But in all this the details necessary for the telling of our story are anticipated.  Mr Longestaffe had remained in London actually over the 1st of September, which in Suffolk is the one great festival of the year, before the letter was written to which allusion has been made.  In the meantime he saw much of Mr Brehgert, and absolutely formed a kind of friendship for that gentleman, in spite of the abomination of his religion,—­so that on one occasion he even condescended to ask Mr Brehgert to dine alone with him in Bruton Street.  This, too, was in the early days of the arrangement of the Melmotte affairs, when Mr Longestaffe’s heart had been softened by that arrangement with reference to the rent.  Mr Brehgert came, and there arose a somewhat singular conversation between the two gentlemen as...