 Chapter 61 of the history of Pendenis. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The history of Pendenis, but will you make peace, Thakari? Chapter 61 Conversations. Our good-natured begum was at first so much enraged at this last instance of her husband's duplicity, and folly that she refused to give Sir Francis clevering any aid in order to meet his debts of honor, and declared that she would separate from him and leave him to the consequences of his incorrigible weakness and waste. After that fatal day's transactions at the Darby, the unlucky gambler was in such a condition of mind that he was disposed to avoid everybody, alike his turf associates with whom he had made the debts which he trembled lest he should not have the means of paying, and his wife, his long-suffering banker on whom he reasonably doubted whether he should be allowed any longer to draw. When Lady Clevering asked the next morning whether Sir Francis was in the house, she received answer that he had not returned that night, but had sent the messenger to his valet, ordering him to forward close and letters by the bearer. Strong knew that he should have a visit or a message from him in the course of that or the subsequent day, and accordingly got a note beseeching him to call upon his distracted friend F. C. at Short Hotel, Black Friars, and asked where Mr. Francis there. For the bearer net was a gentleman of that peculiarity of mind that he would rather tell a lie than not and always began a contest with fortune by running away and hiding himself. The boots of Mr. Short's establishment, who carried Clevering's message to Grosvenor Place and brought back his carpet bag, was instantly aware, who was the owner of the bag, and he imparted his information to the footman who was laying the breakfast table, who carried down the news to the servant's hall, who took it to Mrs. Bonner, my lady's housekeeper and confidential maid, who carried it to my lady. And thus every single person in the Grosvenor Place establishment knew that Mr. Francis was in hiding under the name of Francis at an inn in the Black Friars Road, and Sir Francis's coachman told the news to other gentlemen's coachmen, who carried it to their masters and to the neighboring Tatters Halls, where very gloomy anticipations were formed as Sir Francis Clevering was about to make a tour in the Levant. In the course of that day, the number of letters addressed to Sir Francis Clevering, Baronette, which found their way to his hall table, was quite remarkable. The French cook sent in his account to my lady, the tradesman, who supplied her lady's ships table and messiers, Finer and Jim Crack, the mercers and ornamental dealers, and Madame Krinellen, the eminent milliner, also forwarded their little bills to her lady, shipping company with Miss Emery's private and by no means inconsiderable account at each establishment. In the afternoon of the day after the derby went strong after a colloquy with his principal at Short's Hotel, whom he found crying and drinking Caraco, called to transact business according to his custom at Groves, Finner Place. He found all the suspicious documents ranged in the Baronette's study and began to open them and examine them with a rueful countenance. Mrs. Bonner, my lady's maiden housekeeper, came down upon him whilst engaged in this occupation. Mrs. Bonner, a part of the family, and as necessary to her mistress, as the surveiller was to Sir Francis, was, of course, on Lady Claverine's side in the dispute between her and her husband and, as by duty bound, even more angry than her ladyship herself. She won't pay if she takes my advice, Mrs. Bonner said. You please to go back to Sir Francis, Captain, and he lurking about in a low public house and don't dare to face his wife like a man, and say that we won't pay his debts no longer. We made a man of him. We took him out of jail and other folks too, perhaps we've paid his debts over and over again. We sat him up in Parliament, gave him a house in town and country, and where he don't dare show his face, the shabby sneak. We've given him the horse he rides and the dinner he eats and the very clothes he has on his back, and we will give him no more. Our fortune, such as is left of it, is left to ourselves, and we won't waste any more of it. On this ungrateful man, we'll give him enough to live upon and leave him. That's what we'll do. And that's what you may tell him from Susan Bonner. Susan Bonner's mistress hearing of Strong's arrival, sent for him at this juncture, and the Chevalier went up to her ladyship, not without hopes that he should find her more tractable than her facto to Mrs. Bonner. Many a time before, had he pleaded his client's cause with Lady Clevering and caused her good nature to relent, he tried again once more. He painted in dismal colors the situation in which he had found Sir Francis and would not answer for any consequences which might ensue if he could not find means of meeting his engagements. Kill his cell, left Mrs. Bonner, kill his self-willing, dying is the best thing he could do. Strong vowed that he had found him with the razors on the table, but at this in return, Lady Clevering laughed bitterly. He'll do himself no harm as long as there's a shilling left of which he can rob a poor woman. His life's quite safe, Captain. You may depend upon that. It was a bad day that ever. I set eyes on him. He's worse than the first man, cried out my lady's aid to camp. He was a man he was, a wild devil, but he had the courage of a man. Whereas this fellow, what's the use of my lady paying his bills and selling her diamonds and forgiving him? He'll be as bad again next year. The very next chance he has, he'll be a cheating of her and robbing of her, and her money will go to keep a pack of rogues and swindlers. I don't mean you, Captain. You've been a good friend to us enough, Bating. We wish we'd never set eyes on you. The chivalier saw from the words which Mrs. Bonner had let slip regarding the diamonds, that the kind beagum was disposed to relent once more at least, and that there were hopes still for his principle. Upon my word, ma'am, he said with a real feeling of sympathy for Lady Clevering's troubles, an admiration for her untiring good nature, and with a show of enthusiasm, which advanced not a little his graceless patron's cause, anything you say against Clevering, or Mrs. Bonner, here cries out against me, is no better than we deserve both of us, and it was an unlucky day for you when you saw either. He has behaved cruelly to you, and if you were not the most generous and forgiving woman in the world, I know there would be no chance for him, but you can't let the father of your son be a disgraced man and send little Frank into the world with such a stain upon him, tie him down, bind him by any promise as you like, I vouch for him that he will subscribe them, and break him, said Mrs. Bonner, and keep him this time, cried out strong, he must keep them, if you could have seen how he wept, man. Oh, strong, he said to me, it's not for myself I feel now, it's for my boy, it's for the best woman in England, whom I have treated basely, I know I have, he didn't intend to bet upon this race, man, indeed he didn't, he was cheated into it, all the ring was taken him, he thought he might make the bet quite safely, without the least risk, and it will be a lesson to him for all his life long, to see a man cry, oh, it's dreadful. He don't think much of making my dear Mrs. cry, said Mrs. Bonner, poor dear soul, look if he does, Captain. If you, the soul of a man clavoring, strong, said to his principal, when he recounted this scene to him, you'll keep your promise this time, and so help me, heaven, if you break word with her, I'll turn against you and tell all. What all, cried Mr. Francis, to whom his ambassador brought the news back at Short's hotel, where Strong found the baronet crying and drinking curaraco. But Shaw, do you suppose I'm a fool, burst out strong, do you suppose I could have lived so long in the world, Frank clavoring, without having my eyes about me? You know I have but to speak, and you are a beggar tomorrow, and I'm not the only man who knows your secret. Who else does, gasped, clavoring? Oh, Pendennis does, or I'm very much mistaken. He recognized the man the first night he saw him, when he came drunk into your house. He knows it does he, shrieked out clavoring, damn him, kill him. You'd like to kill us all, wouldn't you, oh boy? Said Strong with a sneer, puffing his cigar. The baronet dashed his weak hand against his forehead, perhaps the other, had interpreted his wish rightly. Oh, Strong, he cried, if I dared, I'd put an end to myself, or I'm the damnedest miserable dog in all England. It's that that makes me so wild and reckless. It's that which makes me take to drink. And he drank with a trembling hand, a bumper of his fortifier, the Caraco, and to live about with these thieves. I know they're thieves, every one of them damned thieves, and how can I help it? And I didn't know it, you know. And by God I'm innocent until I saw the damned scoundrel first. I knew no more about it than the dead, and I'll fly, and I'll go abroad out of the reach of the confounded hells, and I'll bury myself in a forest by God, and hang myself up to a tree, and oh, I'm the most miserable beggar in all England, and so with more tears shrieks than curses. The impotent wretch vented his grief and deplored his unhappy fate, and in the midst of groans and despair and blasphemy vowed his miserable repentance. The honoured proverb, which declares that to be an ill wind which blows good to nobody, was verified in the case of Sir Francis Clevering, and another of the occupants of Mr. Strong's chambers in Shepard's Inn. The man was good by a lucky hap, with whom Colonel Altamont made his bet, and on the settling day of the derby asked Captain Klinker, who was appointed to settle Sir Francis Clevering's book for him. For Lady Clevering, by the advice of Major Pandenas, would not allow the baronet to liquidate his own money transactions paid over the notes to the baronet's many creditors. Colonel Altamont had the satisfaction of receiving the odds of thirty-two-one in fifties, which he had taken against the winning horse of the day. Numbers of the Colonel's friends were present on the occasion to congratulate him on his luck, all Altamont's own set, and the gents who met in the private parlor of the convivial wheeler. My host of the Harlequin's Head came to witness their comrade's good fortune, and would have liked with a generous sympathy for success to share in it. Now was the time Tom Driver had suggested to the Colonel to have up the species ship that was sunk in the Gulf of Mexico with the three hundred and eighty thousand dollars on board, besides bars and doubloons. The tradidlums were very low to be bought for an old song never was such an opportunity for buying shares. Mr. Kitely insinuated and Jack Holt pressed forward his tobacco smuggling scheme, the audacity of which pleased the Colonel more than any other of the speculations proposed to him. Then of the Harlequin's head boys there was Jack Rackstraw, who knew of a pair of horses which the Colonel must buy. Tom Fleet, whose satirical paper, the swell, wanted but two hundred pounds of capital to be worth a thousand a year to any man with such a power and influence, Colonel, you wrote, and the entree of the green rooms in London, Tom urged, whilst little Moss abeams, entreated the Colonel not to listen to these absurd fellows with their humbugging speculations but to invest his money in some good bills which Moss could get for him and which would return him fifty percent as safe as the Bank of England. Each and all of these worthies came round the Colonel with their various blandishments, but he had courage enough to resist them and to button up his notes in the pocket of his coat and go home to Strong and sport the outer door of the chambers. Anna Strong had given his fellow Lodger good advice about all his acquaintances, and though when pressed he did not mind frankly taking twenty pounds himself out of the Colonel's winning, Strong was a great deal too upright to let others cheat him. He was not a bad fellow when, in good fortune, disalt him on. He ordered a smart livery for a grady and made poor old Costigan shed tears of quickly-dried gratitude by giving him a five-pound note after a snug dinner at the back kitchen, and he bought a green shawl from Mrs Bolton and a yellow one for Fanny, the most brilliant sacrifices of a Regent Street Haberdasher's window. And a short time after this upon her birth, they which happened in the month of June, Miss Amory, received from a friend a parcel containing an enormous brass inlaid writing desk in which there was a set of amethysts, the most hideous eyes ever looked upon, a musical snuff box and two keepsakes