tion of public worship and
that it was quite a correct thing to be seen at church of a Sunday. One
day it chanced that he and Arthur went thither together: the latter, who
was now in high favour, had been to breakfast with his uncle, from whose
lodging they walked across the park to a church not far from Belgrave
Square. There was a charity sermon at Saint James's, as the Major knew
by the bills posted on the pillars of his parish church, which probably
caused him, for he was a thrifty man, to forsake it for that day:
besides he had other views for himself and Pen. "We will go to church,
sir, across the Park; and then, begad, we will go to the Claverings'
house and ask them for lunch in a friendly way. Lady Clavering likes to
be asked for lunch, and is uncommonly kind, and monstrous hospitable."

"I met them at dinner last week, at Lady Agnes Foker's, sir," Pen said,
"and the Begum was very kind indeed. So she was in the country: so she
is everywhere. But I share your opinion about Miss Amory; one of your
opinions, that is, uncle, for you were changing the last time we spoke
about her."

"And what do you think of her now?" the elder said.

"I think her the most confounded little flirt in London," Pen answered,
laughing "She made a tremendous assault upon Harry Foker, who sat next
to her; and to whom she gave all the talk, though I took her down."

"Bah! Henry Foker is engaged to his cousin all the world knows it: not
a bad coup of Lady Rosherville's, that. I should say, that the young man
at his father's death, and old Foker's life's devilish bad: you know he
had a fit at Arthur's, last year: I should say, that young Foker won't
have less than fourteen thousand a year from the brewery, besides
Logwood and Norfolk property. I've no pride about me, Pen. I like a man
of birth certainly, but dammy, I like a brewery which brings in a man
fourteen thousand a year; hey, Pen? Ha, ha, that's the sort of man for
me. And I recommend you now that you are lanced in the world, to stick
to fellows of that sort, to fellows who have a stake in the country,
begad."

"Foker sticks to me, sir," Arthur answered. "He has been at our chambers
several times lately. He has asked me to dinner. We are almost as great
friends, as we used to be in our youth: and his talk is about Blanche
Amory from morning till night. I'm sure he's sweet upon her."

"I'm sure he is engaged to his cousin, and that they will keep the young
man to his bargain,"