result in no benefit to anyone； simply in misery to himself。 The true Richard Devine was buried fathoms deep in the greedy ocean of convict…discipline； and the waves of innumerable punishments washed over him。 John Rex flattered himself that he had usurped the name of one who was in fact no living man； and that； unless one should rise from the dead； Richard Devine could never return to accuse him。 So flattering himself； he gradually became bolder； and by slow degrees suffered his true nature to appear。 He was violent to the servants； cruel to dogs and horses； often wantonly coarse in speech； and brutally regardless of the feelings of others。 Governed； like most women； solely by her feelings； Lady Devine had at first been prodigal of her affection to the man she believed to be her injured son。 But his rash acts of selfishness； his habits of grossness and self…indulgence； gradually disgusted her。 For some time shepoor womanfought against this feeling； endeavouring to overcome her instincts of distaste； and arguing with herself that to permit a detestation of her unfortunate son to arise in her heart was almost criminal； but she was at length forced to succumb。
For the first year Mr。 Richard conducted himself with great propriety； but as his circle of acquaintance and his confidence in himself increased； he now and then forgot the part he was playing。 One day Mr。 Richard went to pass the day with a sporting friend； only too proud to see at his table so wealthy and wonderful a man。 Mr。 Richard drank a good deal more than was good for him； and returned home in a condition of disgusting drunkenness。 I say disgusting； because some folks have the art of getting drunk after a humorous fashion； that robs intoxication of half its grossness。 For John Rex to be drunk was to be himselfcoarse and cruel。 Francis Wade was away； and Lady Devine had retired for the night； when the dog…cart brought home 〃Mr。 Richard〃。 The virtuous butler…porter； who opened the door； received a blow in the chest and a demand for 〃Brandy！〃 The groom was cursed； and ordered to instant oblivion。 Mr。 Richard stumbled into the dining…roomveiled in dim light as a dining…room which was 〃sitting up〃 for its master ought to beand ordered 〃more candles！〃 The candles were brought； after some delay； and Mr。 Richard amused himself by spilling their meltings upon the carpet。 〃Let's have 'luminashon！〃 he cried； and climbing with muddy boots upon the costly chairs； scraping with his feet the polished table； attempted to fix the wax in the silver sconces； with which the antiquarian tastes of Mr。 Francis Wade had adorned the room。
〃You'll break the table； sir；〃 said the servant。
〃Damn the table！〃 said Rex。 〃Buy 'nother table。 What's table t'you？〃 〃Oh； certainly； sir；〃 replied the man。
〃Oh； c'ert'nly！ Why c'ert'nly？ What do you know about it？〃
〃Oh； certainly not； sir；〃 replied the man。
〃If I hadstockwhip hereI'd make youhicskip！ Whar's brandy？〃
〃Here； Mr。 Richard。〃
〃Have some！ Good brandy！ Send for servantsh and have dance。 D'you dance； Tomkins？〃
〃No； Mr。 Richard。〃
〃Then you shall dance now； Tomkins。 You'll dance upon nothing one day； Tomkins！ Here！ Halloo！ Mary！ Susan！ Janet！ William！ Hey！ Halloo！〃 And he began to shout and blaspheme。
〃Don't you think it's time for bed； Mr。 Richard？〃 one of the men ventured to suggest。
〃No！〃 roared the ex…convict； emphatically； 〃I don't！ I've gone to bed at daylight far too long。 We'll have 'luminashon！ I'm master here。 Master everything。 Richard 'Vine's my name。 Isn't it； Tomkins； you villain？〃
〃Oh…h…h！ Yes； Mr。 Richard。〃
〃Course it is； and make you know it too！ I'm no painter…picture； crockery chap。 I'm genelman！ Genelman seen the world！ Knows what's what。 There ain't much I ain't fly to。 Wait till the old woman's dead； Tomkins； and you shall see！〃 More swearing； and awful threats of what the inebriate would do when he was in possession。 〃Bring up some brandy！〃 Crash goes the bottle in the fire…place。 〃Light up the droring…rooms； we'll have dance！ I'm drunk！ What's that？ If you'd gone through what I have； you'd be glad to be drunk。 I look a fool〃this to his image in another glass。 〃I ain't though； or I wouldn't be here。 Curse you； you grinning idiot〃 crash goes his fist through the mirror〃don't grin at me。 Play up there！ Where's old woman？ Fetch her out and let's dance！〃
〃Lady Devine has gone to bed； Mr。 Richard；〃 cried Tomkins； aghast； attempting to bar the passage to the upper regions。
〃Then let's have her out o' bed；〃 cried John Rex； plunging to the door。
Tomkins； attempting to restrain him； is instantly hurled into a cabinet of rare china； and the drunken brute essays the stairs。 The other servants seize him。 He curses and fights like a demon。 Doors bang open； lights gleam； maids hover； horrified； asking if it's 〃fire？〃 and begging for it to be 〃put out〃。 The whole house is in an uproar； in the midst of which Lady Devine appears； and looks down upon the scene。 Rex catches sight of her； and bursts into blasphemy。 She withdraws； strangely terrified； and the animal； torn； bloody； and blasphemous； is at last got into his own apartments； the groom； whose face had been seriously damaged in the encounter； bestowing a hearty kick on the prostrate carcase at parting。
