became her; and it was with this marriage effected almost before his
eyes, and frantic with wrath and despair, that young Newcome embarked for
India, and quitted the parents whom he was never more to see.

Tom's name was no more mentioned at Clapham. His letters to his father
were written to the City; very pleasant they were, and comforting to the
father's heart. He sent Tom liberal private remittances to India, until
the boy wrote to say that he wanted no more. Mr. Newcome would have liked
to leave Tom all his private fortune, for the twins were only too well
cared for; but he dared not on account of his terror of Sophia Alethea,
his wife; and he died, and poor Tom was only secretly forgiven.




CHAPTER III

Colonel Newcome's Letter-box


I

"With the most heartfelt joy, my dear Major, I take up my pen to announce
to you the happy arrival of the Ramchunder, and the dearest and
handsomest little boy who, I am sure, ever came from India. Little Clive
is in perfect health. He speaks English wonderfully well. He cried when
he parted from Mr. Sneid, the supercargo, who most kindly brought him
from Southampton in a postchaise, but these tears in childhood are of
very brief duration! The voyage, Mr. Sneid states, was most favourable,
occupying only four months and eleven days. How different from that more