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The 'Boards' were always co out of a book This was always done by Miles Grendall; and the record was supposed to have been written by hiue had discovered that this statement in the book was always prepared and written by a satellite of Melmotte's fro The adverse director had spoken to the secretary,--it will be rearden,--and Miles had given a somewhat evasive reply 'A cussed deal of trouble and all that, you know! He's used to it, and it's what he'sto flurry ue after this had spoken on the subject both to Nidderdale and Felix Carbury 'He couldn't do it, if it was ever so,' Nidderdale had said 'I don't think I'd bully hiets £500 a-year, and if you knew all he owes, and all he hasn't got, you wouldn't try to rob hiue had as little success Sir Felix hated the secretary, had detected hi at cards, had resolved to expose hiestaffe, and the reader will perhaps reain, and had gradually fallen back into the habit of playing at the club Loo, however, had given way to whist, and Sir Felix had satisfied hie He still meditated some dreadful punishment for Miles Grendall, but, in the meantime, felt himself unable to oppose him at the Board Since the day at which the aces had been manipulated at the club he had not spoken to Miles Grendall except in reference to the affairs of the whist table The 'Board' was now commenced as usual Miles read the short record out of the book,--stuh the perfor to understand no one could have understood it 'Gentlemen,' said Mr Melmotte, in his usual hurried way, 'is it your pleasure that I shall sign the record?' Paul Montague rose to say that it was not his pleasure that the record should be signed But Melmotte had made his scrawl, and was deep in conversation with Mr Cohenlupe before Paul could get upon his legs

Melle Melht be his faults, had eyes to see and ears to hear He perceived that Montague had le and had been cowed; and he kne hard it is for onebits of paper across the table at Carbury Miles Grendall was poring over the book which was in his charge Lord Alfred sat back in his chair, the picture of a ht hand within his waistcoat He looked aristocratic, respectable, and almost commercial In that room he never by any chance opened his ht, and was considered by the chairman really to earn hiswith Cohenlupe, having perceived that Montague for the moment was cowed Then Paul put both his hands upon the table, intending to rise and ask so question Melue had risen from his chair 'Gentlemen,' said Mr Melmotte, 'ita feords to you about the affairs of the co on with his statean to turn over sundry volu a word or two every now and then to Mr Cohenlupe Lord Alfred never changed his posture and never took his hand from his breast Nidderdale and Carbury filliped their paper pellets backwards and forwards Montague sat profoundly listening,--or ready to listen when anything should be said As the chairman had risen from his chair to commence his statement, Paul felt that he was bound to be silent When a speaker is in possession of the floor, he is in possession even though he be so to his neighbour And, when that speaker is a chairman, of course soue understood this, and sat silent It seemed that Melmotte had much to say to Cohenlupe, and Cohenlupe much to say to Melmotte Since Cohenlupe had sat at the Board he had never before developed such powers of conversation