The next morning Lady Devine declined to see her son； though he sent a special apology to her。
〃I am afraid I was a little overcome by wine last night；〃 said he to Tomkins。 〃Well； you was； sir；〃 said Tomkins。
〃A very little wine makes me quite ill； Tomkins。 Did I do anything very violent？〃
〃You was rather obstropolous； Mr。 Richard。〃
〃Here's a sovereign for you； Tomkins。 Did I say anything？〃
〃You cussed a good deal； Mr。 Richard。 Most gents do when they've bin humdining out； Mr。 Richard。〃
〃What a fool I am；〃 thought John Rex； as he dressed。 〃I shall spoil everything if I don't take care。〃 He was right。 He was going the right way to spoil everything。 However； for this bout he made amends… money soothed the servants' hall； and apologies and time won Lady Devine's forgiveness。
〃I cannot yet conform to English habits； my dear mother；〃 said Rex； 〃and feel at times out of place in your quiet home。 I think thatif you can spare me a little moneyI should like to travel。〃
Lady Devinewith a sense of relief for which she blamed herselfassented； and supplied with letters of credit； John Rex went to Paris。
Fairly started in the world of dissipation and excess； he began to grow reckless。 When a young man； he had been singularly free from the vice of drunkenness； turning his sobrietyas he did all his virtues to vicious account； but he had learnt to drink deep in the loneliness of the bush。 Master of a large sum of money； he had intended to spend it as he would have spent it in his younger days。 He had forgotten that since his death and burial the world had not grown younger。 It was possible that Mr。 Lionel Crofton might have discovered some of the old set of fools and knaves with whom he had once mixed。 Many of them were alive and flourishing。 Mr。 Lemoine； for instance； was respectably married in his native island of Jersey； and had already threatened to disinherit a nephew who showed a tendency to dissipation。
But Mr。 Lemoine would not care to recognize Mr。 Lionel Crofton； the gambler and rake； in his proper person； and it was not expedient that his acquaintance should be made in the person of Richard Devine； lest by some unlucky chance he should recognize the cheat。 Thus poor Lionel Crofton was compelled to lie still in his grave； and Mr。 Richard Devine； trusting to a big beard and more burly figure to keep his secret； was compelled to begin his friendship with Mr。 Lionel's whilom friends all over again。 In Paris and London there were plenty of people ready to become hail…fellow…well…met with any gentleman possessing money。 Mr。 Richard Devine's history was whispered in many a boudoir and club…room。 The history； however； was not always told in the same way。 It was generally known that Lady Devine had a son； who； being supposed to be dead； had suddenly returned； to the confusion of his family。 But the manner of his return was told in many ways。
In the first place； Mr。 Francis Wade； well…known though he was； did not move in that brilliant circle which had lately received his nephew。 There are in England many men of fortune； as large as that left by the old ship…builder； who are positively unknown in that little world which is supposed to contain all the men worth knowing。 Francis Wade was a man of mark in his own coterie。 Among artists； bric…a…brac sellers； antiquarians； and men of letters he was known as a patron and man of taste。 His bankers and his lawyers knew him to be of independent fortune； but as he neither mixed in politics； 〃went into society〃； betted； or speculated in merchandise； there were several large sections of the community who had never heard his name。 Many respectable money…lenders would have required 〃further information〃 before they would discount his bills； and 〃clubmen〃 in generalsave； perhaps； those ancient quidnuncs who know everybody； from Adam downwardshad but little acquaintance with him。 The advent of Mr。 Richard Devinea coarse person of unlimited means had therefore chief influence upon that sinister circle of male and female rogues who form the 〃half…world〃。 They began to inquire concerning his antecedents； and； failing satisfactory information； to invent lies concerning him。 It was generally believed that he was a black sheep； a man whose family kept him out of the way； but who was； in a pecuniary sense； 〃good〃 for a considerable sum。
Thus taken upon trust； Mr。 Richard Devine mixed in the very best of bad society； and had no lack of agreeable friends to help him to spend money。 So admirably did he spend it； that Francis Wade became at last alarmed at the frequent drafts； and urged his nephew to bring his affairs to a final settlement。 Richard Devinein Paris； Hamburg； or London； or elsewherecould never be got to attack business； and Mr。 Francis Wade grew more and more anxious。 The poor gentleman positively became ill through the anxiety consequent upon his nephew's dissipations。 〃I wish； my dear Richard； that you would let me know what to do；〃