 Chapter 26 of the History of Pendentis, the History of Pendentis by William Makepeace Thackeray, a house full of visitors. The difference between the girls did not last long. Barbara was always too eager to forgive and be forgiven, and as for Miss Blanche, her hostilities, never very long or durable, had not been provoked by the above scene. Nobody cares about being accused of wickedness, no vanity is hurt by that sort of charge. Blanche was rather pleased than provoked by her friend's indignation, which never would have been raised but for a cause which both knew neither spoke of. And so Law with a sigh was obliged to confess that the romantic part of her first friendship was at an end and that the object of it was only worthy of a very ordinary sort of regard. As for Blanche, she instantly composed a copy of touching verses setting forth her dissertion and disenchantment. It was only the old story she wrote of love meeting with coldness and fidelity returned by neglect, and some new neighbors arriving from London about this time in whose family there were daughters, Miss Emery had the advantage of selecting an eternal friend from one of these young ladies and imparting her sorrows and disappointments to this new sister. The tall footman came but seldom now with notes to the sweet law, the pony carriage was but rarely dispatched to fair oaks to be at the orders of the ladies there. Blanche adopted a sweet look of suffering martyrdom when Laura came to see her, the other laughed at her friend's sentimental mood and treated it with a good humor that was by no means respectful. But if Miss Blanche found new female friends to console her, the faithful historian is also bound to say that she discovered some acquaintances of the other sex who seemed to give her consolation too. If ever this artless young creature met a young man and had ten minutes conversation with him in a garden walk, in a drawing room window, or in the intervals of a wall she invited in him, so to speak, may play with her beautiful eyes, spoken a tone of tender interest and simple and touching appeal, and left him to perform the same pretty little drama in behalf of his successor. When the cloverings first came down to the park there were very few audiences before whom Miss Blanche could perform, hence Penn had all the benefits of her glances and confidences and the drawing room window or the garden walk, all to himself. In the town of clovering it has been said there were actually no young men. In the near surrounding country only a curate or two or a rustic young squire with large feet and ill-made clothes. To the dragoons quartered at Chatteros the baronet made no overtures. He was, unluckily, his own regiment. He had left it on bad terms with some officers of the corps, an ugly business about a horse bargain, a disputed play account, blind hooky, a white feather who need ask. It is not our business to inquire too closely into the bygones of our characters except insofar as their previous history appertains to the development of this present story. At the autumn and the end of the parliamentary session and the London season brought one or two county families down to their houses and filled tolerably the neighboring little watering place of Baymont and opened our friend Mr. Bingley's Theatre Royale at Chatteros and collected the usual company at the Assizes and Raceballs there. Up to this time the old county families have been rather shy of our friends of Clevering Park. The foggies of Drummington, the squares of Toesley Park, the wellbores of the Barrow, etc., all sorts of stories were current among these folks. Regarding the family at Clevering, indeed nobody ought to say that people in the country have no imagination who heard them talk about new neighbors. About Sir Francis and his lady and her birth and parentage about Miss Amory, about Captain Strong, there had been endless histories which need not be recapitulated and the family of the park had been three months in the county before the great people around began to call. But at the end of the season the Earl of Treehawk, Lord Lieutenant of the county, coming to Ivory Castle and the Countess Dowager of Rockminster, whose son was also a magnate of the land to occupy a mansion on the Marine Parade at Baymouth, these great folks came publicly, immediately and in state, to call upon the family of Clevering Park and the carriages of the county families speedily followed in the track which had been left in the avenue by their lordly wheels. It was then that Marobelant began to have an opportunity of exercising that skill which he possessed and of forgetting in the occupations of his art the pangs of love. It was then that the large footmen were too much employed at Clevering Park to be able to bring messages or dally over the cup of small beer with the poor little maids at Fair Oaks. It was then that Blanche found other dear friends than Laura and other places to walk in besides the riverside where Penn was fishing. He came day after day and whipped the stream but the fish wouldn't do their duty nor the parry appear. And here though in strict confidence and with a request that the matter go no further we may as well allude to a delicate business of which previous hint has been given. Mention has been made in a former page of a certain hollow tree at which Penn used to take his station when engaged in his passion for mis-fathering gay. And the cavity of which he afterwards used for other purposes than to