t he regarded me
almost as a son of his own, and hoped I would act as elder brother and
guardian to Clive. Ah! who is to guard the guardian? The younger brother
had many nobler qualities than belonged to the elder. The world had
not hardened Clive, nor even succeeded in spoiling him. I perceive I am
diverging from his history into that of another person, and will return
to the subject proper of the book.

Colonel Newcome expressed himself as being particularly touched and
pleased with his friend Binnie's conduct, now that the Colonel's
departure was determined. "James is one of the most generous of men,
Pendennis, and I am proud to be put under an obligation to him, and to
tell it too. I hired this house, as you are aware, of our speculative
friend Mr. Sherrick, and am answerable for the payment of the rent
till the expiry of the lease. James has taken the matter off my hands
entirely. The place is greatly too large for him, but he says that he
likes it, and intends to stay, and that his sister and niece shall be
his housekeepers. Clive" (here, perhaps, the speaker's voice drops a
little)--"Clive will be the son of the house still, honest James says,
and God bless him. James is richer than I thought by near a lakh of
rupees--and here is a hint for you, Master Arthur. Mr. Binnie has
declared to me in confidence that if his niece, Miss Rosey, shall marry
a person of whom he approves, he will leave her a considerable part of
his fortune."

The Colonel's confidant here said that his own arrangements were made
in another quarter, to which statement the Colonel replied knowingly, "I
thought so. A little bird has whispered to me the name of a certain
Miss A. I knew her grandfather, an accommodating old gentleman, and I
borrowed some money from him when I was a subaltern at Calcutta. I tell
you in strict confidence, my dear young friend, that I hope and trust a
certain young gentleman of your acquaintance may be induced to think how
good and pretty and sweet-tempered a girl Miss Mackenzie is, and that
she may be brought to like him. If you young men would marry in good
time good and virtuous women--as I am sure--ahem!--Miss Amory is--half
the temptations of your youth would be avoided. You would neither be
dissolute, has many of you seem to me, or cold and selfish, which are
worse vices still. And my prayer is, that my Clive may cast anchor early
out of the reach of temptation, and mate with some such kind girl as
Binnie's ni