? Our particular merits
or his own private reform? In the two years over which this narrative
has had to run in the course of as many chapters, the writer had
inherited a property so small that it could not occasion a banker's
civility; and I put down Sir Barnes Newcome's politeness to a sheer
desire to be well with me. But with Lord Highgate and Clive the case was
different, as you must now hear.

Lord Highgate, having succeeded to his father's title and fortune, had
paid every shilling of his debts, and had sowed his wild oats to the
very last corn. His lordship's account at Hobson Brothers was
very large. Painful events of three years' date, let us hope, were
forgotten--gentlemen cannot go on being in love and despairing, and
quarrelling for ever. When he came into his funds, Highgate behaved with
uncommon kindness to Rooster, who was always straitened for money: and
when the late Lord Dorking died and Rooster succeeded to him, there was
a meeting at Chanticlere between Highgate and Barnes Newcome and his
wife, which went off very comfortably. At Chanticlere the Dowager Lady
Kew and Miss Newcome were also staying, when Lord Highgate announced his
prodigious admiration for the young lady; and, it was said, corrected
Farintosh, as a low-minded, foul-tongued young cub, for daring to speak
disrespectfully of her. Nevertheless, vous concevez, when a man of the
Marquis's rank was supposed to look with the eyes of admiration upon a
young lady, Lord Highgate would not think of spoiling sport, and he left
Chanticlere declaring that he was always destined to be unlucky in love.
When old Lady Kew was obliged to go to Vichy for her lumbago, Highgate
said to Barnes, "Do ask your charming sister to come to you in London;
she will bore herself to death with the old woman at Vichy, or with her
mother at Rugby" (whither Lady Anne had gone to get her boys educated),
and accordingly Miss Newcome came on a visit to her brother and sister,
at whose house we have just had the honour of seeing her.

When Rooster took his seat in the House of Lords, he was introduced by
Highgate and Kew, as Highgate had been introduced by Kew previously.
Thus these three gentlemen all rode in gold coaches; had all got
coronets on their heads; as you will, my respected young friend, if
you are the eldest son of a peer who dies before you. And now they were
rich, they were all going to be very good boys, let us hope. Kew, we
know, married one of the Dorking