“Of what are you thinking? Are you going to bouder me at present?” Blanche asked. “Major, scold your mechant nephew. He does not amuse me at all. He is as bete as Captain Crackenbury.”
“What are you saying about me, Miss Amory?” said the guardsman, with a grin. “If it’s anything good, say it in English, for I don’t understand French when it’s spoke so devilish quick.”
“It ain’t anything good, Crack,” said Crackenbury’s fellow, Captain Clinker. “Let’s come away, and don’t spoil sport. They say Pendennis is sweet upon her.”
“I’m told he’s a devilish clever fellow,” sighed Crackenbury. “Lady Violet Lebas says he’s a devilish clever fellow. He wrote a work, or a poem, or something; and he writes those devilish clever things in the—in the papers, you know. Dammy, I wish I was a clever fellow, Clinker.”
“That’s past wishing for, Crack, my boy,” the other said. “I can’t write a good book, but I think I can make a pretty good one on the Derby. What a flat Clavering is! And the Begum! I like that old Begum. She’s worth ten of her daughter. How pleased the old girl was at winning the lottery!”
“Clavering’s safe to pay up, ain’t he?” asked Captain Crackenbury.
“I hope so,” said his friend; and they disappeared, to enjoy themselves among the Sticks.
Before the end of the day’s amusements, many more gentlemen of Lady Clavering’s acquaintance came up to her carriage, and chatted with the party which it contained. The worthy lady was in high spirits and good-humour, laughing and talking according to her wont, and offering refreshments to all her friends, until her ample baskets and bottles were emptied, and her servants and postillions were in such a royal state of excitement as servants and postillions commonly are upon the Derby day.
The Major remarked that some of the visitors to the carriage appeared to look with rather queer and meaning glances towards its owner. “How easily she takes it!” one man whispered to another. “The Begum’s made of money,” the friend replied. “How easily she takes what?” thought old Pendennis. “Has anybody lost any money?” Lady Clavering said she was happy in the morning because Sir Francis had promised her not to bet.
Mr. Welbore, the country neighbour of the Claverings, was passing the carriage, when he was called back by the Begum, who rallied him for wishing to cut her. “Why didn’t he come before? Why didn’t he come to lunch?” Her ladyship was in great delight, she told him—she told everybody, that she had won five pounds in a lottery. As she conveyed this piece of intelligence to him, Mr. Welbore looked so particularly knowing, and withal melancholy, that a dismal apprehension seized upon Major Pendennis. “He would go and look after the horses and those rascals of postillions, who were so long in coming round.” When he came back to the carriage, his usually benign and smirking countenance was obscured by some sorrow. “What is the matter with you now?” the good-natured Begum asked. The Major pretended a headache from the fatigue and sunshine of the day. The carriage wheeled off the course and took its way Londonwards, not the least brilliant equipage in that vast and picturesque procession. The tipsy drivers dashed gallantly over the turf, amidst the admiration of foot-passengers, the ironical cheers of the little donkey-carriages and spring vans, and the loud objurgations of horse-and-chaise men, with whom the reckless post-boys came in contact. The jolly Begum looked the picture of good-humour as she reclined on her splendid cushions; the lovely Sylphide smiled with languid elegance. Many an honest holiday-maker with his family wadded into a tax-cart, many a cheap dandy working his way home on his weary hack, admired that brilliant turn-out, and thought, no doubt, how happy those “swells” must be. Strong sat on the box still, with a lordly voice calling to the post-boys and the crowd. Master Frank had been put inside of the carriage and was asleep there by the side of the Major, dozing away the effects of the constant luncheon and champagne of which he had freely partaken.