# The Beargarden explained — The Way We Live Now

> Chapter companion for The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope.

## What happens

Lady Carbury, in her modest Welbeck Street home, writes letters and is interrupted by her son Sir Felix Carbury, who asks for money. She gives him £20 despite her poverty. Felix then goes to the Beargarden club, where he gambles all night, winning over £700 from Dolly Longestaffe and Lord Grasslough. He refuses to continue playing and leaves, feeling wealthy. The next morning, he hunts in Buckinghamshire using Dolly's horses.

## Themes in this chapter

### Speculation and Ruin

Felix's gambling win represents the speculative nature of wealth in the novel, where fortunes can be made or lost overnight.

### Deception and Hypocrisy

Felix deceives his mother about his financial state and hides his gambling winnings, while Lady Carbury pretends to be comfortable despite her poverty.

### Marriage as Financial Transaction

Felix's pursuit of Marie Melmotte is explicitly framed as a financial strategy to secure her fortune.

## Character check-ins

### Lady Carbury

Writing letters and worrying about finances; gives Felix £20.

### Sir Felix Carbury

Asks his mother for money, gambles at the Beargarden, wins over £700, and goes hunting.

### Dolly Longestaffe

Felix's friend at the Beargarden; loses over £800 to Felix and lends him horses for hunting.

### Lord Grasslough

Gambles with Felix and is angry when Felix stops playing.

### Marie Melmotte

Discussed as a potential marriage target for Felix; described as neither pretty nor plain, neither clever nor stupid.

### Augustus Melmotte

Mentioned as being more concerned with dukes than his daughter's suitors.

## Key lines

> My dear boy, pray leave your tobacco below when you come in here.

Lady Carbury asks Felix not to smoke in her writing room.

_Shows the tension between Felix's careless behavior and his mother's attempts at propriety._

> I wonder whether you can let me have twenty pounds?

Felix asks his mother for money.

_Highlights Felix's financial dependence and his mother's strained resources._

> I never could see the end of anything, mother.

Felix admits he cannot plan for the future.

_Reveals Felix's hedonistic and short-sighted character._

> It was called the Beargarden, and had been lately opened with the express view of combining parsimony with profligacy.

The Beargarden club was designed for young men who wanted to be both thrifty and dissolute.

_Describes the club's ethos and its appeal to characters like Felix._

> He never for a moment thought of paying his bills.

Felix does not consider using his winnings to settle his debts.

_Illustrates Felix's irresponsibility and focus on immediate gratification._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/iii-the-beargarden
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters