The History of Pendennis

by William Makepeace Thackeray

  CHAPTER LXIII. Which accounts perhaps for Chapter LXI.

  The information regarding the affairs of the Clavering family, whichMajor Pendennis had acquired through Strong, and by his own personalinterference as the friend of the house, was such as almost made the oldgentleman pause in any plans which he might have once entertained forhis nephew's benefit. To bestow upon Arthur a wife with two suchfathers-in-law, as the two worthies whom the guileless and unfortunateLady Clavering had drawn in her marriage ventures, was to benefit noman. And though the one, in a manner, neutralised the other, and theappearance of Amory or Altamont in public would be the signal for hisinstantaneous withdrawal and condign punishment,--for the fugitiveconvict had cut down the officer in charge of him,--and a rope would beinevitably his end; if he came again under British authorities; yet, noguardian would like to secure for his ward a wife, whose parent was tobe got rid of in such a way; and the old gentleman's notion always hadbeen that Altamont, with the gallows before his eyes, would assuredlyavoid recognition; while, at the same time, by holding the threat of hisdiscovery over Clavering, the latter, who would lose everything byAmory's appearance, would be a slave in the hands of the person who knewso fatal a secret.

  But if the Begum paid Clavering's debts many times more, her wealthwould be expended altogether upon this irreclaimable reprobate; and herheirs, whoever they might be, would succeed but to an emptied treasury;and Miss Amory, instead of bringing her husband a good income and a seatin Parliament, would bring to that individual her person only, and herpedigree with that lamentable note of sus. per coll. at the name of thelast male of her line.

  There was, however, to the old schemer revolving these things in hismind, another course yet open; the which will appear to the reader whomay take the trouble to peruse a conversation, which presently ensued,between Major Pendennis and the honourable Baronet, the Member forClavering.

  When a man, under pecuniary difficulties, disappears from among hisusual friends and equals,--dives out of sight, as it were, from theflock of birds in which he is accustomed to sail, it is wonderful atwhat strange and distant nooks he comes up again for breath. I haveknown a Pall Mall lounger and Rotten Row buck, of no inconsiderablefashion, vanish from amongst his comrades of the Clubs and the Park, andbe discovered, very happy and affable, at an eighteenpenny ordinaryin Billingsgate: another gentleman, of great learning and wit, whenoutrunning the constable (were I to say he was a literary man, somecritics would vow that I intended to insult the literary profession),once sent me his address at a little public-house called the "Fox underthe Hill," down a most darksome and cavernous archway in the Strand.Such a man, under such misfortunes, may have a house, but he is neverin his house; and has an address where letters may be left; but onlysimpletons go with the hopes of seeing him.--Only a few of the faithfulknow where he is to be found, and have the clue to his hiding-place.So, after the disputes with his wife, and the misfortunes consequentthereon, to find Sir Francis Clavering at home was impossible. "Eversince I hast him for my book, which is fourteen pound, he don't comehome till three o'clock, and purtends to be asleep when I bring hiswater of a mornin', and dodges hout when I'm downstairs," Mr. Lightfootremarked to his friend Morgan; and announced that he should go down tomy Lady, and be butler there, and marry his old woman. In like manner,after his altercations with Strong, the Baronet did not come nearhim, and fled to other haunts, out of the reach of the Chevalier'sreproaches;--out of the reach of conscience, if possible, which manyof us try to dodge and leave behind us by changes of scene and otherfugitive stratagems.

  So, though the elder Pendennis, having his own ulterior object, was bentupon seeing Pen's country neighbour and representative in Parliament,it took the Major no inconsiderable trouble and time before he could gethim into such a confidential state and conversation, as were necessaryfor the ends which the Major had in view. For since the Major had beencalled in as family friend, and had cognisance of Clavering's affairs,conjugal and pecuniary, the Baronet avoided him: as he always avoidedall his lawyers and agents when there was an account to be rendered, oran affair of business to be discussed between them; and never kept anyappointment but when its object was the raising of money. Thus, previousto catching this most shy and timorous bird, the Major made morethan one futile attempt to hold him;--on one day it was a mostinnocent-looking invitation to dinner at Greenwich, to meet a fewfriends; the Baronet accepted, suspected something, and did not come;leaving the Major (who indeed proposed to represent in himself the bodyof friends) to eat his whitebait alone:--on another occasion theMajor wrote and asked for ten minutes' talk, and the Baronet instantlyacknowledged the note, and made the appointment at four o'clock the nextday at Bays's precisely (he carefully underlined the "precisely"); butthough four o'clock came, as in the course of time and destiny it couldnot do otherwise, no Clavering made his appearance. Indeed, if he hadborrowed twenty pounds of Pendennis, he could not have been more timid,or desirous of avoiding the Major; and the latter found that it was onething to seek a man, and another to find him.

  Before the close of that day in which Strong's patron had given theChevalier the benefit of so many blessings before his face and cursesbehind his back, Sir Francis Clavering, who had pledged his word and hisoath to his wife's advisers to draw or accept no more bills of exchange,and to be content with the allowance which his victimised wife stillawarded him, had managed to sign his respectable name to a piece ofstamped paper, which the Baronet's friend, Mr. Moss Abrams, had carriedoff, promising to have the bill "done" by a party with whose intimacyMr. Abrams was favoured. And it chanced that Strong heard of thistransaction at the place where the writings had been drawn,--in theback-parlour, namely, of Mr. Santiago's cigar-shop, where the Chevalierwas constantly in the habit of spending an hour in the evening.

  "He is at his old work again," Mr. Santiago told his customer. "He andMoss Abrams were in my parlour. Moss sent out my boy for a stamp. Itmust have been a bill for fifty pound. I heard the Baronet tell Mossto date it two months back. He will pretend that it is an old bill, andthat he forgot it when he came to a settlement with his wife the otherday. I dare say they will give him some more money now he is clear." Aman who has the habit of putting his unlucky name to "promises to pay"at six months, has the satisfaction of knowing, too, that his affairsare known and canvassed, and his signature handed round among the veryworst knaves and rogues of London.

  Mr. Santiago's shop was close by St. James's Street and Bury Street,where we have had the honour of visiting our friend Major Pendennis inhis lodgings. The Major was walking daintily towards his apartment, asStrong, burning with wrath and redolent of Havanna, strode along thesame pavement opposite to him.

  "Confound these young men: how they poison everything with their smoke,"thought the Major. "Here comes a fellow with mustachios and a cigar.Every fellow who smokes and wears mustachios is a low fellow. Oh! it'sMr. Strong.--I hope you are well, Mr. Strong?" and the old gentleman,making a dignified bow to the Chevalier, was about to pass into hishouse; directing towards the lock of the door, with trembling hand, thepolished door-key.

  We have said that, at the long and weary disputes and conferencesregarding the payment of Sir Francis Clavering's last debts, Strong andPendennis had both been present as friends and advisers of the Baronet'sunlucky family. Strong stopped and held out his hand to his brothernegotiator, and old Pendennis put out towards him a couple of ungraciousfingers.

  "What is your good news?" said Major Pendennis, patronising the otherstill further, and condescending to address to him an observation; forold Pendennis had kept such good company all his life, that he vaguelyimagined he honoured common men by speaking to them. "Still in town, Mr.Strong? I hope I see you well."

  "My news is bad news, sir," Strong answered; "it concerns our friends atTunbridge Wells, and I should like to talk to you about it. Clavering isat his old tricks again, Major Pendennis."

  "Indeed! Pray do me the favour to come into my lodging," cried the Majorwith awakened interest; and t
he pair entered and took possession of hisdrawing-room. Here seated, Strong unburthened himself of his indignationto the Major, and spoke at large of Clavering's recklessness andtreachery. "No promises will bind him, sir," he said. "You remember whenwe met, sir, with my lady's lawyer, how he wouldn't be satisfied withgiving his honour, 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 heever 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: andwill deceive anybody, his wife or his child, or his old friend, who hasbacked him a hundred times. Why, there's a bill of his and mine will bedue next week."

  "I thought we had paid all."

  "Not that one," Strong said, blushing. "He asked me not to mention it,and--and--I had half the money for that, Major; And they will be downon me. But I don't care for it; I'm used to it. It's Lady Clavering thatriles me. It's a shame that that good-natured woman, who has paid himout of gaol a score of times, should be ruined by his heartlessness. Aparcel of bill-stealers boxers, any rascals, get his money; and he don'tscruple to throw an honest fellow over. Would you believe it, sir, hetook money of Altamont--you know whom I mean."

  "Indeed? of that singular man, who I think came tipsy once to SirFrancis's house?" Major Pendennis said, with impenetrable countenance."Who is Altamont, Mr. Strong?"

  "I am 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--Isuppose--mind, I only suppose--that in our friend Clavering's alife--who, between you and me, Captain Strong, we must own about asloose a fish as any in my acquaintance--there are, no doubt, some queersecrets and stories which he would not like to have known: none of uswould. And very likely this fellow, who calls himself Altamont, knowssome story against Clavering, and has some hold on him, and gets moneyout of him on the strength of his information. I know some of the bestmen of the best families in England who are paying through the nose inthat 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 a man, Ipry into his secrets, or am answerable for all his past life. And sowith our friend Clavering, I am most interested for his wife's sake, andher daughter's, who is a most charming creature: and when her ladyshipasked me, I looked into her affairs, and tried to set them straight; andshall do so again, you understand, to the best of my humble power andability, if I can make myself useful. And if I am called upon--youunderstand, if I am 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 am called upon to know where he is, MajorPendennis," said Strong, rising and taking up his hat in dudgeon, forthe Major's patronising manner and impertinence of caution offended thehonest gentleman not a little.

  Pendennis's manner altered at once from a tone of hauteur to one ofknowing good-humour. "Ah, Captain Strong, you are cautious too, I see;and quite right, my good sir, quite right. We don't know what ears wallsmay 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 have been told,Captain Strong,--you know very well that there is no use in throwingaway your fire; you may have your ideas, and I may put two and twotogether and have mine. But there are things which don't concern himthat many a man had better not know, eh, Captain? and which I, for one,won't know until I have reason for knowing them: and that I believe isyour maxim too. With regard to our friend the Baronet, I think with you,it would be most advisable that he should be checked in his imprudentcourses; and most strongly reprehend any man's departure from his word,or any conduct of his which can give any pain to his family, or causethem annoyance in any way. That is my full and frank opinion, and I amsure it is yours."

  "Certainly," said Mr. Strong, drily.

  "I am delighted to hear it; delighted that an old brother soldier shouldagree with me so fully. And I am exceedingly glad of the lucky meetingwhich has procured me the good fortune of your visit. Good evening.Thank you. Morgan, show the door to Captain Strong."

  And Strong, preceded by Morgan, took his leave of Major Pendennis; theChevalier not a little puzzled at the old fellow's prudence; and thevalet, to say the truth, to the full as much perplexed at his master'sreticence. For Mr. Morgan, in his capacity of accomplished valet, movedhere and there in a 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 had overheard not a littleof the talk between the two gentlemen, and a great deal more than hecould understand.

  "Who is that Altamont? know anything about him and Strong?" Mr. Morganasked of Mr. Lightfoot, on the next convenient occasion when they met atthe Club.

  "Strong's his man of business, draws the Governor's bills, and indosses'em, and does his odd jobs and that; and I suppose Altamont's in ittoo," Mr. Lightfoot replied. "That kite-flying, you know, Mr. M., alwaystakes two or three on 'em to set the paper going. Altamont put the poton at the Derby, and won a good bit of money. I wish the Governor couldget some somewhere, and I could get my book paid up."

  "Do you think my Lady would pay his debts again?" Morgan asked. "Findout that for me, Lightfoot, and I'll make it worth your while, my boy."

  * * * * * *

  Major Pendennis had often said with a laugh, that his valet Morgan wasa much richer man than himself: and, indeed, by long course of carefulspeculation, this wary and silent attendant had been amassing aconsiderable sum of money, during the year which he had passed in theMajor's service, where he had made the acquaintance of many othervalets of distinction, from whom he had learned the affairs of theirprincipals. When Mr. Arthur came into his property, but not until then,Morgan had surprised the young gentleman, by saying that he had a littlesum of money, some fifty or a hundred pound, which he wanted to lay outto advantage; perhaps the gentlemen in the Temple, knowing about affairsand business and that, could help a poor fellow to a good investment?Morgan would be very much obliged to Mr. Arthur, most grateful andobliged indeed, if Arthur could tell him of one. When Arthur laughinglyreplied, that he knew nothing about money matters, and knew no earthlyway of helping Morgan, the latter, with the utmost simplicity, was verygrateful, very grateful indeed, to Mr. Arthur, and if Mr. Arthur shouldwant a little money before his rents was paid, perhaps he would kindlyremember that his uncle's old and faithful servant had some as he wouldlike to put out: and be most proud if he could be useful anyways to anyof the family.

  The Prince of Fairoaks, who was tolerably prudent and had no need ofready money, would as soon have thought of borrowing from his uncle'sservant as of stealing the valet's pocket-handkerchief, and was on thepoint of making some haughty reply to Morgan's offer, but was checked bythe humour of the transaction. Morgan a capitalist! Morgan offering tolend to him--The joke was excellent. On the other hand, the man might bequite innocent, and the proposal of money a simple offer of good-will.So Arthur withheld the sarcasm that was rising to his lips, andcontented himself by declining Mr. Morgan's kind proposal. He mentionedthe matter to his uncle, however, and congratulated the latter on havingsuch a treasure in his service.

  It was then that the Major said that he believed Morgan had been gettingdevilish rich for a devilish long time; in fact, he had bought the housein Bury Street, in which his master was a lodger and had actually madea considerable sum of money, from his acquaintance with the Claveringfamily and his knowledge obtained through his master that the Begumwould pay all her husband's debts, by buying up as many of the Baronet'sacceptances as he could raise money to purchase. Of these transactionsthe Major, however, knew no more than most gentlemen do of theirservants, who live with us all our days and are strangers to us, sostrong custom is, and so pitiless the distinction between class andclass.

  "So he offered to lend you money, did he?" the elder Pendenn
is remarkedto his nephew. "He's a dev'lish sly fellow, and a dev'lish rich fellow;and there's many a nobleman would like to have such a valet in hisservice, and borrow from him too. And he ain't a bit changed, MonsieurMorgan. He does his work just as well as ever--he's always ready to mybell--steals about the room like a cat--he's so dev'lishly attached tome, Morgan!"

  On the day of Strong's visit, the Major bethought him of Pen's story,and that Morgan might help him, and rallied the valet regarding hiswealth with that free and insolent way which so high-placed a gentlemanmight be disposed to adopt towards so unfortunate a creature.

  "I hear that you have got some money to invest, Morgan," said the Major.

  "It's Mr. Arthur has been telling, hang him," 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 mymaster," replied Morgan, demurely.

  "You're a good fellow: and I believe you are attached to me; and I'mglad you get on well. And I hope you'll be prudent, and not be taking apublic-house or that kind of thing."

  A public-house, thought Morgan--me in a public-house!--the oldfool!--Dammy, if I was ten years younger I'd set in Parlyment before Idied, that I would.--"No, thank you kindly, sir. I don't think of thepublic line, sir. And I've got my little savings pretty well put out,sir."

  "You do a little in the discounting way, eh, Morgan?"

  "Yes, sir, a very little--I--I beg your pardon, sir--might I be so freeas to ask a question----"

  "Speak on, my good fellow," the elder said, graciously.

  "About Sir Francis Clavering's paper, sir? Do you think he's any longerany good, sir? Will my Lady pay on 'em, any more, sir?"

  "What, you've done something in that business already?"

  "Yes, sir, a little," replied Morgan, dropping down his eyes. "And Idon'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 outas well as the last."

  "Why, how much have you netted by him, in Gad's name?" asked the Major.

  "I've done a good bit, sir, at it: that I own, sir. Having someinformation, and made acquaintance with the fam'ly through yourkindness, I put on the pot, sir."

  "You did what?"

  "I laid my money on, sir--I got all I could, and borrowed, and boughtSir Francis's bills; many of 'em had his name, and the gentleman's as isjust gone out, Edward Strong, Esquire, sir: and of course I know of theblow-hup and shindy as is took place in Grosvenor Place, sir: and as Imay as well make my money as another, I'd be very much obleeged to youif you'd tell me whether my Lady will come down any more."

  Although Major Pendennis was as much surprised at this intelligenceregarding his servant, as if he had heard that Morgan was a disguisedMarquis, about to throw off his mask and assume his seat in the Houseof Peers; and although he was of course indignant at the audacity ofthe fellow who had dared to grow rich under his nose, and withouthis cognisance; yet he had a natural admiration for every man whorepresented money and success, and found himself respecting Morgan, andbeing 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 thericher the better for your sake, I'm sure. And if I could give youany information that could serve you, I would speedily help you. Butfrankly, if Lady Clavering asks me whether she shall pay any more of SirFrancis's debts, I shall advise and I hope she won't, though I fear shewill--and that is all I know. And so you are aware that Sir Francis isbeginning again in his--eh--reckless and imprudent course?"

  "At his old games, sir--can't prevent that gentleman. He will do it."

  "Mr. Strong was saying that a Mr. Moss Abrams was the holder of one ofSir Francis Clavering's notes. Do you know anything of this Mr. Abrams;or the amount of the bill?"

  "Don't know the bill, know Abrams quite well, sir."

  "I wish you would find out about it for me. And I wish you would findout where I can see Sir Francis Clavering, Morgan."

  And Morgan said, "Thank you, sir, yes, sir, I will, sir;" and retiredfrom the room, as he had entered it, with his usual stealthy respect andquiet humility; leaving the Major to muse and wonder over what he hadjust heard.

  The next morning the valet informed Major Pendennis that he had seen Mr.Abrams; what was the amount of the bill that gentleman was desirous tonegotiate; and that the Baronet would be sure to be in the back-parlourof the Wheel of Fortune Tavern that day at one o'clock.

  To this appointment Sir Francis Clavering was punctual, and as at oneo'clock he sate in the parlour of the tavern in question, surrounded byspittoons, Windsor chairs, cheerful prints of boxers, trotting horses,and pedestrians, and the lingering of last night's tobacco fumes--as thedescendant of an ancient line sate in this delectable place accommodatedwith an old copy of Bell's Life in London, much blotted with beer, thepolite Major Pendennis walked into the apartment.

  "So it's you, old boy?" asked the Baronet, thinking that Mr. Moss Abramshad arrived with the money.

  "How do you do, Sir Francis Clavering? I wanted to see you, and followedyou here," said the Major, at sight of whom the other's countenancefell.

  Now that he had his opponent before him, the Major was determined tomake a brisk and sudden attack upon him, and went into action at once."I know," he continued, "who is the exceedingly disreputable person forwhom you took me, Clavering; and the errand which brought you here."

