Blondel said, "they scour the streets, by gad, to get people to dine
with 'em. Champignon says it breaks his heart to serve up a dinner to
their society. What a shame it is that those low people should have
money at all," cried Mr. Blondel, whose grandfather had been a reputable
leather-breeches maker, and whose father had lent money to the Princes.

"I wish I had fallen in with the widow myself" sighed Lord Colchicum,
"and not been laid up with that confounded gout at Leghorn--I would have
married the woman myself.--I'm told she has six hundred thousand pounds
in the Threes."

"Not quite so much as that,--I knew her family in India,"--Major
Pendennis said, "I knew her family in India; her father was an
enormously rich old indigo-planter,--know all about her;--Clavering has
the next estate to ours in the country.--Ha! there's my nephew walking
with"--"With mine,--the infernal young scamp," said Lord Colchicum
glowering at Popjoy out of his heavy eyebrows; and he turned away from
the window as Major Pendennis tapped upon it.

The Major was in high good-humour. The sun was bright, the air brisk and
invigorating. He had determined upon a visit to Lady Clavering on that
day, and bethought him that Arthur would be a good companion for the
walk across the Green Park to her ladyship's door. Master Pen was not
displeased to accompany his illustrious relative, who pointed out a
dozen great men in that brief transit through St. James's Street, and
got bows from a Duke at a crossing, a Bishop (on a cob), and a Cabinet
Minister with an umbrella. The Duke gave the elder Pendennis a finger
of a pipe-clayed glove to shake, which the Major embraced with great
veneration; and all Pen's blood tingled as he found himself in actual
communication, as it were, with this famous man (for Pen had possession
of the Major's left arm, whilst the gentleman's other wing was engaged
with his Grace's right) and he wished all Grey Friars' School, all
Oxbridge University, all Paternoster Row and the Temple and Laura and
his mother at Fairoaks, could be standing on each side of the street, to
see the meeting between him and his uncle, and the most famous duke in
Christendom.

"How do, Pendennis?--fine day," were his Grace's remarkable words, and
with a nod of his august head he passed on--in a blue frock-coat and
spotless white duck trousers, in a white stock, with a shining buckle
behind.

Old Pendennis, whose likeness to his Grace has been remarke