sherry, sir. You must have sherry."

"I will have it from you, depend on it," said the other. "And I think
you are very well out of your other partnership. That worthy Altamont
and his daughter correspond, I hear," Pen added after a pause.

"Yes; she wrote him the longest rigmarole letters, that I used to read:
the sly little devil; and he answered under cover to Mrs. Bonner. He was
for carrying her off the first day or two, and nothing would content
him but having back his child. But she didn't want to come, as you may
fancy; and he was not very eager about it." Here the Chevalier burst out
in a laugh. "Why, sir, do you know what was the cause of our quarrel and
boxing match? There was a certain widow at Baden, a Madame la Baronne
de la Cruche-cassee, who was not much better than himself, and whom the
scoundrel wanted to marry; and would, but that I told her he was married
already. I don't think that she was much better than he was. I saw her
on the pier at Boulogne the day I came to England."

And now we have brought up our narrative to the point, whither the
announcement in the Chatteris Champion had already conducted us.

It wanted but very, very few days before that blissful one when Foker
should call Blanche his own; the Clavering folks had all pressed to see
the most splendid new carriage in the whole world, which was standing in
the coach-house at the Clavering Arms; and shown, in grateful return
for drink, commonly, by Mr. Foker's head-coachman. Madame Fribsby was
occupied in making some lovely dresses for the tenants' daughters, who
were to figure as a sort of bridesmaids' chorus at the breakfast and
marriage ceremony. And immense festivities were to take place at the
Park upon this delightful occasion.

"Yes, Mr. Huxter, yes; a happy tenantry, its country's pride, will
assemble in the baronial hall, where the beards will wag all. The ox
shall be slain, and the cup they'll drain; and the bells shall peal
quite genteel; and my father-in-law, with the tear of sensibility
bedewing his eye, shall bless us at his baronial porch. That shall be
the order of proceedings, I think, Mr. Huxter; and I hope we shall
see you and your lovely bride by her husband's side; and what will
you please to drink, sir? Mrs. Lightfoot, madam, you will give to
my excellent friend and body-surgeon, Mr. Huxter, Mr. Samuel Huxter,
M.R.C.S., every refreshment that your hostel affords, and place the
festive amount to my account; and Mr.