-handed,hissleekhairscrupulouslypartedbehindandbefore,consciousofcircularsaddressedtothenobilityandgentry,whosedistinguishedpatronageenabledhimtotakehisholidaysfashionably,andtoacertainextentintheirdistinguishedcompany.Nothisthegambler’spassionthatnullifiesappetite,butawell-fedleisure,which,intheintervalsofwinningmoneyinbusinessandspendingitshowily,seesnobetterresourcethanwinningmoneyinplayandspendingityetmoreshowily—reflectingalwaysthatProvidencehadnevermanifestedanydisapprobationofhisamusement,anddispassionateenoughtoleaveoffifthesweetnessofwinningmuchandseeingotherslosehadturnedtothesournessoflosingmuchandseeingotherswin.Fortheviceofgamblinglayinlosingmoneyatit.Inhisbearingtheremightbesomethingofthetradesman,butinhispleasureshewasfittorankwiththeownersoftheoldesttitles.StandingclosetohischairwasahandsomeItalian,calm,statuesque,reachingacrosshimtoplacethefirstpileofnapoleonsfromanewbagfuljustbroughthimbyanenvoywithascrolledmustache.Thepilewasinhalfaminutepushedovertoanoldbewiggedwomanwitheye-glassespinchinghernose.Therewasaslightgleam,afaintmumblingsmileaboutthelipsoftheoldwomanbutthestatuesqueItalianremainedimpassive,and—probablysecureinaninfalliblesystemwhichplacedhisfootontheneckofchance—immediatelypreparedanewpile.Sodidamanwiththeairofanemaciatedbeauorworn-outlibertine,wholookedatlifethroughoneeye-glass,andheldouthishandtremulouslywhenheaskedforchange.Itcouldsurelybenoseverityofsystem,butrathersomedreamofwhitecrows,ortheinductionthattheeighthofthemonthwaslucky,whichinspiredthefierceyettotteringimpulsivenessofhisplay. But,whileeverysingleplayerdifferedmarkedlyfromeveryother,therewasacertainuniformnegativenessofexpressionwhichhadtheeffectofamask—asiftheyhadalleatenofsomerootthatforthetimecompelledthebrainsofeachtothesamenarrowmonotonyofaction. Deronda’sfirstthoughtwhenhiseyesfellonthissceneofdull,gas-poisonedabsorption,wasthatthegamblingofSpanishshepherd-boyshadseemedtohimmoreenviable:—sofarRousseaumightbejustifiedinmaintainingthatartandsciencehaddoneapoorservicetomankind.Butsuddenlyhefeltthemomentbecomedramatic.Hisattentionwasarrestedbyayoungladywho,standingatananglenotfarfromhim,wasthelasttowhomhiseyestraveled.ShewasbendingandspeakingEnglishtoamiddle-agedladyseatedatplaybesideher:butthenextinstantshereturnedtoherplay,andshowedthefullheightofagracefulfigure,withafacewhichmightpossiblybelookedatwithoutadmiration,butcouldhardlybepassedwithindifference. TheinwarddebatewhichsheraisedinDerondagavetohiseyesagrowingexpre