of the year before last, and accompanied with a couple of gallon pieces of the most astounding colors, the receipt of which goods made the silk feed laugh and wonder immoderately. Now it is a fact that Colonel Altamont had made a purchase of cigars and French silks from some duffers in Fleet Street about this period, and he was found by Strong in the open auction room in Cheepside, having invested some money in two desks, several pairs of richly plated candlesticks, a dinner arpena, and a bag of tail board. The dinner arpena remained at chambers and figured at the banquets there, which the Colonel gave pretty freely. It seemed beautiful in his eyes until Jack Holt said it looked as if it had been taken in the bill, and Jack Holt certainly knew. The dinners were pretty frequent at chambers, and Sir Francis Cleverine condescended to partake of them constantly. His own house was shut up. The successor of Miro Boulant, who had sent in his bills so prematurely, was dismissed by the indignant Lady Cleverine. The luxuriance of the establishment was greatly pruned and reduced. One of the large footmen was cashiered upon which the other gave warning, not liking to serve without his mate, or in a family where only one footman was kept. General and severe economical reforms were practiced by the Begum in her whole household, in consequence of the extravagance of which her graceless husband had been guilty. The major, as her Ladyship's friend, strong on the part of poor Cleverine, her Ladyship's lawyer and the honest Begum herself executed these reforms with promptitude and severity. After paying the baronet's debts, the settlement of which occasioned considerable public scandal and caused the baronet to sink even lower in the world's estimation than he had been before, Lady Cleverine acquitted London four-ton bridge wells in High Dungeon, refusing to see her reprobate husband whom nobody pitted. Cleverine remained in London patiently, by no means anxious to meet his wife's just indignation, and sneaked in and out of the House of Commons whence he and Captain Raff and Mr. Marker would go to have a game at billiards and a cigar, or showed in the sporting public houses, or might be seen lurking about Lincoln's inn and his lawyers, where the principles kept him for hours waiting in the clerks, winked at each other as he sat in their office. No wonder that he relished the dinners that Shepard's in and was perfectly resigned there. Resigned, he was so happy nowhere else. He was wretched amongst his equals who scorned him, but here he was the chief guest at the table where they continually addressed him with yes sir Francis and no sir Francis, where he told his wretched jokes and where he craved for his very little French song after a strong had sung his jovial chorus, an honest caustic and a piped his Irish ditties, such a jolly menage as strong's with Grady's Irish tune and Chevalier's brew of punch after dinner would have been welcomed to many a better man than Cleverine, the solitude of whose great house at home frightened him where he was attended only by the old woman who kept the house and his valet who sneered at him. Yes Dammit said he to his friends and Shepard's in. That fellow of mine, I must turn him away only I owe him two years wages. Course him and can't ask my lady. He brings me my tea cold of a morning with a dim leavened teaspoon and he says my lady sent all the plate to the bankers because it ain't safe. No ain't it hard that she won't trust me with a single teaspoon? Ain't it un-gentleman like Altamont? You know my lady's of low birth, that is I beg your pardon him, that is it's most cruel of her not to show more confidence in me and the very servants begin to laugh the dam scoundrels. I break every bone in their great hulking bodies. Curse of my will. They don't answer my bell and and my man was at box all last night with one of my dress shirts and my velvet waistcoat on. I know it was mine. The confounded impudent bloggered and he went on dancing before my eyes confounded. I'm sure he'll live to be hanged. He deserved to be hanged. All those infernal rascals of LA's. He was very kind to Altamont now. He listened to the Colonel's loud stories when Altamont described how when he was working his way home once from New Zealand where he had been on a wailing expedition he and his comrades had been obliged to slink on board at night to escape from their wives by Joe and now the poor devils put out in their canoes when they saw the ship under sail and paddled madly after her how he'd been lost in the bush once for three months in New South Wales when he was there once on a trading speculation how he had seen Boney at St Helena and been presented to him with the rest of the officers of the India man of which he was a mate to all these tales and over his cops Altamont told many of them and they must be owned lied and bragged a great deal so Francis now listened with great attention making a point of drinking wine with Altamont at dinner and of treating him with every distinction. Leave him alone I know what he's coming to Altamont said laughing to Strong who remonstrated with him and leave me alone I know what I'm telling very well I was officer on board and India man so I was I traded to New South Wales so I did in a ship of my own and lost her I became officer to the Nawab so I did only me and my royal master have had a different Strong that's it who's the better or the worse for what I tell or knows anything about me the other chap is dead shot in the bush and his body recognized at Sydney if I thought anybody would split do you think I wouldn't bring his neck I've done as good before now Strong I told you how I did for the overseer before I took leave but in fair fight I mean in fair fight or Ray there he had the best of it he had his gun and bin net and not only an axe 50 of them saw it I and chewed me when I did it and I'd do it again him wouldn't I I ain't afraid of anybody and I have the life of a man who's split upon me that's my maximum pass me the liquor you wouldn't turn on a man I know you you're an honest beller and will stand by a feller and have looked death in the face like a man but as for that Lily livered sneak that poor lion swindling cringing curl of a clivering who stands in my shoes stands in my shoes hang him I'll make him pull my boots off and clean him I will ha ha here he burst out into a wild laugh at which Strong got up and put away the brandy bottle the other still left good humbly your right or bore he said you always keep your head cool you do and when I begin to talk too much I say when I begin to pitch I authorize you and order you and command you to put away the rum bottle take my counsel off to mount strong said gravely and mind how you deal with that man don't make it too much his interest to get rid of you and who knows what he may do the event for which with cynical enjoyment Altamont had been on the lookout came very speedily one day Strong being absent upon an errand for his principal Sir Francis made his appearance in the chambers and found the envoy of the Nawab alone he abused the world in general for being heartless and unkind to him he abused his wife for being ungenerous to him he abused Strong for being ungrateful hundreds of pounds had he given Ned Strong been his friend for life and kept him out of jail by joke and now Ned was taking her ladyship side against him and abetting her in her infernal unkind treatment of him they've entered into a conspiracy to keep me penniless Altamont the baronet said they don't give me as much pocket money as Frank has at school why don't you go down to Richmond and borrow of him Cleverine Altamont broke out with a savage laugh he wouldn't see his poor Obegger of a father without pocket money witty I tell you I've been obliged to humiliate myself cruelly Cleverine said look here sir look here at these pawn tickets fancy a member of parliament and an old English baronet by Gad obliged to put a drawing room clock and a booling stand up the spot and a gold duck's head paper-holded that I dare say cost my wife five pound for which they'd only give me 15 and six oh it's a humiliating thing sir poverty to a man of my habits and it's made me shed tears sir tears and that Dan Valle of mine cursed and I wish he was hanged he had the confounded impudence to threaten to tell my lady as the things in my own house weren't my own or to sell or to keep or fling out of window if I chose by Gad the confounded scoundrel cry a little don't mind crying before me it'll relieve you Cleverine the other said why I say oh fellow what a happy fellow I once thought you and what a miserable son of a gun you really are it's a shame that they treat me so ain't it Cleverine went on for though ordinarily silent and apathetic about his own griefs the baronette could whine for an hour at a time and then by Gad sir I haven't got the money to pay the very cab that's waiting for me at the door and the porter is that mrs Bolton let me three shillings and I don't like to ask her for any more and I asked that damned old costigan the confounded old panelist Irish Miss Green and he hadn't got a shillin and the beggar and campings out of town or else he'd do a little bill for me I know he would I thought you swore on your honor to your wife that you wouldn't put your name to paper said mr Altman puffing at his cigar why does she leave me without pocket money then dammy I must have money write out the baronette oh and damned go Altman I am the most miserable beggar alive you'd like a chap to lend you a 20 pound note wouldn't you now the other ask if you would I'd be grateful to you forever forever my dearest friend Craig Cleverine how much would you give will you give a 50 pound bill at six months for half down and a half in plate ass altman yes I would so help me and pay it on the day screen Cleverine I'll make it payable at my bankers I'll do anything you like well I was only chaffing you I'll give you 20 pound you set a pony interpose Cleverine my dear fellow you set a pony and I'll be eternally obliged to you and I'll not take it as a gift only as a loan and pay you back in six months I take my oath I will well well there's the money Sir Francis Cleverine I ain't a bad fellow when I have money in my pocket dammy I spend it like a man here's five and 24 you don't be losing it at the hell's now don't be making a fool of yourself go down to Cleverine Park and it'll keep you ever so long you needn't have butchers meet there's pigs I dare say on the premises and you can shoot rabbits for dinner you know every day till the game comes in besides the neighbors will ask you about to dinner you know sometimes for you are a baronette though you have outrun the constable and you've got this comfort that I'm off your shoulders for a good bit to come perhaps this two years if I don't play and I don't intend to touch the confound to black and red by that time my lady as you call her jimmy I used to say we'll have come round again and you'll be ready for me you know and come down handsomely to yours truly at this juncture of their conversation strong return nor did the baronette care much about prolonging the talk having got the money and he made his way from shepherd's inn and went home and bullied his servant in a manner so unusually brisk and insolent that the man concluded his master must have pawned some more of the house furniture or at any rate have come into possession of some ready money and yet I've looked over the house Morgan and I don't think he has took any more of the things Sir Francis's valet said to major pendentus's man as they met at their club soon after my lady locked up by most all the buggies a force she went away and he couldn't take away the pictures and looking glasses in a cab and he wouldn't spout the fenders and fire harnes he ain't so bad as that but he's got money somehow he's so damn temperate when he have a few nights ago I saw him at vauxhall where I was a poking with lady hemley babe woods gals of weary pleasant room that is and an uncommon good lot in it all except the housekeeper and she's the thought is difficult I was a poking you're too old a cove to poke Mr. Morgan and there's jurell and I appended to have on some of clavverine's abber dashery and he saw it too and he didn't dare so much to speak a word how about the house in st john's wood Mr. Morgan asked execution in it sold up everything ponies and piano and broom and all Mrs. bontagoe were half to bologna known est and wentis Mr. Morgan it's my belief she put the execution in herself and was tired of him play much asked Morgan not since the smash when your governor and the lawyers and my lady and him had that tremendous scene he went down on his knees my lady told Mrs. Bonner and stole me and swear as he never more would chicart or dice or put his name to a bit of paper my lady was it going