to name her ladyship among my acquaintances--and you bear, sir, a
Rosherville face."

"Hullo! I beg your pardon," Mr. Foker said, "I took you,"--he was going
to say--"I took you for a commercial gent." But he stopped that phrase.
"To whom have I the pleasure of speaking?" he added.

"To a relative of a friend and schoolfellow of yours--Arthur Pendennis,
my nephew, who has often spoken to me about you in terms of great regard.
I am Major Pendennis, of whom you may have heard him speak. May I take my
soda-water at your table? I have had the pleasure of sitting at your
grandfather's."

"Sir, you do me proud," said Mr. Foker, with much courtesy. "And so you
are Arthur Pendennis's uncle, are you?"

"And guardian," added the Major.

"He's as good a fellow as ever stepped, sir," said Mr. Foker.

"I am glad you think so."

"And clever, too--I was always a stupid chap, I was--but you see, sir, I
know 'em when they are clever, and like 'em of that sort."

"You show your taste and your modesty, too," said the Major. "I have
heard Arthur repeatedly speak of you, and he said your talents were very
good."

"I'm not good at the books," Mr. Foker said, wagging his head--"never