but　he　was　quite　contented　with　it；　such　as　it　was；　and
  led　it　in　perfect　good　nature；　simplicity；　and　modesty　of
  demeanour。
  By　the　time　Mac　had　finished　a　copious　breakfast；
  most　of　the　others　had　concluded　their　meal。　　Young　Lord
  Varinas　was　smoking　an　immense　Meerschaum　pipe；
  while　Captain　Hugues　was　employed　with　a　cigar：　　that
  violent　little　devil　Tandyman；　with　his　little　bull…terrier
  between　his　legs；　was　tossing　for　shillings　with　all　his
  might　（that　fellow　was　always　at　some　game　or　other）
  against　Captain　Deuceace；　and　Mac　and　Rawdon　walked
  off　to　the　Club；　neither；　of　course；　having　given　any　hint
  of　the　business　which　was　occupying　their　minds。　　Both；
  on　the　other　hand；　had　joined　pretty　gaily　in　the
  conversation；　for　why　should　they　interrupt　it？　Feasting；
  drinking；　ribaldry；　laughter；　go　on　alongside　of　all　sorts
  of　other　occupations　in　Vanity　Fairthe　crowds　were
  pouring　out　of　church　as　Rawdon　and　his　friend　passed
  down　St。　　James's　Street　and　entered　into　their　Club。
  The　old　bucks　and　habitues；　who　ordinarily　stand
  gaping　and　grinning　out　of　the　great　front　window　of　the
  Club；　had　not　arrived　at　their　posts　as　yetthe
  newspaper…room　was　almost　empty。　　One　man　was　present
  whom　Rawdon　did　not　know；　another　to　whom　he　owed
  a　little　score　for　whist；　and　whom；　in　consequence；　he
  did　not　care　to　meet；　a　third　was　reading　the　Royalist
  （a　periodical　famous　for　its　scandal　and　its　attachment
  to　Church　and　King）　Sunday　paper　at　the　table；　and
  looking　up　at　Crawley　with　some　interest；　said；　〃Crawley；
  I　congratulate　you。〃
  〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　the　Colonel。
  〃It's　in　the　Observer　and　the　Royalist　too；〃　said　Mr。
  Smith。
  〃What？〃　Rawdon　cried；　turning　very　red。　　He　thought
  that　the　affair　with　Lord　Steyne　was　already　in　the
  public　prints。　　Smith　looked　up　wondering　and　smiling
  at　the　agitation　which　the　Colonel　exhibited　as　he　took
  up　the　paper　and；　trembling；　began　to　read。
  Mr。　Smith　and　Mr。　Brown　（the　gentleman　with　。whom
  Rawdon　had　the　outstanding　whist　account）　had　been
  talking　about　the　Colonel　just　before　he　came　in。
  〃It　is　come　just　in　the　nick　of　time；〃　said　Smith。　　〃I
  suppose　Crawley　had　not　a　shilling　in　the　world。〃
  〃It's　a　wind　that　blows　everybody　good；〃　Mr。　Brown
  said。　　〃He　can't　go　away　without　paying　me　a　pony　he
  owes　me。〃
  〃What's　the　salary？〃　asked　Smith。
  〃Two　or　three　thousand；〃　answered　the　other。　　〃But
  the　climate's　so　infernal；　they　don't　enjoy　it　long。
  Liverseege　died　after　eighteen　months　of　it；　and　the
  man　before　went　off　in　six　weeks；　I　hear。〃
  〃Some　people　say　his　brother　is　a　very　clever　man。　　I
  always　found　him　a　d　bore；〃　Smith　ejaculated。　　〃He
  must　have　good　interest；　though。　　He　must　have　got　the
  Colonel　the　place。〃
  〃He！〃　said　Brown。　　with　a　sneer。　　〃Pooh。　　It　was　Lord
  Steyne　got　it。
  〃How　do　you　mean？〃
  〃A　virtuous　woman　is　a　crown　to　her　husband；〃
  answered　the　other　enigmatically；　and　went　to　read　his
  papers。
  Rawdon；　for　his　part；　read　in　the　Royalist　the　following
  astonishing　paragraph：
  GOVERNORSHIP　OF　COVENTRY　ISLAND。H。M。S。