to give him the notes down to pay his liabilities after the race only your governor said which he voted on a piece of paper and passed it across the table to the lawyer and my lady that someone else had better book up for him for he'd have kept some of the money he's a sly old cove your governor the expression of old cove thus flippantly applied by the younger gentleman to himself and his master displeased Mr. Morgan exceedingly on the first occasion when Mr. Lightfoot used the obnoxious expression his comrades angered was only indicated by a silent frown but on the second defense Morgan who was smoking his cigar elegantly and holding it on the tip of his pen knife withdrew the cigar from his lips and took his young friend to task don't call major pendent as an old cove if you have the goodness like foot and don't call me an old cove neither such words ain't used in society we have lived in the fuzz society both at home and foring we've been intimate with a fuzz statesman of Europe when we go abroad we dine with prince metternich and louis philip regular we go here to the best houses the tip tops i tell you we ride with lord john and noble y count at the head of foreign affairs we dine with the earl of burge rave and are consulted by the market sustain and everything we ought to know a thing or two mr. lightfoot you're a young man i'm an old cove as you say we've both seen the world we both know that it ain't money nor being a baronette nor avanett town and country house nor a poultry fiver six thousand a year it's ten mr. Morgan cried mr. lightfoot with great animation it may have been sir Morgan said with calm severity it may have been mr. lightfoot but it ain't six now nor five sir it's been ducidly dipped and cut into sir by the confounded extravi against of your master with his hell bow shaken and his bill of discount and his cottage in the regency park and his many wickednesses he's a bad and mr. lightfoot a bad lot sir and that you know and it ain't money sir not such money is that at any rate come from a cow cold tar attorney and does say rime out of the poor starving blacks that will give a person position in society as you know very well we've no money but we go everywhere there's not a housekeepers room sir in this town of any consequence where james morgan ain't welcome and it was me who got you into this club lightfoot as you very well know though i am an old cove and they would have blackballed you without me as sure as your name is frederick i know they would mr. morgan said the other with much humility well then don't call me an old cove sir it ain't gentleman like frederick lightfoot which i knew you when you was a cab boy and when your father was in trouble and got you the place you have now when the frenchman went away and if you think so that because you're making up to mrs. bonner who may have saved her two thousand pound and i dare say she has in five and twenty years as she have lived confidentially made the lady clevering yet sir you must remember who puts you into that service and who knows what you were before sir and it don't become you frederick lightfoot to call me an old cove i beg your pardon mr. morgan i can't do more than make an apology will you have a glass sir and let me drink your elf you know i don't take spurts lightfoot replied morgan appeased and so you and mrs. bonner is going to put up together are you she's old but two thousand pounds a good bit you see mr. morgan and we'll get the clevering arms for a very little and that'll be no bad thing when the railroad runs through clevering and when we are there i hope you will come and see us mr. morgan it's a stupid place and no society said mr. morgan i know it well and mrs. pandenis it's time we used to go down regular and the hare refreshed me after the london racket the railroad will improve mr. arthur's property remark lightfoot what's about the figure of it should you say sir under 1500 sir answered morgan at which the other who knew the extent of poor arthur's acres thrust his tongue in his cheek but remained wisely silent is his man any good mr. morgan lightfoot resumed pigeon ain't used to societies yet but he's young and has good talents and has read a good deal and i does say he will do very well replied morgan he wouldn't quite do for this kind of thing lightfoot for he ain't seen the world yet when the pineaf sherry for which mr. lightfoot called upon mr morgan's announcement that he declined to drink spirits have been discussed by the two gentlemen who held the wine up to the light and smacked their lips and winked their eyes at it and rallied the landlord as to the vintage in the most approved manner of connoisseurs morgan's ruffled equanimity was quite restored and he was prepared to treat his young friend with perfect good humor what do you think about miss amary lightfoot tell us in confidence now do you think we should do well you understand if we make miss a into mrs. ap comprendee vu she and her ma's always quarreling said mr lightfoot bonner is more than a match for the old lady and treats her Francis like that like this year spill which i fling into the grade but she didn't say a word to miss amary no more dare none of us when a visitor comes in she smiles and languishes you think that butter wouldn't melt in her mouth and that minute he has gone very likely she flares up like a little demon and says things fit to send you wild if mr arthur comes it's due let's sing that they're delightful song or come and write me them poody verses in this album and very likely she's been a rile in her mother or sticking pins into her made a minute before she do stick pins into her and pinch her Mary Han showed me one of her arms quite black and blue and i recollect mrs bonner who's as jealous of me as a old cat boxed her ears for showing me and then you should see miss at luncheon when there's nobody but the family she makes believe she never heats in my you should only just see her she has Mary Han to bring her up plum cakes and creams under her bedroom and the cooks the only man in the house she's civil to Bonner says how the second season in london mr soppington was a going to propose where an action came one day and saw her fling a book into the fire and scold her mother so that he went down softly by the back drawing room door which he came in by and the next thing we heard of him was he was married to miss writer oh she's a devil that little blanche and that's my candy opinion mr morgan opinion not opinion my good fellow mr morgan said with parental kindness and then asked of his own bosom with her side why the deuce does my governor want master Arthur to marry such a girl as this and the teta tit of the two gentlemen was broken up by the entry of other gentlemen members of the club when fashionable town talk politics cribbage and other amusements ensued in the conversation became general the gentleman's club was held in the parlor of the wheel of fortune public house in a snug little by lane leading out of one of the great streets of mayfair and frequented by some of the most select gentlemen about town their master's affairs debts intrigues adventures their ladies good and bad qualities and quarrels with their husbands all the family secrets were here discussed with perfect freedom and confidence and year went about to enter into a new situation a gentleman was enabled to get every requisite information regarding the family of which he proposed to become a member liveries that may be imagined were excluded from this select precinct and the powdered heads of the largest metropolitan footmen my bow down in vain in treating admission into the gentleman's club these outcast giants and plush took their beer in an outer apartment of the wheel of fortune and could no more get an entry into the club room than a pal male tradesman or a lincoln sin attorney could get permission into bases or sprites and it is because the conversation which we have permitted to overhear here in some measure explains the characters and bearings of our story that we have ventured to introduce the reader into a society so exclusive end of chapter 61 chapter 62 of the history of pendentus this is a leber vox recording all leber vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit leber vox.org the history of pendentus by william make peace factory chapter 62 the way of the world a short time after the peace of good fortune which befell kernel altamont at epsom that gentleman put into execution his projected foreign tour and the chronicler of the polite world who goes down to london bridge for the purpose of taking leave of the people of fashion who quit this country announced that among the company on board the so-ho two and where last saturday were sir robert lady and the mrs hodge mr sergeant qz and mrs and miss qz kernel altamont major coddy etc the kernel traveled in state and as became a gentleman he appeared in a rich traveling costume he drank brandy and water freely during the passage and was not sick as some of the other passengers were and he was attended by his body servant the faithful irish legionary who had been for some time and waiting upon himself and captain strong in their chambers of shepherds in the chivalier part took of a copious dinner at black wall with his departing friend the kernel and one or two others who drank many healths to altamont at that liberal gentleman's expense strong oh boy the shivalier's worthy chum said if you want a little money now's your time i'm your man you're a good fella and have been a good fella to me and the 20 pound note more or less will make no odds to me but strong said no he didn't want any money he was flush quite flush that is not flush enough to pay you back your last loan altamont but quite able to carry on for some time to come and so with a not uncordial greeting between them the two parted had the possession of money really made altamont more honest and amiable than he had hitherto been or only caused him to seem more amiable in strong's eyes perhaps he really was better and money improved him perhaps it was the beauty of wealth strong saw and respected but he argued within himself this poor devil this unlucky outcast of a return convict is 10 times as good a fellow as my friend sir france's clavoring baronettes he has pluck and honesty in his way he will stick to a friend and face an enemy the other never had courage to do either and what is it that has put the poor devil under a cloud he was only a little while then signed his father-in-law's name many a man has done worse and come to know wrong and holds his head up clavoring does know he don't hold his head up he never did in his best days and strong perhaps repented him of the falsehood which he had told to the free-handed colonel that he was not in want of money but it was a falsehood on the side of honesty and the Chevalier could not bring down his stomach to borrow a second time from his outlawed friend besides he could get on clavoring had promised him some not that clavoring's promises were much to be believed but the Chevalier was of a hopeful term and trusted in many chances of catching his patron and waylaying some of those stray remittances and supplies in the procuring of which for his principal lay Mr. Strong's chief business he had grumbled about Altamont's companion ship in the shepherd's inn chambers but he found those lodgings more glum now without his partner than within the solitary life was not agreeable to his social soul and he had got into extravagant and luxurious habits to having a servant at his command to run his errands to arrange his toilets and to cook his meal it was rather a grand and touching sight now to see the portly and handsome gentleman painting his own boots and broiling his own mutton chop it has been before stated that the Chevalier had a wife a Spanish lady of Victoria who had gone back to her friends after a few months union with the captain who said she broke with a dish he began to think whether he should not go back and see his Juanita the Chevalier was growing melancholy after the departures friend the colonel or to use his own picturesque expression was down on his luck these moments of depression and intervals of ill fortune occur constantly in the lives of heroes Marius at midterm Charles Edward in the Highlands Napoleon before Elba what great man has not been called upon to face evil fortune from clovering no supplies were to be had for some time the five and twenty pounds or the pony which the exemplary baronette had received from Mr. Altamont had fled out of cloverings keeping as swiftly as many previous ponies he had been down the river with a choice party of sporting gents who dodged the police and landed in x6 where they put up Billy block to fight dick the cabman whom the baronette backed and who had it all his own way for thirteen rounds when by an unlucky blow in