  "It ain't your business, is it?" asked the Baronet, with a sulkyand deprecatory look. "Why are you following me about and taking thecommand, and meddling in my affairs, Major Pendennis? I've never doneyou any harm, have I? I've never had your money. And I don't choose tobe dodged about in this way, and domineered over. I don't choose it, andI won't have it. If Lady Clavering has any proposal to make to me, letit be done in the regular way, and through the lawyers. I'd rather nothave you."

  "I am not come from Lady Clavering," the Major said, "but of my ownaccord, to try and remonstrate with you, Clavering, and see if you canbe kept from ruin. It is but a month ago that you swore on your honour,and wanted to get a Bible to strengthen the oath, that you would acceptno more bills, but content yourself with the allowance which LadyClavering gives you. All your debts were paid with that proviso, and youhave broken it; this Mr. Abrams has a bill of yours for sixty pounds."

  "It's an old bill. I take my solemn oath it's an old bill," shrieked outthe Baronet.

  "You drew it yesterday, and you dated it three months back purposely.By Gad, Clavering, you sicken me with lies, I can't help telling youso. I've no patience with you, by Gad. You cheat everybody, yourselfincluded. I've seen a deal of the world, but I never met your equal athumbugging. It's my belief you had rather lie than not."

  "Have you come here, you old--old beast, to tempt me to--to pitchinto you, and--and knock your old head off?" said the Baronet, with apoisonous look of hatred at the Major.

  "What, sir?" shouted out the old Major, rising to his feet and claspinghis cane, and looking so fiercely, that the Baronet's tone instantlychanged towards him.

  "No, no," said Clavering, piteously, "I beg your pardon. I didn't meanto be angry, or say anything unkind, only you're so damned harsh to me,Major Pendennis. What is it you want of me? Why have you been huntingme so? Do you want money out of me too? By Jove, you know I've not gota shilling,"--and so Clavering, according to his custom, passed from acurse into a whimper.

  Major Pendennis saw, from the other's tone, that Clavering knew hissecret was in the Major's hands.

  "I've no errand from anybody, or no design upon you," Pendennis said,"but an endeavour, if it's not too late, to save you and your familyfrom utter ruin, through the infernal recklessness of your courses. Iknew your secret----"

  "I didn't know it when I married her; upon my oath I didn't know it tillthe d----d scoundrel came back and told me himself; and it's the miseryabout that which makes me so reckless, Pendennis; indeed it is," theBaronet cried, clasping his hands.

&n
bsp; "I knew your secret from the very first day when I saw Amory comedrunk into your dining-room in Grosvenor Place. I never forget faces.I remember that fellow in Sydney a convict, and he remembers me. I knowhis trial, the date of his marriage, and of his reported death in thebush. I could swear to him. And I know that you are no more married toLady Clavering than I am. I've kept your secret well enough, for I'venot told a single soul that I know it,--not your wife, not yourself tillnow."

  "Poor Lady C., 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,Clavering, 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 yourinfernal folly. By play, debt, and extravagance of all kind, you'vegot 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 Clavering; and beforethree years' more were over would not leave a shilling to carry on. I'vesettled what must be done. You shall have six hundred a year; you shallgo abroad and live on that. You must give up Parliament, and get on aswell as you can. If you refuse, I give you my word I'll make thereal state of things known to-morrow; I'll swear to Amory, who, whenidentified, will go back to the country from whence he came, and willrid the widow of you and himself together. And so that boy of yoursloses at once all title to old Spell's property, and it goes to yourwife's daughter. Ain't I making myself pretty clearly understood?"

  "You wouldn't be so cruel to that poor boy, would you, Pendennis?" askedthe father, pleading piteously; "hang it, think about him. He's a niceboy: though he's dev'lish wild, I own he's dev'lish wild."

  "It's you who are cruel to him," said the old moralist. "Why, sir,you'll ruin him yourself inevitably in three years."

  "Yes, but perhaps I won't have such dev'lish bad luck, you know;--theluck must turn: and I'll reform, by Gad, I'll reform. And if you wereto split on me, it would cut up my wife so; you know it would, mostinfernally."

