willing to mislead me; for you must know that, though your father appears
to be idle, yet your brother is speculating with his money at an enormous
rate."

"And pray," said I, (for I did not wish to betray all the surprise that
this intelligence gave me,) "in what speculations is he engaged?"

"How should I tell you, who scarcely know the meaning of the word? I
only heard my father say that young Talbot, though seemingly swallowed up
in pleasure, knew how to turn a penny as well as another, and was
employing his father's wealth in _speculation_; that, I remember, was
his word, but I never, for my part, took the trouble to inquire what
_speculation_ meant. I know only that it is some hazardous or
complicated way of getting money."

These hints, though the conversation passed immediately to other
subjects, made a deep impression on my mind. My brother's character I knew
to be incompatible with any sort of industry, and had various reasons for
believing my father's property to be locked up in bank-stock. If my
friend's story were true, there was a new instance of the influence which
Frank had acquired over his father. I had very indistinct ideas of
speculation, but was used to regard it as something very hazardous, and
almost criminal.

I told my mother all my uneasiness. She thought it worth while to take
some means of getting at the truth, in conversation with my father.
Agreeably to her advice, on my next visit I opened the subject, by
repeating exactly what I heard, I concluded by asking if it wrere
true.