the windpipe Billy killed him it's always my luck strong sir Francis said the betting was three to one on the cabman and I thought myself as sure of 30 pound as if I had it in my pocket and dammy I owe my man light foot 14 pound now which he's lent and paid for me and he done's me the confounded impudent blackler and I wish to heaven I knew any way of getting a bill done or of screwing a little out of my lady I'll give you half Ned upon my soul and honor I'll give you half if you can get anybody to do us a little 50 but Ned said sternly that he had given his word of honor as a gentleman that he would be no party to any future bill transactions in which her husband might engage who had given his word of honor to and then Chevalier said that he at least would keep his word and would black his own boots all his life rather than break his promise and what is more he vowed he would advise Lady Clevering that Sir Francis was about to break his faith towards her upon the very first hint which he could get that such was Clevering's intention upon this information Sir Francis Clevering according to his custom cried and cursed very valuably he spoke of death as his only resource he besought and implored his dear strong his best friend his dear old Ned not to throw him over and when he quitted his dearest Ned as he went down the stairs of shepherds in swore and blasphemed that Ned as the most infernal villain and traitor and blacker and cowered under the son and wish Ned was in his grave and in a worse place only he would like the confounded ruffian to live until Frank Clevering had had his revenge out of him in strong chambers the baronet met a gentleman whose visits were now as it has been shown very frequent in shepherds in Mr. Samuel Huckster of Clevering that young fellow who had poached the walnuts in Clevering Park in his youth and had seen the baronet drive through the street at home with four horses and prance up to church with powdered footmen had an immense respect for his member and a prodigious delight in making his acquaintance he introduced himself with much blushing intrepidation as a Clevering man son of Mr. Huckster of the marketplace father attended Sir Francis's keeper Coxwood when his gun burst and took off three fingers proud to make Sir Francis's acquaintance all of which introduction Sir Francis received affably and honest Huckster talked about Sir Francis to the chaps at Bartholomew's and told Fanny in the lodge that after all there was nothing like a thoroughbred and a regular good old English gentleman one of the olden time to which Fanny replied that she thought Sir Francis was an eugest creature she didn't know why but she couldn't obey her him she was sure he was wicked and low and mean she knew he was and when Sam to this replied that Sir Francis was very affable and had borrowed half a sub of him quite kindly Fanny burst into a laugh pulled Sam's long hair which was not yet of irreproachable cleanliness patted his gin and called him a stupid stupid old foolish stupid and said that Sir Francis was always borrowing money of everybody and that Mar had actually refused him twice and had had to wait three months to get seven shillings which he had barred of her don't say her but her borrow but borrow actually but actually Fanny Mr. Huckster replied not to a fault in her argument but to grammatical errors in her statement well then her and borrow and actually there then you stupid said the other and the scholar made such a pretty face that the grammar master was quickly appeased and would have willingly given her a hundred more lessons on the spot at the price which he took for that one of course Mrs. Bolton was by and I suppose that Fanny and Dr. Sam were on exceedingly familiar and confidential terms by this time and that time had brought to the former certain consolations and soothed certain regrets which are ducidly bitter when they occur but which are no more than tooth pulling or any other pang eternal as you sit surrounded by respect and affection happy honored and flattered in your old age your foibles gently indulged your leased words kindly cherished your garrulous old stories received for the hundredth time with dutiful forbearance and never failing hypocritical smiles the women of your house constant and their flutteries the young men hushed and attentive when you begin to speak to servants all stricken the tenants cap and hand and ready to act in the place of your worships horses when your honor takes a drive it has often struck you oh thoughtful divies that this respect and these glories are for the main part transferred with your fee simple to your successor that the servants will bow and the tenants shout for your son as for you that the butler will fetch him the wine improved by a little keeping that's now in your cellar and that when your night has come and the light of your life has gone down as sure as the morning rises after you and without you the sun of prosperity and fluttery shines on your air men come and bask in the halo of consoles and acres that beams round about him the reverence is transferred with the estate of which with all its advantages pleasures respect and goodwill he in turn becomes the life tenant how long do you wish or expect that your people will regret you how much time does a man devote to grief before he begins to enjoy a great man must keep his air at his feast like a living memento mori if he holds very much by life the presence of the other must be a constant sting and warning make ready to go says the successor to your honor i am waiting and i could hold it as well as you what has this reference to the possible reader to do with any of the characters of this history do we wish to apologize for penn because he has got a white hat and because his mourning for his mother is fainter all the laps of years all the career of fortune all the events of life however strongly they may move or eagerly excite him never can remove that sainted image from his heart or banished that blessed love from its sanctuary if he yields to wrong the dear eyes will look sadly upon him when he dares to meet them if he does well endures pain or conquers temptation the ever-present love will greet him he knows with approval and pity if he falls plead for him if he suffers cheer him be with him and accompany him always until death is passed and sorrow and sin are no more is this mere dreaming or on the part of an idle storyteller useless moralizing may not the man of the world take his moment to to be grave and thoughtful ask of your own hearts and memories brother and sister if we do not live in the dead and to speak reverently prove god by love of these matters penn and warrington often spoke in many a solemn and friendly converse in after days and penn Dennis's mother was worshiped in his memory and canonized there as such a saint ought to be lucky he in life who knows a few such women a kind provision of heaven it was that sent us such and gave us to admire that touching and wonderful spectacle of innocence and love and beauty but as it is certain that if in the course of these sentimental conversations any outer stranger major penn Dennis for instance had walked into penn's chambers arthur and warrington would have stopped their talk and chosen another subject and discoursed about the opera or the last debate in parliament or miss jones's marriage with captain smith or whatnot so let us imagine that the public steps in at this juncture and stops the confidential talk between author and reader and begs us to resume our remarks about this world with which both are certainly better acquainted than with that other one into which we have just been peeping on coming into his property Arthur penn Dennis at first comported himself with a modesty and equanimity which obtained his friend warrington's praises though Arthur's uncle was a little inclined to quarrel with his nephew's meanness of spirit for not assuming greater state and pretensions now that he had entered on the enjoyment of his kingdom he would have had Arthur installed in handsome quarters and writing on showy park hacks or in well-built cabrio lays every day I am too absent Arthur said with a laugh to drive a cab in London the omnibus would cut me in two or I should send my horse's heads into the ladies carriage windows and you wouldn't have me driven about by my servant like an apothecary uncle no major penn Dennis would on no account have his nephew appear like an apothecary the august representative of the house of penn Dennis must not so demean himself and when Arthur pursuing his banter said and yet I dare say sir my father was proud enough when he first set up his gig the old major hem and hard and his wrinkled face reddened with a blush as he answered you know what Bonaparte said sir you for la ve son lang sala en familia there is no need sir for you to brag that your father was a a medical man he came of a most ancient but fallen house and was obliged to reconstruct the family fortunes as many a man of good family has done before him you are like the fellow in stern sir the marquis who came to demand his sword again your father got back yours for you you are a man of landed estate by Gad sir and a gentleman never forget you are a gentleman then Arthur slyly turned on his uncle the argument which he had heard the old gentleman often used regarding himself in the society which I have the honor of frequenting through your introduction who cares to ask about my paltry means or my humble gentility uncle he asked it would be absurd of me to attempt to compete with the great folks and all that they can ask from us is that we should have a decent address and good manners but for all that sir I should belong to a better club or to the uncle answer I should give an occasional dinner and select my society well and I should come out of that horrible garret in the temple sir and so Arthur compromised by descending to the second floor in lamb court Warrington still occupying his old quarters and the two friends being determined not to part one from the other cultivate kindly reader those friendships of your youth it is only in that generous time that they are formed how different the intimacies of after days are and how much weaker the grasp of your own hand after it has been shaken about in 20 years commerce with the world and has squeezed and dropped a thousand equally careless palms as you can sell them fashion your tongue to speak a new language after 20 the heart refuses to receive friendship pretty soon it gets too hard to yield to the impression so pen had many acquaintances and being of a jovial and easy turn got more daily but no friend like Warrington and the two men continued to live almost as much in common as the knights of the temple riding upon one horse for pens was at Warrington service and having their chambers and their server tour in common Mr. Warrington had made the acquaintance of pens friends of Grosvenor place during their last unlucky season in London and had expressed himself no better satisfied with Sir Francis and Lady Clevering and her ladyship's daughter than was the public in general the world is right George said about those people the young men laugh and talk freely before those ladies and about them the girl sees people whom she has no right to know and talks to men with whom no girl should have an intimacy did you see two reprobates leaning over Lady Clevering's carriage in the park the other day and leering under Miss Blanche's bonnet no good mother would let her daughter know those men or admit them within her doors the beegam is the most innocent and good-natured soul alive in her posed pen she never heard any harm of Captain Blackball or read that trial in which Charlie lovelace figures do you suppose that honest ladies read and remember the chronic scanderlers as well as you you old grumbler would you like Laura Bell to know those fellows Warrington asked his face turning rather red would you let any woman you love be contaminated by their company I've no doubt that the poor beegam is ignorant of their histories it seems to me she is ignorant of a great number of better things it seems to me that your honest beegam is not a lady pen it is not her fault doubtless that she has not had the education or learned the refinements of a lady she is as moral as Lady Port C who has all the world at her balls and as refined as Mrs. Bull who breaks the king's English and has half a dozen dukes at her table pen answered rather sulkily why should you and I be more squeamish than the rest of the world why are we to visit the sins of her father on this harmless kind creature she never did anything but kindness to you or any mortal soul as far as she knows she does her best she does not set up to be more than she is she gives you the best in as she can buy and the best company she can give she pays the