her darling's
little hand. "I wonder I had not thought of it myself."

"What is it, Mrs. Mackenzie?" asks Clive, laughing.

"She says why should not you come to your aunt's with us? We are sure
Mrs. Newcome would be most happy to see you."

Rosey, with a little hand put to mamma's mouth, said, "Why did you
tell?--you naughty mamma! Isn't she a naughty mamma, Uncle James?" More
kisses follow after this sally, of which Uncle James receives one with
perfect complacency: mamma crying out as Rosey retires to dress, "That
darling child is always thinking of others--always!"

Clive says, "he will sit and smoke a cheroot with Mr. Binnie, if they
please." James's countenance falls. "We have left off that sort of thing
here, my dear Clive, a long time," cries Mrs. Mackenzie, departing from
the dining-room.

"But we have improved the claret, Clive, my boy!" whispers Uncle James.
"Let us have another bottle, and we will drink to the dear Colonel's
good health and speedy return--God bless him! I say, Clive, Tom seems
to have had a most fortunate escape out of Winter's house--thanks to our
friend Rummun Loll, and to have got into a capital good thing with this
Bundelcund bank. They speak famously of it at Hanover Square, and I see
the Hurkara quotes the shares at a premium already."

Clive did not know anything about the Bundelcund bank, except a few
words found in a letter from his father, which he had in the City this
morning, "and an uncommonly liberal remittance the governor has sent me
home, sir." Upon which they fill another bumper to the Colonel's health.

Mamma and Rosey come and show their pretty pink dresses before going to
Mrs. Newcome's, and Clive lights a cigar in the hall--and isn't there a
jubilation at the Haunt when the young fellow's face appears above the
smoke-clouds there?

CHAPTER XLI. An Old Story

Many of Clive's Roman friends were by this time come to London, and
the young man renewed his acquaintance with them, and had speedily a
considerable circle of his own. He thought fit to allow himself a good
horse or two, and appeared in the Park among other young dandies. He
and Monsieur de Moncontour were sworn allies. Lord Fareham, who had
purchased J. J.'s picture, was Clive's very good friend: Major Pendennis
himself pronounced him to be a young fellow of agreeable manners, and
very favourably vu (as the Major happened to know) in some very good
quarters.

Ere many days Clive had been to Bright