insert his baits and fishing cans in, the truth is, he converted this tree into a post office. Under a piece of moss and a stone he used to put little poems or letters equally poetical which were addressed to a certain undeen or naid who frequented the stream and which once or twice were replaced by a receipt in the shape of a flower or by a modest little word or two of acknowledgement written in a delicate hand in French or English and on pink scented paper. Certainly Miss Amor used to walk by this stream as we have seen and it is a fact that she used pink scented paper for her correspondence but after the great folks had invaded Cleverine Park and the family coached passed out of the lodge gates evening after evening on their way to the other great country houses nobody came to fetch Penn's letters at the post office. The white paper was not exchanged for the pink but lay undisturbed under its stone and its moss whilst the tree was reflected into the stream and the brawl went rolling by. There was not much in the letters certainly in the pink note scarcely anything merely a little word or two half jocular half sympathetic such as might be written by any young lady but are you silly pendentists if you wanted this one why did you not speak perhaps neither party was in earnest you were only playing it being in love and the sport of little undine was humoring you at the same play but if a man is balked at this game he not infrequently loses his temper and when nobody came anymore for Penn's poems he began to look upon those compositions in a very serious light he felt almost tragical and romantic again as in his first affair of a heart at any rate he was bent upon having an explanation one day he went to the hall and there was a roomful of visitors on another miss amry was not to be seen she was going to a ball that night and was lying down to take a little sleep penn cursed balls in the narrowness of his means and the humility of his position in the country that caused him to be passed over by the givers of these entertainments on a third occasion miss amry was in the garden and he ran bitter she was walking there in state with no less personages than the bishop and bishopus of chatterous and the episcopal family who scalded him and drew up in great dignity when he was presented to them and they heard his name the right reverend prelate had heard it before and also of the little transaction in the dean's garden the bishop says you're a sad young man good natured lady cladding whispered to him what have you been a doing of nothing i hope to vex such a dear mar as yours how is your dear mar why don't she come and me we ain't seen her this ever such a time we're a going about a garden so that we don't see no neighbors now give my love to her and laura and come all to dinner tomorrow mrs penn dennis was too unwell to come out but laura and penn came and there was a great party and penn only got an opportunity of a hurried word with miss amry you never come to the river now he said i can't said blanche the house is full of people londine has left the stream mr penn went on choosing to be poetical she never ought to have gone there miss amry answered she won't go again it was very foolish very wrong it was only play besides you have other consolations at home she added looking him full in the face an instant and dropping her eyes if he wanted her why did he not speak then she might have said yes even then but as she spoke of other consolations at home he thought of laura so affectionate and so pure and of his mother at home who had bent her fond heart upon uniting him with her adopted daughter blanche he began in a vexed tone miss amry laura is looking at us mr penn dennis the young lady said i must go back to the company and she ran off leaving mr penn dennis to bite his nails in perplexity and to look out into the moonlight in the garden laura indeed was looking at penn she was talking with or appearing to listen to the talk of mr penn sent laura rockminster's son the and grandson of the dowager lady who was seated in state in the place of honor gravely receiving lady cleverings by a grammar and patronizing the vacuous sir francis whose interest in the county she was desirous to secure penn sent and penn had been at ox bridge together where the latter during his heyday of good fortune and fashion had been the superior of the young patrician and perhaps rather super silliest towards him he had met for the first time since they parted at the university at the table today and given each other that exceedingly important and amusing deminat of recognition which is practiced in england only and only to perfection by university men and which seems to say confound you what do you do here i knew that man at ox bridge mr penn sent said to miss bell a mr penn dennis i think yes said miss bell he seems rather sweet upon the same rate the gentleman went on laura looked at them and perhaps thought so too but said nothing a man of large property in the county ain't he he used to talk about representing it he used to speak at the union whereabouts to his estate's lie laura smiled his estate's lie on the other side of the river near the large gate he is my cousin and i lived there where asked mr penn sent with a laugh why on the other side of the river at fair oaks answered miss bell many pheasants there cover looks rather good said the simple gentleman laura smiled again we have nine hands and a cock a pig and an old pointer penn dennis don't