debts of that scam of a husband of hers she spoils her boy like the most virtuous mother in England her opinion about literary matters to be sure is not much and I dare say she never read a line of words worth or heard of Tennyson in her life no more has Mrs. Fanagan the laundress growled out pens mentor no more has Betty the housemaid and I have no word of blame against them but a high sold man doesn't make friends of these a gentleman doesn't choose these for his companions or bitterly ruse it afterwards if he do are you who are setting up to be a man of the world in a philosopher to tell me that the aim of life is to guzzle three courses and dine off silver do you dare to own to yourself that your ambition in life is good clarity and that you will dine with any provided you get a stalled ox to feed on you call me a cynic why what a monstrous cynicism it is which you and the rest of you men of the world admit I'd rather live upon raw turnip some sleep in a hollow tree or turn back woodsman or savage than to grade myself to this civilization and own that a french cook was the thing in life best worth living for because you like a raw beef steak and a pipe afterwards broke out pen you give yourself errors of superiority over people whose tastes are more dainty and are not ashamed of the world they live in who goes about professing particular admiration or esteem or friendship or gratitude even for the people one meets every day if a ask me to his house and gives me his best I take his good things for what they are worth and no more I do not profess to pay him back in friendship but in the conventional money of society when we part we part without any grief when we meet we are tolerably glad to see one another if I were only to live with my friends you're a black muzzle old george is the only face I should see you are your uncle's pupil said warrington rather sadly and you speak like a worldling and why not ask pendennis why not acknowledge the world I stand upon and submit to the conditions of the society which we live in and live by I'm older than you george in spite of your grizzled whiskers and have seen much more of the world than you have in your garret here shut up with your books and your reveries and your ideas of one and 20 I say I take the world as it is and being of it will not be ashamed of it if the time is out of joint have I any calling or strength to set it right indeed I don't think you have much of either ground pens interlocutor if I doubt whether I am better than my neighbor Arthur continued if I can see that I am no better I also doubt whether he is better than I I see men who begin with ideas of universal reform and who before their beers are grown propound their loud plans for the regeneration of mankind give up their schemes after a few years of bootless talking and bane glorious attempts to lead their fellows and after they have found that men will no longer bear them as indeed they never were in the least worthy to be heard sink quietly into the ranks and file acknowledging their aims impracticable or thankful that they were never put into practice the fiercest reformers grow calm and are fair to put up with things as they are the loudest radical origins become dumb quiescent placement the most fervent liberals when out of power become humdrum conservatives or downright tyrants or despots in office look at the tears look at guiseau in opposition and in place look at the wigs appealing to the country the wigs and power would you say that the conduct of these men is an act of treason as the radicals ball who would give way in their turn were their turn ever to come no only that they submit to circumstances which are stronger than they march as the world marches towards reform but at the world's pace and the movements of the vast body of mankind must needs be slow forgo this scheme as impracticable on account of opposition that is immature because against the sense of the majority are forced to calculate drawbacks and difficulties as well as to think of reforms and advances and compelled finally to submit and to wait and to compromise the right honorable arthur pendentus could not speak better or be more satisfied with himself if he was first lord of the treasury and chancellor of the exchequer warrington said self-satisfied why self-satisfied continued pen it seems to me that my skepticism is more respectful and more modest than the revolutionary ardor of other folks many a patriot of 18 many a spouting club orator would turn the bishops out of the house of lords tomorrow and throw the lords out after the bishops and throw the throne into the tins after the peers and the bench is that man more modest than a high who takes these institutions as i find them and waits for time and truth to develop or fortify or if you like to destroy them a college tutor or nobleman's toady who appears one fine day as my right reverend lord in a silk apron and a shovel hat and assumes benedictry heirs over me is still the same man we remember at oxbridge when he was trucking to the tuffs and bullying the poor undergraduates in the lecture room and hereditary legislator who passes his time with jockeys and blacklegs and ballet girls and who's called rule over me and his other bet is because his grandfather made a lucky speculation in the funds or found a coal or tin mine on his property or because his stupid ancestor happened to be in command of 10 000 men as brave as himself whoever came 12 000 frenchmen or 50 000 indians such a man i say inspires me with no more respect than the bitterest democrat can feel towards him but such as he is he is a part of the old society to which we belong and i submit to his lordship with acquiescence and he takes his place above the best of us at all dinner parties and there bides his time i don't want to chop his head off with a guillotine or to fling mud at him in the streets when they call such a man a disgrace to his order and such another who's good and gentle refined and generous who employs his great means in promoting every kindness and charity and art and grace of life in the kindest and most gracious manner an ornament to his rank the question as to the use and propriety of the order is not in the least affected one way or other there it is extant among us a part of our habits the creative many of us the growth of centuries the symbol of a most complicated tradition there stand my lord the bishop and my lord the hereditary legislator what the french call transactions both of them representing in their present shape male clad barons and double sorted chiefs from whom their lordships the hereditaries for the most part don't descend and priests professing to hold an absolute truth and a divinely inherited power the witch truth absolute our ancestors burned at the stake and denied there the witch divine transmissible power still exists in print to be believed or not pretty much at choice and of these I say I acquiesce that they exist and no more if you say that these schemes devised before printing was known or steam was born when thought was an infant scared and whipped and truth under its guardians was gagged and swathed and blindfolded and not allowed to lift his voice or to look out or to walk under the sun before men were permitted to meet or to trade or to speak with each other if anyone says as some faithful souls do that these schemes are forever and having been changed and modified constantly are to be subject to no further development or decay I laugh and let the man speak but I would have toleration for these as I would ask it for my own opinions and if they are to die I would rather they had a decent and natural and abrupt and violent death you would have sacrificed to joe warrington said had you lived in the time of the christian persecutions perhaps I would set pen with some sadness perhaps I am a coward perhaps my faith is unsteady but this is my own reserve what I argue here is that I will not persecute make a faith or a dogma absolute and persecution becomes a logical consequence and Dominic burns a Jew or Calvin an Aryan or Nero a Christian or Elizabeth or Mary a Papist or Protestant or their father both or either according to his humor and acting without any pangs of remorse but on the contrary notions of duty fulfilled make dogma absolute and to inflict or to suffer death becomes easy and necessary and Muhammad's soldiers shouting paradise paradise and dying on the christian spears are not more or less praiseworthy than the same men slaughtering a town full of Jews are cutting off the heads of all prisoners who would not acknowledge that there was but one prophet of God a little while since young one warrington said who had been listening to his friends confessions neither without sympathy nor scorn for his mood let him to indulge in both you asked me why I remained out of the strife of the world and looked on at the great labor of my neighbor without taking any part in the struggle why would a mere dilettante you own yourself to be in this confession of general skepticism and what a listless spectator yourself you are six and twenty years old and as blasé as a rake of sixty you need to hope much nor care much nor believe much you doubt about other men as much as about yourself where it made of such poco coranti as you the world would be intolerable and I'd rather live in a wilderness of monkeys and listen to their chatter than in a company of men who denied everything were the world composed of saint benards or sat nominees it would be equally odious said pen and at the end of a few scores of years would cease to exist altogether would you have every man with his head shaved and every woman in a cloister carrying out to the fold the ascetic principle would you have conventical hymns twanging from every lane in every city in the world would you have all the birds of the forest sing one note and fly with one feather you call me a skeptic because I acknowledge what is and in acknowledging that be it linnet or lark or priest or parson be it i mean any single one of the infinite varieties of the creatures of god whose very name I would be understood to pronounce with reverence and never to approach but with distant awe I say that the study and acknowledgement of that variety amongst men especially increases our respect and wonder for the creator commander and ordainer of all these minds so different and yet so united meeting in a common adoration and offering up each according to his degree and means of approaching the divine center his acknowledgement of praise and worship each singing to recur to the bird similarly his natural song and so Arthur the hem of a saint or the ode of a poet or the chant of a nougat thief are all pretty much the same in your philosophy said george even that sneer could be answered were it to the point pendantist reply but it is not and it could be replied to you that even to the wretched outcry of the thief on the tree the wisest and the best of all teachers we know of the entire and comforter and consolar promised a pitiful hearing and a certain hope hymns of saints odes the poets who are we to measure the chances and opportunities the means of doing or even judging right and wrong awarded to men and to establish the rule for meeting out their punishments and rewards we are as insolent and unthinking in judging of men's morals as of their intellects we admire this man as being a great philosopher and sat down the other as a duller not knowing either or the amount of truth in either or being certain of the truth anywhere we sing today um for this hero who has won a battle and a profundus for that other one who has broken out of prison and has been caught afterwards by the policeman our measure of rewards and punishments as most partial and incomplete absurdly inadequate utterly worldly and we wish to continue it into the next world into that next an awful world we strive to pursue men and send after them our impotent party verdicts of condemnation or acquittal we set up our paltry little rods to measure heaven immeasurable as it in comparison to that Newton's mind or Pascal's or Shakespeare's was an eat lofty or the mind as if the rate which travels from the summer reached me sooner than the man who blacks my boots measured by that altitude the tallest and the smallest among us are so alike diminutive and pitifully base that i say we should take no count of the calculation and it is a meanness to reckon the difference your figure fails there arthur said the other better pleased if even by common arithmetic we can multiply as we can reduce almost infinitely the great reckoner must take count of all and the small is not small or the great great to his infinity i don't call those calculations in question arthur said only say that yours are incomplete and premature false and consequence and by every operation multiplying into wider