  "To be parted from you," said the old Major, with a sneer; "you know shewon't live with you again."

  "But why can't Lady C. live abroad, or at Bath, or at Tunbridge, or atthe doose, and I go on here?" Clavering continued. "I like being herebetter than abroad, and I like being in Parliament. It's dev'lishconvenient being in Parliament. There's very few seats like mine left;and if I gave it to 'em, I should not wonder the ministry would giveme an island to govern, or some dev'lish good thing; for you know I'ma gentleman of dev'lish good family, and have a handle to my name,and--and that sort of thing, Major Pendennis. Eh, don't you see? Don'tyou think they'd give me something dev'lish good if I was to play mycards well? And then, you know, I'd save money, and be kept out of theway of the confounded hells and rouge et noir--and--and so I'd rathernot give up Parliament, please." For at one instant to hate and defya man, at the next to weep before him, and at the next to be perfectlyconfidential and friendly with him, was not an unusual process with ourversatile-minded Baronet.

  "As for your seat in Parliament," the Major said, with something of ablush on his cheek, and a certain tremor, which the other did not see,"you must part with that, Sir Francis Clavering, to--to me."

  "What! are you going into the House, Major Pendennis?"

  "No--not I; but my nephew, Arthur, is a very clever fellow and wouldmake a figure there: and when Clavering had two members, his fathermight very likely have been one; and--and should like Arthur to bethere," the Major said.

  "Dammy, does he know it, too?" cried out Clavering.

  "Nobody knows anything out of this room," Pendennis answered; and if youdo this favour 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, likethe best of fellows? You can do anything with Lady Clavering; and, uponmy oath, I'll take up that bill of Abrams'. The little dam scoundrel,I know he'll do me in the business--he always does; and if you could dothis for me, we'd see, Major."

  "And I think your best plan would be to go down in September toClavering to shoot, and take my nephew with you, and introduce him.Yes, that will be the best time. And we will try and manage about theadvance." (Arthur may lend him that, thought old Pendennis. Confoundhim, a seat in Parliament is worth a hundred and fifty pounds.) "And,Clavering, you understand, of course, my nephew knows nothing about thisbusiness. You have a mind to retire: he is a Clavering man and a goodrepresentative for the borough; you introduce him, and your people votefor him--you see."

  "When can you get me the hundred and fifty, Major? When shall I come andsee you? Will you be at home this evening or to-morrow morning? Will youhave anything here? They've got some dev'lish good bitters in the bar. Ioften have a glass of bitters, it sets one up so."

  The old Major would take no refreshment; but rose and took his leave ofthe 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 bitterswith the landlady there: and a gentleman connected with the ring (whoboarded at the Wheel of F.) coming in, he and Sir Francis Clavering andthe landlord talked about the fights and the news of the sporting worldin general; and at length Mr. Moss Abrams arrived with the proceeds ofthe Baronet's bill, from which his own handsome commission was deducted,and out of the remainder Sir Francis "stood" a dinner at Greenwich tohis distinguished friend, and passed the evening gaily at Vauxhall.

  Meanwhile Major Pendennis, calling a cab in Piccadilly, drove to LambCourt, Temple, where he speedily was closeted with his nephew in deepconversation.

  After their talk they parted on very good terms, and it was inconsequence of that unreported conversation, whereof the readernevertheless can pretty well guess the bearing, that Arthur expressedhimself as we have heard in the colloquy with Warrington, which isreported in the last chapter.

  When a man is tempted to do a tempting thing, he can find a hundredingenious reasons for gratifying his liking; and Arthur thought verymuch that he would like to be in Parliament, and that he would like todistinguish himself there, and that he need not care much what side hetook, as there was falsehood and truth on every side. And on this andon other matters he thought he would compromise with his conscience, andthat Sadduceeism was a very convenient and good-humoured profession offaith.