preserve them continued mr penn sent you should come and see him the girl said laughing and greatly amused at the notion that her penn was a great county gentleman and perhaps had given himself out to be such indeed i quite long to renew our acquaintance mr penn sent said gallantly and with the look which fairly said it is you that i would like to come and see to which look in speech miss laura vouch saved a smile and made a little bow here blanche came stepping up with her most fascinating smile and ogle and beg dear laura to come and take the second in a song laura was ready to do anything good natured and went to the piano by which mr penn sent listened as long as the duet lasted and until miss amary began for herself when he strode away what a nice frank amiable well bread girl that is wag said mr penn sent to a gentleman who would come over with him from beymouth the tall one i mean with the ringlets and red lips monstrous red ain't they what do you think of the girl the house asked wag i think she's a lean scraggie humbug said mr penn sent with great candor she drags her shoulders out of her dress she never lets her eyes alone and she goes simply and ogling about like a french waiting maid penn sent be civil cried the other somebody can hear oh it's penn denis of boniface mr penn sent said by an evening mr penn denis we were just talking of your charming cousin any relation to my old friend major penn denis asked mr wag his nephew he had the pleasure of meeting you at gaunt house mr penn said with his very best air the acquaintance between the gentleman was made in an instant in the afternoon of the next day the two gentlemen who were staying at clavaring park were found by mr penn on his return from a fishing excursion in which he had no sport seated in his mother's drawing room uncomfortable conversation with the widow and her ward mr penn sent tall and gaunt with large red whiskers and an imposing tough to his chin was striding over a chair in the intimate neighborhood of miss laura she was amused by his talk which was simple straightforward rather humorous and keen and interspersed with homely expressions of a style which is sometimes called slang it was the first specimen of a young london dandy that laura had seen or heard for she had been but a chit at the time of mr foker's introduction at fair oaks nor indeed was that ingenuous gentleman much more than a boy and his refinement was only that of a school and college mr wag as he entered the fair oaks premises with his companion eyed and noted everything old gardener he said seeing mr john at the lodge old red livery waistcoat clothes hanging out to dry on the gooseberry bushes blue aprons white ducks yeah they must be young pendentis's white ducks nobody else wears them in the family rather a shy place for a sucking county member eye pin sent snug little crib said mr pin sent pretty cozy little on mr pendentis at home old gentleman mr wag said to the old domestic john answered no master pendentis was a gone out are the ladies at home as the younger visitor mr john answered yes they be and as the pair walked over the trim gravel and by the neat shrubberies up the steps to the hall door which old john opened mr wag noted everything that he saw the barometer and the letter bag the umbrellas and the ladies clogs pens hats and tartan wrapper and old john opening the drawing room door to introduce the newcomers such minutiae attracted wag instinctively he sees them in spite of himself old fellow does all the work he whispered to pin sent Caleb balderstone shouldn't wonder if he's the housemaid the next minute the pair were in the presence of the fair oaks ladies in whom pin sent could not help recognizing two perfectly well-bred ladies and to whom mr wag made his obeisance with florid bows and an extra courtesy accompanying with an occasional knowing leer at his companion mr pin sent did not choose to acknowledge these signals except by extreme haughtiness towards mr wag and particular deference to the ladies if there was one thing laughable in mr wag's eyes it was poverty he had the soul of a butler who had been brought from his pantry to make fun in the drawing room these jokes were plenty and his good nature thoroughly genuine but he did not seem to understand that a gentleman could wear an old coat or that a lady could be respectable unless she had her carriage or employed a french milliner charming place ma'am said he bowing to the widow noble prospect delightful to us cockneys who seldom see anything but pal maul the widow said simply she had never been in london but once in her life before her son was born fine village ma'am fine village said mr wag and increasing every day it'll be quite a large town soon it's not a bad place to live in for those who can't get the country and will repay a visit when you honor it my brother major pendenis has often mentioned your name to us the widow said we have been very much amused by some of your droll books sir helen continued who never could be brought to like mr wag's books and detested their tone most thoroughly he is my very good friend mr wag said with a low bow and one of the best known men about town and we're a known man appreciated i assure you appreciated he is with our friend stain at aches la chapelle stain has a touch of the gout and so between ourselves has your brother i'm going to still book for the pheasant shooting and afterwards to bear acres where pendenis and i shall probably meet and he poured out a flood