'I know him,' said Nidderdale shaking his head.
'I should think so,' said Miles ruefully.
'A bottle of champagne!' said Nidderdale, appealing to the waiter in almost a humble voice, feeling that he wanted sustenance in this new trouble that had befallen him. The waiter, beaten almost to the ground by an awful sense of the condition of the club, whispered to him the terrible announcement that there was not a bottle of champagne in the house. 'Good G----,' exclaimed the unfortunate nobleman. Miles Grendall shook his head. Grasslough shook his head.
'It's true,' said another young lord from the table on the other side. Then the waiter, still speaking with suppressed and melancholy voice, suggested that there was some port left. It was now the middle of July.
'Brandy?' suggested Nidderdale. There had been a few bottles of brandy, but they had been already consumed. 'Send out and get some brandy,' said Nidderdale with rapid impetuosity. But the club was so reduced in circumstances that he was obliged to take silver out of his pocket before he could get even such humble comfort as he now demanded.
Then Lord Grasslough told the whole story as far as it was known. Herr Vossner had not been seen since nine o'clock on the preceding evening. The head waiter had known for some weeks that heavy bills were due. It was supposed that three or four thousand pounds were owing to tradesmen, who now professed that the credit had been given, not to Herr Vossner but to the club. And the numerous acceptances for large sums which the accommodating purveyor held from many of the members had all been sold to Mr Flatfleece. Mr Flatfleece had spent a considerable portion of the day at the club, and it was now suggested that he and Herr Vossner were in partnership. At this moment Dolly Longestaffe came in. Dolly had been at the club before and had heard the story,--but had gone at once to another club for his dinner when he found that there was not even a bottle of wine to be had. 'Here's a go,' said Dolly. 'One thing atop of another! There'll be nothing left for anybody soon. Is that brandy you're drinking, Nidderdale? There was none here when I left.'
'Had to send round the corner for it, to the public.'
'We shall be sending round the corner for a good many things now. Does anybody know anything of that fellow Melmotte?'
'He's down in the House, as big as life,' said Nidderdale. 'He's all right I think.'