I dare say it was the good claret that made me speak,
sir; for I told her that I and her husband had had a dispute and that I
would take her ladyship for umpire. And then I told her the story over,
that I had paid away every rupee to the creditors, and mortgaged my
pensions and retiring allowances for the same end, that I was a burden
upon Clivey, who had enough, poor boy, to keep his own family, and his
wife's mother, whom my imprudence had impoverished,--that here was an
honourable asylum which my friend could procure for me, and was not that
better than to drain his purse? She was very much moved, sir--she is a
very kind lady, though she passed for being very proud and haughty in
India--so wrongly are people judged. And Lord H. said, in his rough way,
'that, by Jove, if Tom Newcome took a thing into his obstinate old head
no one could drive it out.' And so," said the Colonel, with his sad
smile, "I had my own way. Lady H. was good enough to come and see me the
very next day--and do you know, Pen, she invited me to go and live with
them for the rest of my life--made me the most generous, the most
delicate offers.
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