able 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--I
suppose--mind, I only suppose--that in our friend Clavering's a
life--who, between you and me, Captain Strong, we must own about as
loose a 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 Clavering, 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 a man, I
pry into his secrets, or am answerable for all his past life. And so
with our friend Clavering, I am most interested for his wife's sake, and
her daughter's, who is a 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. And if I am called upon--you
understand, 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, Major
Pendennis," said Strong, rising and taking up his hat in dudgeon, for
the Major's patronising manner and impertinence of caution offended the
honest gentleman not a little.

Pendennis's manner altered at once from a tone of hauteur to one of
knowing 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 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 have 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, eh, Captain? and which I, for one,
won't know until I have reason for knowing them: and that I believe is
your ma