error i do not condemn the men who murdered Socrates and damned Galileo i say that they damned Galileo and murdered Socrates and yet but a moment since you admitted the propriety of acquiescence in the present and i suppose all other tyrannies no but that if an opponent menaces me of whom and without cost of blood and violence i can get rid i would rather weight him out and starve him out than fight him out Fabius fought Hannibal skeptically who was his Roman co-adjector whom we read up in Plutarch when we were boys who scoffed at the others procrastination and doubted his courage and engaged the enemy and was beaten for his pains in these speculations and confessions of arthur the reader may perhaps see illusions to questions which no doubt have occupied and discomposed himself and which he has answered by very different solutions to those come to by our friend we are not pledging ourselves for the correctness of his opinions which readers were pleased to consider are delivered dramatically the writer being no more answerable for them than for their sentiments uttered by any other character of the story our endeavor is merely to follow out in its progress the development of the mind of a worldly and selfish but not ungenerous or unkind or truth avoiding man and it will be seen that the lamentable stage to which is logic at present has brought him is one of general skepticism and sneering acquiescence in the world as it is or if you like so to call it a belief qualified with scorn in all things extant the tastes and habits of such a man prevent him from being a boisterous demagogue in his love of truth and dislike of Kant keep him from advancing crude propositions such as many loud reformers are constantly ready with much more of uttering downright falsehoods in arguing questions or abusing opponents which he would die or starve rather than use it was not in our friend's nature to be able to utter certain lies nor was he strong enough to protest against others except with a polite sneer is max and being that he owed obedience to all acts of parliament as long as they were not repealed and to what does this easy and skeptical life lead a man friend Arthur was a sad you see and the baptist might be in the wilderness shouting to the poor who were listening with all their might and faith to the preacher's awful accents and denunciations of wrath or woe or salvation and our friend the sad you see would turn his sleek mule with a shrug and a smile from the crowd and go home to the shade of his terrace and muse over preacher and audience and turn to his role of Plato or his pleasant greek song book babbling of honey and heibla and nymphs and fountains and love to what we say does this skepticism lead it leads a man to a shameful loneliness and selfishness so to speak the more shameful because it is so good-humored and conscienceless and serene conscience what is conscience why accept remorse what is public or private faith mythoses alike enveloped in enormous tradition if seeing and acknowledging the lives of the world Arthur as see them you can with only two fatal clearness you submit to them without any protest further than a laugh if plunged yourself in easy sensuality you allow the whole wretched world to pass groaning by you unmoved if the fight for the truth is taking place and all men of honor are on the ground armed on the one side or the other and you alone are to lie on your balcony and smoke your pipe out of the noise and the danger you had better have died or never have been at all than such a sensual coward the truth friend Arthur said imperturbably where is the truth show it me that is the question between us i see it on both sides i see it on the conservative side of the house and amongst the radicals and even on the ministerial benches i see it in this man who worships by act of parliament and is rewarded with a silk apron and five thousand a year in that man who driven fatally by the remorseless logic of his creed gives up everything friends fame dearest tides closest vanities the respect of an army of churchmen the recognized position of a leader and passes over truth impelled to the enemy in his ranks he will serve henceforth as a nameless private soldier i see the truth in that man as i do in his brother whose logic drives him to quite a different conclusion and who after having passed the life in vain endeavors to reconcile an irreconcilable book flings it at last down and despair and declares with tearful eyes and hands up to heaven his revolt and recantation if the truth is with all these why should i take side with any one of them some are called upon to preach let them preach of these preachers there are somewhat too many me things who fancy they have the gift but we cannot all be parsons in church some must sit silent and listen or go to sleep may have have we not all our duties the head charity boy blows the bellows the master canes the other boys in the organ lock the clark sings out amen from the desk and the beetle with the staff opens the door for his reverence who wrestles in silk up to the cushion i won't cane the boys nay or say amen always or act as the church's champion and warrior in the shape of the beetle with the staff but i will take off my hat in the place and say my prayers that are too in shake hands with the clergyman as he steps on the grass outside don't i know that his being there is a compromise and that he stands before me an act of parliament that the church he occupies was built for other worship that the methodist chapel is next door and that bunion the tinker is bawling out the tidings of damnation on the common hard buy yes i am a sad you see and i take things as i find them and the world and the acts of parliament of the world as they are and as i intend to take a wife if i find one not to be madly in love and prostrate at a feet like a fool not to worship her as an angel or to expect to find her as such but to be good nature to her and courteous expecting good nature and pleasant society from her in turn and so george if ever you hear of my merry depend on it it won't be a romantic attachment on my side and if you hear of any good place under government i have no particular screw pulls that i know of which would prevent me from accepting your offer oh pan you scoundrel i know what you mean here warrington broke out this is the meaning of your skepticism of your quietism of your atheism my poor fellow you're going to sell yourself and have and help you you're going to make a bargain which will degrade you and make you miserable for life and there's no use talking of it if you are once spent on it the devil won't prevent you on the contrary is on my side isn't he george said pan with a laugh what good cigars these are come down and have a little dinner at the club there's jeff's in town and he'll cook a good one for me no you won't don't be sulky old boy i'm going down to to the country tomorrow into chapter 62 chapter 63 of the history of pendentus this is a liber box recording our liber box recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liber box dot org the history of pendentus by will you make peace that gree chapter 63 which accounts perhaps for chapter 61 the information regarding the affairs of the clattering family which major pendentus had acquired through strong and by his own personal interference as the friend of the house was such as almost made the old gentleman pause in any plans which he might have once entertained for his nephew's benefit to bestow upon arcler a wife with two such fathers-in-law as the two were these whom the guileless and unfortunate lady clevering had drawn in her marriage ventures was to benefit no man and though the one in a manner neutralized the other and the appearance of amery or altamont in public would be the signal for his instantaneous withdrawal and condone punishment for the fugitive convict had cut down the office in charge of him and the rope would be inevitably his end if he came again under british authorities yet no guardian would like to secure for his ward a wife whose parent was to be got rid of in such a way and the old gentleman's notion always had been that altamont with the gallows before his eyes would assuredly avoid recognition but at the same time by holding the threat of his discovery over clevering the latter who would lose everything by amery's appearance would be a slave in the hands of the person who knew so fatal a secret but if the beacon paid clevering's debts many times more her wealth would be expended altogether upon this irreclaimable reprobate and her heirs whoever they might be would succeed but to an emptied treasury and miss amery instead of bringing her husband a good income and a seat in parliament would bring to that individual her person only and her pedigree with that lamentable note of suspend a tour pair column at the name of the last mail of her line there was however to the old schemer revolving these things in his mind another course yet open the witch will appear to the reader who may take the trouble to bruise a conversation which presently ensued between major pendentis and the honorable baronet the member for clevering when a man under pecuniary difficulties disappears from among his usual friends and equals dives out of sight as it were from the flock of birds in which he is accustomed to sail it is wonderful at what strange and distant nooks he comes up again for breath i've known a palmel lounger and rotten row buck of no inconsiderable fashion banished from amongst his comrades of the clubs and the park and be discovered very happy and affable at an 18 penny ordinary in billingsgate another gentleman of great learning and wit when outrunning the constable were i to say he was a literary man some critics would bow that i intended to insult the literary profession one sent me his address at a little public house called the fox under the hill down a most dark summon cavernous archway in the strand such a man under such misfortunes may have a house but he is never in his house it has an address where letters may be left but only simpletons go with the hopes of seeing him only a few of the faithful know where he is to be found and have the clue to his hiding place so after the disputes with his wife and the misfortunes consequent there on to find sir francis clevering at home was impossible ever since i asked him for my book which is 14 pound he don't come home till three o'clock and pretends to be asleep when i bring his water of a morning and dodges howl when i'm downstairs mr lightfoot remarked to his friend morgan and announced that he should go down to my lady and be butler there and marry his old woman in like manner after his altercations was strong the baronet did not come near him and fled to other haunts out of the reach of the chevaliers reproaches out of the reach of conscience if possible which many of us try to dodge and leave behind us by changes of scene and other fugitive stratagems so though the older pendent is having his own ulterior object was bent upon seeing pens country neighbor and representative in parliament it took the major no inconsiderable trouble and time before he could get him into such a confidential state and conversation as were necessary for the ends which the major had in view for since the major had been called in as family friend and had cognizance of cleverings affairs conjugal and pecuniary the baronet avoided him as he always avoided all his lawyers and agents when there was an account to be rendered or an affair of business to be discussed between them and never kept any appointment but when its object was the raising of money thus previous to catching this most shy and timorous bird the major made more than one futile attempt to hold him on one day it was a most innocent looking invitation to dinner at Greenwich to meet a few friends the baronet accepted suspected nothing and did not come leaving the major who indeed proposed to represent in himself the body of friends to eat his white bait alone on another occasion the major wrote and asked for 10 minutes talk in the baronet instantly acknowledged the note and made the appointment at four o'clock the next day at bases precisely he carefully underlined the precisely but though four o'clock came as in the course of time and destiny it could not do otherwise no clevering made his appearance indeed if he had borrowed 20 pounds of pendentis he could not have been more timid or desirous of avoiding the major and the latter found that it was one thing to seek a man and another to find him before the close of that day which Strong's patron had given the Chevalier the benefit of so many blessings before his face and curses behind his backs or Francis Clevering who pledged his word in his oath to his wife's advisers to draw or accept no more bills of exchange and to be content