of fashionable talk introducing the names of a score peers ran rattling on with breathless spirits whilst the simple widow listened in silent wonder what a man she thought are all the men of fashion in london like this i'm sure penn will never like him mr penn sent was in the meanwhile engaged with miss laura he named some of the houses in the neighborhood where he was going and hoped very much that he should see miss bell at some of them he hoped that her aunt would give her a season in london he said that in the next parliament it was probable that he should canvass the county and he hoped to get pendenis's interest here he spoke of penn's triumph as an orator at oxbridge and asked was he coming into parliament too he talked on very pleasantly and greatly to laura's satisfaction until penn himself appeared and as has been said found these gentlemen penn behaved very courteously to the pair now that they have found their way into his quarters and though he recollected with some twinges a conversation at oxbridge when penn sent was present and in which after a great debate at the union and in the midst of considerable excitement produced by a supper and champagne cup he had announced his intention of coming in for his native county and had absolutely returned thanks in a fine speech as the future member yet mr penn sense manner was so frank and cordial that penn hoped penn sent might have forgotten his little penn are not and any other braggadocio speeches or actions which he might have made he suited himself to the tone of the visitors then and talked about plain lemon and magnus charters and they all sat at oxbridge with carol's familiarity and hybrid ease as if he lived with marquises every day and adieu was no more to him than a village cure it but at this juncture and it being then six o'clock in the evening betsy the maid who did not know of the advent of strangers walked into the room without any preliminary but that of flinging the door wide open before her and bearing in her arms a tray containing three tea cups a teapot and a plate of thick bread and butter all penn's splendor and magnificence vanished away at this and he faltered and became quite abashed what will they think of us he thought and indeed wag thrust his tongue in his cheek thought the tea infinitely contemptible and layered and winked at pincent to that effect but to mr. pincent the transaction appeared perfectly simple there was no reason present to his mind why people should not drink tea at six if they were minded as well as at any other hour and he asked her mr. wag when they went away what the devil he was grinning and winking at and what amused him didn't you see how the cub was ashamed of the thick bread and butter i dare say they're going to have trickle if they are good i'll take an opportunity of telling old pandanus when we get back to town mr. wag chuckle down don't see the fun said mr. pincent never thought you did grab wag between his teeth they walked home rather sulkily wag told the story at dinner very smartly with wonderful accuracy of observation he described old john the clothes that were drying the clogs in the hall the drawing room and his furniture and pictures oh man with a beak and bald head for pandanus i bet two to one sticking plaster full length of youth in a cap and gown the present marquis of their oaks of course the widow when young in a miniature mrs. me she had the gown on when we came or a dress made the year after and the tips cut off the fingers of her gloves which she stitches her son's collars with and then the starving may came in with their teas so we left the earl and the counters to their bread and butter blanche near whom he said as he told this story and who adored lay some desperate burst out laughing and called him such an odd droll creature but pincent he began to be utterly disgusted with him broke out in a loud voice and said i don't know mr. wag what sort of ladies you are accustomed to me in your own family but by get as far as a first acquaintance can show i never met two better bred women in my life and i hope man you will call upon him he added the dressing lady rock minster who was seated as sir frances clavaring's right hand so frances turned to the guest on his left and whispered that's what i call a sticker for wag and lady clavaring giving the young gentleman a delighted tap with her fan winged her black eyes at him and said mr. pincent you're a good fellow after the affair with blanche a difference ever so slight a tone of melancholy perhaps a little bitter might be perceived in laura's converse with her cousin she seemed to weigh him and find him wanting to the widow saw the girl's clear and honest eyes watching the young man at times and the look of almost scorn pass over her face as he lounged in the room with the women or lazily sauntered smoking upon the lawn or lawd under a tree there over a book which he was too listless to read what has happened between you eager sighted helen asked of the girl something has happened has that wicked little blanche been making mischief tell me laura nothing has happened at all laura said then why do you look at pen so asked his mother quickly look at him dear mother said the girl we two women aren't no society for him we don't interest him we are not clever enough for such a genius as pen he wastes his life and energies away among us tied to our apron strings he interests himself in nothing he scares the cares to go beyond the garden gate even captain