spoke so devilish quick."

"It ain't anything good, Crack," said Crackenbury's fellow, Captain
Clinker. "Let's come away, and don't spoil sport. They say Pendennis is
sweet upon her."

"I'm told he's a devilish clever fellow," sighed Crackenbury. "Lady
Violet Lebas says he's a devilish clever fellow. He wrote a work, or
a poem, or something; and he writes those devilish clever things in
the--in the papers, you know. Dammy, I wish I was a clever fellow,
Clinker."

"That's past wishing for, Crack, my boy," the other said. "I can't write
a good book, but I think I can make a pretty good one on the Derby. What
a flat Clavering is! And the Begum! I like that old Begum. She's
worth ten of her daughter. How pleased the old girl was at winning the
lottery!"

"Clavering's safe to pay up, ain't he?" asked Captain Crackenbury.

"I hope so," said his friend; and they disappeared, to enjoy themselves
among the Sticks.

Before the end of the day's amusements, many more gentlemen of Lady
Clavering's acquaintance came up to her carriage, and chatted with
the party which it contained. The worthy lady was in high spirits and
good-humour, laughing and talking according to her wont, and offering
refreshments to all her friends, until her ample baskets and bottles
were emptied, and her servants and postillions were in such a royal
state of excitement as servants and postillions commonly are upon the
Derby day.

The Major remarked that some of the visitors to the carriage appeared
to look with rather queer and meaning glances towards its owner. "How
easily she takes it!" one man whispered to another. "The Begum's made
of money," the friend replied. "How easily she takes what?" thought old
Pendennis. "Has anybody lost any money?" Lady Clavering said she was
happy in the morning because Sir Francis had promised her not to bet.

Mr. Welbore, the country neighbour of the Claverings, was passing the
carriage, when he was called back by the Begum, who rallied him for
wishing to cut her. "Why didn't he come before? Why didn't he come
to lunch?" Her ladyship was in great delight, she told him--she told
everybody, that she had won five pounds in a lottery. As she conveyed
this piece of intelligence to him, Mr. Welbore looked so particularly
knowing, and withal melancholy, that a dismal apprehension seized
upon Major Pendennis. "He would go and look after the horses and those
rascals of postillions, who were so long in coming round." When h