with the allowance which his victimized wife still awarded him had managed to sign his respectable name to a piece of stamped paper which the baronet's friend Mr. Moss Abrams had carried off promising to have the bill done by a party with whose intimacy Mr. Abrams was favored and a chance that Strong heard of this transaction at the place where the writings had been drawn in the back parlor namely of Mr. Santiago's cigar shop where the Chevalier was constantly in the habit of spending an hour in the evening he is at his old work again Mr. Santiago told his customer he and Moss Abrams were in my parlor Moss sent out my boy for a stamp it must have been a bill for 50 pound I heard the baronet tell Moss to date it two months back he will pretend that it is an old bill and that he forgot it when he came to a settlement with his wife the other day I daresay they will give him some more money now he is clear a man who has the habit of putting his unlucky name to promises to pay that six months has the satisfaction of knowing too that his affairs are known and canvassed and his signature handed round among the very worst names of rogues of London Mr. Santiago's shop was close by St. James's Street and Berry Street where we have had the honor of visiting our friend Major Pendennis in his lodgings the major was walking daintily towards his apartment as Strong burning with wrath and redolent of Havana strode along the same pavement opposite to him confound these young men how they poison everything with their smoke fought the major here comes a fellow with moustache shoes and a cigar every fellow with smokes and wears moustache shoes as a low fellow oh it's Mr. Strong I hope you are well Mr. Strong and the old gentleman making a dignified bow to the Chevalier was about to pass into his house directing towards the lock of the door with trembling hand the polished door key we have said that at the long and weary disputes and conferences regarding the payment of Sir Francis Clevering's last debts Strong and Pendennis have both been present as friends and advisors of the Baronette's unlucky family Strong stopped and held out his hand to his brother negotiator and old Pendennis put out towards him a couple of ungracious fingers what is your good news said Major Pendennis patronizing the other still further and condescending to address to him and observation for old Pendennis had kept such good company all his life that he vaguely imagined he honored common men by speaking to them still in town Mr. Strong I hope I see you well my news is bad sir strong answered it concerns our friends at Tonbridge Wells and I should like to talk to you about it Clevering is at his old tricks again Major Pendennis indeed pray do me the favor to come into my lodging cried the major with awakened interest and the pair entered and took possession of his drawing room he receded strong unberthened himself of his indignation to the major and spoke at large of Clevering's recklessness and treachery no promises will bind him sir he said you remember when we met sir with my lady's lawyer how he wouldn't be satisfied with giving his honor but wanted to take his oath on his knees to his wife and rang the bell for a bible and swore perdition on his soul if he ever would give another bill he has been signing one this very day sir and will sign as many more as you please for ready money and will deceive anybody his wife or his child or his old friend who has backed him a hundred times whether there's a bill of his in mine will be due next week I thought we had paid all not that one strong said bushing he asked me not to mention it and and I had half the money for that major and they will be down on me but I don't care for it I'm used to it it's Lady Clevering that riles me it's a shame that that good-natured woman who's paid him out of jail a score of times should be ruined by his heartlessness a parcel of Bill Steele's boxers any rascals get his money and he don't screw him to throw an honest fellow over would you believe it sir he took money of Altamont you know whom I mean indeed of that singular man who I think came tipsy once to Sir Francis's house major dependent and said with impenetrable countenance who is Altamont Mr. Strong I'm sure I don't know if you don't know the Chevalier answered with a look of surprise and suspicion to tell you frankly said the major I have my suspicions I suppose mind I only suppose that in our friend Cleverings a life who between you and me captain strong we must own about as loose of fish as any in my acquaintance there are no doubt some queer secrets and stories which he would not like to have known none of us would and very likely this fellow who calls himself Altamont knows some story against Clevering and has some hold on him and gets money out of him on the strength of his information I know some of the best men of the best families in England who are paying through the nose in that way but their private affairs are no business of mine Mr. Strong and it is not to be supposed that because I go and dine with the man I pry into his secrets or am answerable for all his past life and so with our friend Clevering I'm most interested for his wife's sake and her daughters who is the most charming creature and when her ladyship asked me I looked into her affairs and tried to set them straight and shall do so again you understand to the best of my humble power and ability if I can make myself useful if I'm called upon you understand if I'm called upon and by the way this Mr. Altamont Mr. Strong how is this Mr. Altamont I believe you are acquainted with him is he in town I don't know that I'm called upon to know where he is Major Pendennis said strong rising and taking up his hat in dungeon for the major's patronizing manner and impertinence of caution offended the honest gentleman not a little Bendennis's manner altered it once from a tone of hot tour to one of knowing good humor ah Captain Strong you are cautious too I see and quite right my good sir quite right we don't know what ears walls may have sir or to whom we may be talking and as a man of the world and an old soldier an old and distinguished soldier I've been told Captain Strong you know very well that there is no use in throwing away your fire you may have your ideas and I may put two and two together and have mine but there are things which don't concern him that many a man had better not know a captain in which I for one won't know until I have reason for it knowing them and that I believe is your maxim too with regard to our friend the baronetta I think with you it would be most advisable that he should be checked in is imprudent courses and most strongly represent any man's departure from his word or any contact of his which can give any pain to his family or cause them annoyance in any way that is my full and frank opinion and I am sure it is yours certainly said strong dryly I'm delighted to hear it delighted that an old brother soldier should agree with me so fully and I'm exceedingly glad of the lucky meeting which has procured me the good fortune of your visit good evening thank you Morgan showed the door to captain strong and strong preceded by Morgan took his leave of major pendentist the Chevalier not a little puzzled at the old fellow's prudence and the valet to say the truth to the full as much perplexed at his master's reticence for Mr. Morgan and his capacity of accomplice ballet moved here and there in the house as silent as a shadow and as it so happened during the latter part of his master's conversation with his visitor had been standing very close to the door and it overheard not a little of a talk between the two gentlemen and a great deal more than he could understand who is that altamont know anything about him and strong Mr. Morgan asked of Mr. Lightfoot on the next convenient occasion when they met at the club strong's his man of business draws the governor's bills and endosism and does his odd jobs and that and I suppose altamont sent it to Mr. Lightfoot replied that kite flying you know Mr. M always takes two or three on him to set the paper going altamont put the pot on at the derby and won a good bit of money I wish the governor could get some somewhere and I could get my book paid up do you think my lady would pay his debts again Morgan asked find out that for me Lightfoot and out make it worth your while my boy major pendentist had often said with a laugh that his valet Morgan was a much richer man than himself and indeed by long course of careful speculation this weary and silent attendant had been amassing a considerable sum of money during the year which he had passed in the major service where he had made the acquaintance of many other valets of distinction from whom he had learned the affairs of their principles but Mr. Arthur came into his property but not until then Morgan had surprised the young gentleman by saying that he had a little sum of money some fifty or a hundred pound which he wanted to lay out to advantage perhaps the gentleman in the temple knowing about affairs and business and that could help a poor fellow to a good investment Morgan would be very much obliged to Mr. Arthur most grateful and obliged indeed if Arthur could tell him of one when Arthur laughingly replied that he knew nothing about money matters a new no earthly way of helping Morgan the latter with the utmost simplicity was very grateful very grateful indeed to Mr. Arthur and if Mr. Arthur should want a little money before his rents was paid perhaps he would kindly remember that his uncle's old and faithful servant had some as he would like to put out and be most proud if he could be useful any ways to any of the family the prince of Faroaks who was tolerably prudent and had no need of ready money would as soon have thought of borrowing from his uncle's servant as of stealing the ballet's pocket handkerchief and was on the point of making some hearty reply to Morgan's offer for which checked by the humor of the transaction Morgan a capitalist Morgan offering to lend to him the joke was excellent on the other hand the man might be quite innocent and the proposal of money a simple offer of goodwill so Arthur withheld the sarcasm that was rising to his lips and contended himself by declining Mr. Morgan's kind proposal he mentioned the matter to his uncle however and congratulated the latter on having such a treasure in his service it was then that the major said that he believed Morgan had been getting devilish rich for a devilish long time in fact he had bought the house and berry street in which his master was a lodger and had actually made a considerable sum of money from his acquaintance with the clavaring family and his knowledge obtained through his master that the beacon would pay all her husband's debts by buying up as many of the baronette's acceptances as he could raise money to purchase of these transactions the major however knew no more than most gentlemen do of their servants who live with us all our days and our strangers to us so strong customers and so pitiless the distinction between class and class so he offered to lend you money did he the elder pendantist remark to his nephew he's a devilish slight fellow and a devilish rich fellow and there's many a nobleman would like to have such a valet in his service and borrow from him too and he ain't a bit changed monsieur Morgan he does his work just as well as ever he's always ready to my bell steals about the room like a cat he's so devilishly attached to me Morgan on the day of strong visit the major but thought him of Penn's story and that Morgan might help him and rallied the valet regarding his wealth with that free and insolent way which so high placed the gentleman might be disposed to adopt towards so unfortunate a creature I heard that you have got some money to invest Morgan said the major it's Mr. Arthur has been telling hanging thought the valet I'm glad my place is such a good one thank you sir I've no reason to complain of my place nor of my master replied Morgan demurely you're a good fellow and I believe you are attached to me and I'm glad you get on well and I hope you'll be prudent and not be taking a public house or that kind of thing a public house thought Morgan me in a public house the old fool dammy if I was 10 years younger I'd set in parliament before I died that I would no thank you kindly sir I don't think of the public line sir and I've got my little savings pretty well put out sir you do a little in the discounting way a Morgan yes sir a very little I I beg your pardon sir might I be so free as to ask a question speak on my good fellow the elder said graciously about sir Francis Clevering's paper sir do you think he's any longer any good sir will my lady pay on him anymore sir what you've done something in that business already yes sir a little replied Morgan