He must perform some exploit uncommonly cheeky in order to cover his late discomfiture.

To get the better of Mr.Chaffanbrass at the Old Bailey had been beyond him; but he might yet do something at the clubs to set aside the unanimous verdict which had been given against him in the city.
Nay, he must do something, unless he was prepared to go to the wall utterly, and at once.
Going to the wall with Undy would mean absolute ruin; he lived but on the cheekiness of his gait and habits; he had become member of Parliament, Government official, railway director, and club aristocrat, merely by dint of cheek.

He had now received a great blow; he had stood before a crowd, and been annihilated by the better cheek of Mr.Chaffanbrass, and, therefore, it behoved him at once to do something.

When the perfume of the rose grows stale, the flower is at once thrown aside, and carried off as foul refuse.

It behoved Undy to see that his perfume was maintained in its purity, or he, too, would be carried off.
The club to which Undy more especially belonged was called the Downing; and of this Alaric was also a member, having been introduced into it by his friend.