Major M'Shane, with the
Major's uneasy behaviour--all these to hear at one time did Clive not
ungraciously incline. "Our friend, Mrs. Mack," the good old Colonel used
to say, "is a clever woman of the world, and has seen a great deal of
company." That story of Sir Thomas Sadman dropping a pocket-handkerchief
in his court at Colombo, which the Queen's Advocate O'Goggarty picked up,
and on which Laura MacS. was embroidered, whilst the Major was absolutely
in the witness-box giving evidence against a native servant who had
stolen one of his cocked-hats--that story always made good Thomas Newcome
laugh, and Clive used to enjoy it too, and the widow's mischievous fun in
narrating it; and now, behold, one day when Mrs. Mackenzie recounted the
anecdote in her best manner to Messrs. Pendennis and Warrington, and
Frederick Bayham, who had been invited to meet Mr. Clive in Fitzroy
Square--when Mr. Binnie chuckled, when Rosey, as in duty bound, looked
discomposed and said, "Law, mamma!"--not one sign of good-humour, not one
ghost of a smile, made its apparition on Clive's dreary face.
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