dropping down his eyes and I don't mind owning sir and I hope I may take the liberty of saying sir that a little more would make me very comfortable if it turned out as well as the last why how much have you netted by him in God's name ask the major I've done a good bit sir at it that I own sir having some information and made acquaintance with the family through your kindness I put on the pot sir you did what I laid my money on sir I got all I could and barred and bought sir Francis's bills many of them had his name and the gentleman's as is just gone out Edward Strong asked why sir and of course I know of the blow hop and shindy as is took place in growths in her place sir and as I may as well make my money as another I'd be very much a bleach to you if you tell me whether my lady will come down anymore although major pendent was as much surprised at this intelligence regarding his servant as if he had heard that Morgan was at disguised Marquis about to throw off his mask and as soon as he'd in the house appears and although he was of course indignant that the audacity of the fellow had dared to grow rich under his nose and without his cognizance yet he had a natural admiration for every man who represented money and success and found himself respecting Morgan and being rather afraid of that worthy as the truth began to dawn upon him well Morgan said he I mustn't ask how rich you are and the richer the better for your sake I'm sure and if I could give you any information that could serve you I would speedily help you but frankly if Lady Clevering asks me whether she shall pay any more of Sir Francis's debts I shall advise and I hope she won't though I fear she will and that is all I know and so you are aware that Sir Francis is beginning again in his a reckless and imprudent course at his old games sir can't prevent that gentlemen he will do it Mr. Strong was saying that Mr. Moss Abrams was the holder of one of Sir Francis Clevering's notes do you know anything of this Mr. Abrams or the amount of the bill don't know the bill no Abrams quite well sir I wish you would find out about it for me and I wish you would find out where I can see Sir Francis Clevering Morgan and Morgan said thank you sir yes sir I will sir and retired from the room as he had entered it with his usual stealthy respect and quiet humility leaving the major to muse and wonder over what he had just heard the next morning the valet informed major pendentist that he had seen Mr. Abrams what was the amount of the bill that the gentleman was desirous to negotiate and that the bear net would be sure to be in the back parlor of the wheel of fortune tavern that day at one o'clock to this appointment Sir Francis Clevering was punctual and as that one o'clock he sat in the parlor of the tavern in questions surrounded by spittoons Windsor chairs cheerful prints of boxers trotting horses and pedestrians and the lingering of last night's tobacco fumes as the descendant of an ancient line sat in this delectable place accommodated with an old copy of bells life in London much blotted with beer the polite major pendentist walked into the apartment so it's you old boy asked the baronette thinking that Mr. Moss Abrams had arrived with the money how do you do sir Francis Clevering I wanted to see you and followed you here said the major at sight of whom the other's countenance fell now that he had his opponent before him the major was determined to make a brisk and sudden attack upon him and went into action at once I know he continued who is the exceedingly disreputable person for whom you took me Clevering and the errand which brought you here it ain't your business is it asked the baronette with a sulkie and deprecatory look why are you following me about and taking the command and meddling in my affairs major pendentist I've never done you any harm have I I've never had your money and I don't choose to be dodged about in this way and domineered over I don't choose it and I won't have it if Lady Clevering has any proposal to make to me let it be done in the regular way and through the lawyers I'd rather not have you I'm not come from Lady Clevering the major said but of my own accord to try and remonstrate with you Clevering and see if you can be kept from ruin it is but a month ago that you swore on your honor and wanted to get a bible to strengthen the oath that you would accept no more bills but content yourself with the allowance which Lady Clevering gives you all your debts were paid with that proviso and you have broken it this Mr. Abrams has a bill of yours for 60 pounds it's an old bill I take my solemn oath it's an old bill shrieked out the baronette you do it yesterday and you dated it three months back purposely by Gad Clevering you've sickened me with lies I can't help telling you so I've no patience with you by Gad you cheat everybody yourself included I've seen a deal of the world but I never met your equal at humbugging it's my belief you had rather lie than not have you come here you old obese to tempt me to to pitch into you and and knock your old head off said the baronette with a poisonous look of hatred at the major what sir shouted out the old major rising to his feet and clasping his cane and looking so fiercely that the baronette's tone instantly changed towards him no no said Clevering piteously I beg your pardon I didn't mean to be angry or say anything unkind only you're so damned harsh to me major pendentist what is it you want of me why have you been hunting me so do you want money out of me too by jove you know I've not got a shilling and so Clevering according to his custom passed from a curse into a whimper major pendentist saw from the other stone that Clevering knew his secret was in the major's hands I've no errand from anybody or no design upon you pendentist said by an endeavor if it's not too late to save you and your family from utter ruin through the infernal recklessness of your courses I knew your secret I didn't know it when I married her upon my oath I didn't know it till the damn scoundrel came back and told me himself and it's the misery about that which makes me so reckless pendentist indeed it is the bare-knit cry clasping his hands I knew your secret from the very first day when I saw aimery come drunk into your dining room in growth from her place I never forget faces I remember that fella in Sydney a convict and he remembers me I know his trial the date of his marriage I know his reported death in the bush I could swear to him and I know that you are no more married to Lady Clevering than I am I've kept your secret well enough for I've not told a single soul that I know it not your wife not yourself till now poor lady see it would cut her up dreadfully whimpered Sir Francis and it wasn't my fault major you know it wasn't rather than allow you to go on ruining her as you do I will tell her Clevering and tell all the world too that is what I swear I will do unless I can come to some terms with you and put some curb on your infernal folly by play debt and extravagance of all kind you've got through half your wife's fortune and that of her legitimate heirs mind her legitimate heirs here it must stop you can't live together you're not fit to live in a great house like Clevering and before three years more we're over would not leave our shilling to carry on I've settled what must be done you shall have six hundred a year you shall go abroad and live on that you must give up parliament and get on as well as you can if you refuse I give you my word I'll make the real estate of things known to tomorrow I'll swear to amry who in identified will go back to the country from whence he came and will rid the widow of you and himself together and so that boy of yours loses at once all title to old spells property and it goes to your wife's daughter anytime making myself pretty clearly understood you wouldn't be so cruel to that poor boy would you pendentist ask the father pleading piteously hang it think about him he's a nice boy though he's devilish wild I own he's devilish wild it's you who are cruel to him said the old moralist why sir you will ruin him yourself inevitably in three years yes but perhaps I won't have such devilish bad luck you know the luck must turn and I'll reform by God I'll reform and if you were to split on me it would cut up my wife so you know it would most infernally to be part of from you said the old major with this near you know she won't live with you again but why can't lady see live abroad or at bath or at ton bridge or at the deuce and I go on here clever and continue I like being here better than abroad and I like being in parliament it's devilish convenient being in parliament there's very few seats like mine left and if I gave it to him I should not wonder that ministry would give me an island to govern or some devilish good thing for you know I'm a gentleman of devilish good family and have a handle to my name and that sort of thing major pandemic say don't you see don't you think they'd give me something devilish good if I was to play my cards well and then you know I'd save money and be kept out of the way of the confounded hells and rouge a noir and and so I'd rather not give up parliament please for one instant to hate and defy man at the next step to weep before him and at the next to be perfectly confidential and friendly with him was not an unusual process with our versatile minded baronette as for your seat in parliament the major said was something of a blush on his cheek and a certain tremor which the other did not see you must part with that Sir Francis Clevering to to me what are you going into the house major pendent is no not I but my nephew Arthur is a very clever fellow and to make a figure there and when Clevering had two members his father might very likely have been one and and should like Arthur to be there the major said Demi does he know it Duke right out Clevering nobody knows anything out of this room and in a sense so and if you do this favor for me I hold my tongue if not I'm a man of my word and will do what I have said I say major said Sir Francis with a peculiarly humble smile you you couldn't get me my first quarter in advance could you like the best of fellas you can do anything with Lady Clevering and upon my oath I'll take up that bill of Abrams the little damn scoundrel I know he'll do me in the business he always does and if you could do this for me we'd see major and I think your best plan would be to go down in September to Clevering to shoot and take my nephew with you and introduce him yes that would be the best time and we won't try and manage about the advance Arthur may lend him that thought old Penn Dennis confound him a seat in parliament is worth 150 pounds in Clevering you understand of course my nephew knows nothing about this business you have a mind to retire he is a Clevering man and a good representative for the borough you introduce him and your people vote for him you see when can you get me the hundred and fifty major when shall I come and see you will you be at home this evening or tomorrow morning will you have anything here they've got some devilish good bidders in the bar I often have a glass of bidders it sets one up so the old major would take no refreshment but rose and took his leave of the baronet who walked with him to the door of the wheel of fortune and then strolled into the bar where he took a glass of gin and bidders with the landlady there an agenda connected with the ring who boarded at the wheel of f coming in he and Sir Francis Clevering and the landlord talked about the fights and the news of the sporting world in general and at length Mr. Moss Abrams arrived with the proceeds of the baronet's bill from which his own handsome commission was deducted and out of the remainder Sir Francis stood a dinner at Greenwich to his distinguished friend and passed the evening galey at Vox Hall meanwhile Major Penn Dennis calling your cab in Piccadilly drove to lamb court temple where he speedily was closeted with his nephew and deep conversation after their talk they parted on very good terms and it was in consequence of that unreported conversation whereof the reader nevertheless can pretty well guess the bearing that Arthur expressed himself as we have heard in the colloquy with warrington which is reported in the last chapter when a man has tempted to do a tempting thing he can find a hundred ingenious reasons for gratifying his liking and Arthur thought very much that he would like to be in parliament and that he would like to distinguish himself there and that he need not care much what side he took as there was falsehood and truth on every side and on this and on other matters he thought he would compromise with his conscience and that sadduceeism was a very convenient and good-humored profession of faith in the chapter 63