glanders and captain strong paul upon him she added with a bitter laugh and they are men you know and our superiors he will never be happy while he is here why is he not facing the world and without a profession we have got enough with great economies of the widow her heart beginning to beat violently pen has spent nothing for months i'm sure he's very good i'm sure you might be very happy with us don't agitate yourself so dear mother the girl answered i don't like to see you so you should not be sad because pen is unhappy here all men are so they must work they must make themselves names and a place in the world look the two captains have fought and seen battles that mister pin sent who came here and he will be very rich is in a public office he works very hard he aspires to a name and a reputation he says pen was one of the best speakers at oxbridge and had his greater character for talent as any of the young gentleman there pen himself laughs at mr wag celebrity and indeed he is a horrid person and says he is a dunce and that anybody could write his books i'm sure they are odious and vulgar interpose the widow yet he has a reputation you see the county chronicle says the celebrated mr wag has been so joining at baymouth that our fashionables and eccentrics look out for something from his caustic pen if pen can write better than this gentleman and speak better than mr pin sent why doesn't he mama he can't make speeches to us or distinguish himself here he ought to go away indeed he ought dear laura said helen taking the girl's hand is a kind of you to hurry himself i've been waiting i've been saving up money these many months to to pay back your advance to us hush mother laura cried embracing her friend hastily it was your money not mine never speak about that again how much money have you saved helen said there were more than 200 pounds at the bank and that she would be enabled to pay all all laura's money by the end of the next year give it him let him have the 200 pounds let him go to london and be a lawyer be something be worthy of his mother and of mine dearest mama said the good girl upon which and with her usual tenderness and emotion the fond widow declared that laura was a blessing to her and the best of girls and i hope no one in this instance will be disposed to contradict her the widow and her daughter had more than one conversation on this subject and the elder gave way to the superior reason of the honest and stronger minded girl and indeed whenever there was a sacrifice to be made on her part this kind lady was only too eager to make it but she took her own way and did not lose sight of the end she had in view in imparting these new plans to penn one day she told him of these projects and who it was that had formed then how it was laura who insisted upon his going to london and studying how it was laura who would not hear of the the money arrangements when he came back from oxbridge being settled just then how it was laura whom he had to thank if indeed he thought that he had to go at that news penn's countenance blazed up with pleasure and he hugged his mother to his heart with an ardor that i fear disappointed the fond lady but she rallied when he said by heaven she is a noble girl and may god almighty bless her mother i've been wearing myself away from months here longing to work and not knowing how i've been fretting over the thoughts of my shame and my debts my past cursed extravagance and follies i've suffered infernally my heart has been half broken never mind about that if i can get a chance to redeem the past and to do my duty to myself and the best mother in the world indeed indeed i will i'll be worthy of you yet heaven bless you god bless laura why isn't she here that i may go and thank her penn went on with more incoherent phrases paced up and down the room drank glasses of water jumped about his mother with a thousand embraces began to laugh began to sing was happier than she had seen him since he was a boy since he had tasted of the fruit of that awful tree of life which from the beginning has tempted all mankind laura was not at home laura was on her visit to the stately lady rock minister daughter to my lord bear acre sister to the late lady pontipool and by consequence a distant inswoman of helens as her ladyship who was deeply versed in genealogy was graciously to point out to the modest country lady mr penn was greatly delighted at the relationship being acknowledged though perhaps not over well pleased that lady rock minister took miss bell home with her for a couple of days to beymock and did not make the slightest invitation to mr archer penn dennis there was to be a ball at beymock and it was to be miss laura's first appearance the dowager came to fetcher in her carriage and she went off with a white dress in her box happy and blushing like the rose to which penn compared her this was the night of the ball a public entertainment at the beymock hotel by joe said penn i'll ride over no i won't ride but i'll go to his mother was charmed that he should do so and as he was debating about the conveyance in which he should start for bayman captain strong called opportunely said he was going himself and that he would put his horse the butcher bore into the gig and drive penn over when the grand company began to fill the house cladding park the chevalier strong who as his patron said was never in the way or out of it seldom intruded of himself upon its society but went elsewhere to seek his