  Yellowjack；　Commander　Jaunders；　has　brought　letters　and
  papers　from　Coventry　Island。　　H。　　E。　　Sir　Thomas
  Liverseege　had　fallen　a　victim　to　the　prevailing　fever　at
  Swampton。　　His　loss　is　deeply　felt　in　the　flourishing
  colony。　　We　hear　that　the　Governorship　has　been　offered　to
  Colonel　Rawdon　Crawley；　C。B。；　a　distinguished　Waterloo
  officer。　　We　need　not　only　men　of　acknowledged
  bravery；　but　men　of　administrative　talents　to　superintend
  the　affairs　of　our　colonies；　and　we　have　no　doubt
  that　the　gentleman　selected　by　the　Colonial　Office　to
  fill　the　lamented　vacancy　which　has　occurred　at
  Coventry　Island　is　admirably　calculated　for　the　post　which
  he　is　about　to　occupy。〃
  〃Coventry　Island！　　Where　was　it？　Who　had　appointed
  him　to　the　government？　You　must　take　me　out　as　your
  secretary；　old　boy；〃　Captain　Macmurdo　said　laughing；
  and　as　Crawley　and　his　friend　sat　wondering　and
  perplexed　over　the　announcement；　the　Club　waiter　brought
  in　to　the　Colonel　a　card　on　which　the　name　of　Mr。
  Wenham　was　engraved；　who　begged　to　see　Colonel
  Crawley。
  The　Colonel　and　his　aide…de…camp　went　out　to　meet
  the　gentleman；　rightly　conjecturing　that　he　was　an
  emissary　of　Lord　Steyne。　　〃How　d'ye　do；　Crawley？　I　am
  glad　to　see　you；〃　said　Mr。　Wenham　with　a　bland　smile；
  and　grasping　Crawley's　hand　with　great　cordiality。
  〃You　come；　I　suppose；　from　〃
  〃Exactly；〃　said　Mr。　Wenham。
  〃Then　this　is　my　friend　Captain　Macmurdo；　of　the　Life
  Guards　Green。〃
  〃Delighted　to　know　Captain　Macmurdo；　I'm　sure；〃　Mr。
  Wenham　said　and　tendered　another　smile　and　shake　of
  the　hand　to　the　second；　as　he　had　done　to　the　principal。
  Mac　put　out　one　finger；　armed　with　a　buckskin　glove；
  and　made　a　very　frigid　bow　to　Mr。　Wenham　over　his
  tight　cravat。　　He　was；　perhaps；　discontented　at　being　put
  in　communication　with　a　pekin；　and　thought　that　Lord
  Steyne　should　have　sent　him　a　Colonel　at　the　very　least。
  〃As　Macmurdo　acts　for　me；　and　knows　what　I　mean；〃
  Crawley　said；　〃I　had　better　retire　and　leave　you　together。〃
  〃Of　course；〃　said　Macmurdo。
  〃By　no　means；　my　dear　Colonel；〃　Mr。　Wenham　said；
  〃the　interview　which　I　had　the　honour　of　requesting　was
  with　you　personally；　though　the　company　of　Captain
  Macmurdo　cannot　fail　to　be　also　most　pleasing。　　In　fact；
  Captain；　I　hope　that　our　conversation　will　lead　to　none
  but　the　most　agreeable　results；　very　different　from　those
  which　my　friend　Colonel　Crawley　appears　to　anticipate。〃
  〃Humph！〃　said　Captain　Macmurdo。　　Be　hanged　to　these
  civilians；　he　thought　to　himself；　they　are　always　for
  arranging　and　speechifying。　　Mr。　Wenham　took　a　chair
  which　was　not　offered　to　himtook　a　paper　from　his
  pocket；　and　resumed
  〃You　have　seen　this　gratifying　announcement　in　the
  papers　this　morning；　Colonel？　Government　has　secured
  a　most　valuable　servant；　and　you；　if　you　accept　office；　as
  I　presume　you　will；　an　excellent　appointment。　　Three
  thousand　a　year；　delightful　climate；　excellent　government…
  house；　all　your　own　way　in　the　Colony；　and　a　certain
  promotion。　　I　congratulate　you　with　all　my　heart。　　I
  presume　you　know；　gentlemen；　to　whom　my　friend　is
  indebted　for　this　piece　of　patronage？〃
