an in
this kingdom, who has sold her or himself for money or position, as Mr.
Pendennis was about to do, would but purchase a copy of his memoirs,
what tons of volumes Messrs. Bradbury and Evans would sell!

CHAPTER LXVI. In which Pen begins his Canvass

Melancholy as the great house at Clavering Park had been in the days
before his marriage, when its bankrupt proprietor was a refugee in
foreign lands, it was not much more cheerful now when Sir Francis
Clavering came to inhabit it. The greater part of the mansion was shut
up, and the Baronet only occupied a few of the rooms on the ground
floor, where his housekeeper and her assistant from the lodge-gate
waited upon the luckless gentleman in his forced retreat, and cooked
a part of the game which he spent the dreary mornings in shooting.
Lightfoot, his man, had passed over to my Lady's service; and, as Pen
was informed in a letter from Mr. Smirke, who performed the ceremony,
had executed his prudent intention of marrying Mrs. Bonner, my Lady's
woman, who, in her mature years, was stricken with the charms of the
youth, and endowed him with her savings and her mature person.

To be landlord and landlady of the Clavering Arms was the ambition
of both of them; and it was agreed that they were to remain in Lady
Clavering's service until quarter-day arrived, when they were to take
possession of their hotel. Pen graciously promised that he would give
his election dinner there, when the Baronet should vacate his seat in
the young man's favour; and, as it had been agreed by his uncle, to
whom Clavering seemed to be able to refuse nothing, Arthur came down in
September on a visit to Clavering Park, the owner of which was very glad
to have a companion who would relieve his loneliness, and perhaps would
lend him a little ready money.

Pen furnished his host with these desirable supplies a couple of days
after he had made his appearance at Clavering: and no sooner were
these small funds in Sir Francis's pocket, than the latter found he
had business at Chatteris and at the neighbouring watering-places, of
which------shire boasts many, and went off to see to his affairs, which
were transacted, as might be supposed, at the county race-grounds and
billiard-rooms. Arthur could live alone well enough, having many mental
resources and amusements which did not require other persons' company:
he could walk with the gamekeeper of a morning, and for the evenings
there was a plenty o