  〃Hanged　if　I　know；〃　the　Captain　said；　his　principal
  turned　very　red。
  〃To　one　of　the　most　generous　and　kindest　men　in　the
  world；　as　he　is　one　of　the　greatestto　my　excellent
  friend；　the　Marquis　of　Steyne。〃
  〃I'll　see　him　d　before　I　take　his　place；〃　growled
  out　Rawdon。
  〃You　are　irritated　against　my　noble　friend；〃　Mr。
  Wenham　calmly　resumed；　〃and　now；　in　the　name　of
  common　sense　and　justice；　tell　me　why？〃
  〃WHY？〃　cried　Rawdon　in　surprise。
  〃Why？　Dammy！〃　said　the　Captain；　ringing　his　stick
  on　the　ground。
  〃Dammy；　indeed；〃　said　Mr。　Wenham　with　the　most
  agreeable　smile；　〃still；　look　at　the　matter　as　a　man　of
  the　worldas　an　honest　manand　see　if　you　have　not
  been　in　the　wrong。　　You　come　home　from　a　journey；　and
  findwhat？my　Lord　Steyne　supping　at　your　house　in
  Curzon　Street　with　Mrs。　Crawley。　　Is　the　circumstance
  strange　or　novel？　Has　he　not　been　a　hundred　times
  before　in　the　same　position？　Upon　my　honour　and　word
  as　a　gentleman〃Mr。　Wenham　here　put　his　hand　on
  his　waistcoat　with　a　parliamentary　air〃I　declare　I　think
  that　your　suspicions　are　monstrous　and　utterly
  unfounded；　and　that　they　injure　an　honourable　gentleman
  who　has　proved　his　good…will　towards　you　by　a　thousand
  benefactionsand　a　most　spotless　and　innocent　lady。〃
  〃You　don't　mean　to　say　thatthat　Crawley's
  mistaken？〃　said　Mr。　Macmurdo。
  〃I　believe　that　Mrs。　Crawley　is　as　innocent　as　my
  wife；　Mrs。　Wenham；〃　Mr。　Wenham　said　with　great
  energy。　　〃I　believe　that；　misled　by　an　infernal　jealousy；
  my　friend　here　strikes　a　blow　against　not　only　an　infirm
  and　old　man　of　high　station；　his　constant　friend　and
  benefactor；　but　against　his　wife；　his　own　dearest　honour；
  his　son's　future　reputation；　and　his　own　prospects　in
  life。〃
  〃I　will　tell　you　what　happened；〃　Mr。　Wenham
  continued　with　great　solemnity；　〃I　was　sent　for　this
  morning　by　my　Lord　Steyne；　and　found　him　in　a　pitiable　state；
  as；　I　need　hardly　inform　Colonel　Crawley；　any　man　of
  age　and　infirmity　would　be　after　a　personal　conflict　with
  a　man　of　your　strength。　　I　say　to　your　face；　it　was　a
  cruel　advantage　you　took　of　that　strength；　Colonel
  Crawley。　　It　was　not　only　the　body　of　my　noble　and
  excellent　friend　which　was　woundedhis　heart；　sir；　was
  bleeding。　　A　man　whom　he　had　loaded　with　benefits　and
  regarded　with　affection　had　subjected　him　to　the　foulest
  indignity。　　What　was　this　very　appointment；　which　appears
  in　the　journals　of　to…day；　but　a　proof　of　his　kindness　to
  you？　When　I　saw　his　Lordship　this　morning　I　found　him
  in　a　state　pitiable　indeed　to　see；　and　as　anxious　as　you
  are　to　revenge　the　outrage　committed　upon　him；　by
  blood。　　You　know　he　has　given　his　proofs；　I　presume；
  Colonel　Crawley？〃
  〃He　has　plenty　of　pluck；〃　said　the　Colonel。　　〃Nobody
  ever　said　he　hadn't。〃
  〃His　first　order　to　me　was　to　write　a　letter　of
  challenge；　and　to　carry　it　to　Colonel　Crawley。　　One　or
  other　of　us；〃　he　said；　〃must　not　survive　the　outrage
  of　last　night。〃
  Crawley　nodded。　　〃You're　coming　to　the　point；
  Wenham；〃　he　said。
  〃I　tried　my　utmost　to　calm　Lord　Steyne。　　Good　God！
  sir；〃　I　said；　〃how　I　regret　that　Mrs。　Wenham　and　myself
  ha