relaxation i've seen plenty of grand dinners in my time he said and dine by joe in a company where there was a king and royal duke the top and bottom and every man along the table had six stars on his coat but dammy glanders this finally don't suit me and the english ladies with their confounded buckram aries and the squires with their politics after dinner sent me to sleep sink me dead if they don't i like a place where i can blow my cigar when the cloth is removed and when i'm thirsty have my beer and it's native pewter so on a gala day at cladding park the chevalier would contend himself with superintending the arrangements of the table and drilling the major domo and servants and having looked over the bill of fare with mr miral ebalon would not care to take the least part in the banquet sent me up a cutlet in a bottle of claret to my room this philosopher would say and from the windows of that apartment which commanded the terrace and avenue he would survey the company as they arrived in their carriages or take a peep at the ladies in the hall through an area to berth which commanded it from his corridor and the guests being seated strong were crossed the park to captain glanders's college at cladding or to pay the landlady a visit at the cladding arms or to drop in upon madame frisbee over her novel and tea wherever the chevalier went he was welcome and whenever he came away a smell of hot brandy and water lingered behind him the butcher boy not the worst horse in sir francis's stable was appropriated to captain strong's express use and the old campaigner saddled him or brought him home at all hours of the day or night and drove or wrote him up and down the country where there was a public house with a good type of beer where there was a tenant with a pretty daughter who played on the piano to chatter us to the play or the barracks to beamed if any fun was on foot there to the rural fairs or races the chevalier and his brown horse made their way continually and this worthy gentleman lived at three quarters in a friendly country the butcher boy soon took pen and the chevalier to beamed the latter was as familiar with the hotel and landed there as with every other inn round about and having been accommodated with a bedroom to dress they entered the ballroom the chevalier was splendid he wore three little gold crosses in a brochette on the portly breast of his blue coat and looked like a foreign field marshal the ball was public and all sorts of persons were admitted and encouraged to come young pinscent having views upon the county and lady rockminster being patroness of the ball there was a quadrille for the era stock was he had run in and select benches for the people of fashion towards the sin the chevalier did not care to penetrate far as he said he did not care for the knobs but in the other part of the room he knew everybody the wine merchants innkeepers tradesmen solicitors square farmers daughters their sires and brothers and plunged about shaking hands who is that man with the blue ribbon and the three-pointed star asked pen a gentleman in black with ringlets and a tough stood gazing fiercely about him with one hand in the armhole of his waistcoat and the other holding his clack by jupiter it's mirrored ballon cried strong bursting out laughing bonjour chef bonjour chevalier du lacroix de jouillet chevalier said the chef laying his hand on his decoration by jove here's some more ribbon said pen amused a man with very black hair and whiskers died evidently with the purple of tire with twinkling eyes and white eyelashes and a thousand wrinkles in his face which was a strange red color with two under vests and large gloves and hands and a profusion of diamonds and jewels in his waistcoat in stock with quartz feet crumpled into immense shiny boots and a piece of party colored ribbon in his buttonhole here came up and nodded familiarly to the chevalier the chevalier shook hands my friend mr pen denis strong sick colonel altamont of the bodyguard of his highness the naiwab of luck now that officer bowed to the salute of pen who was now looking out eagerly to see if the person wanted had entered the room not yet but the band began presently performing see the conquering hero comes and a host of fashionables towered your countess of rock minster mr pin sent miss bell sir francis clavvering barista of clavvering park lady clavvering and miss aimery sir whores fogey barister lady fogey colonel and mrs higgs wag this square as the county paper afterwards described them entered the room pen rushed by blanche ran up to laura and seized her hand god bless you he said i want to speak to you i must speak to you let me dance with you not for three dances dear pen she said smiling and he fell back writing his nails with vexation and forgetting to salute pin sent after lady rock minster's party lady clavverings followed in the procession colonel altamont eyed it hard holding a most musky pocket handkerchief up to his face and bursting with laughter behind it who's the gallant green along with them captain he asked of strong that's miss aimery lady clavvering's daughter replied the chevalier the colonel could hardly contain himself for laughing end of chapter 26 chapter 27 of the history of pandemis this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox.org the history of pandemis by william make peace thackery chapter 27 contains some ball practicing under some calico draperies in the shady embrasure of a window arthur pandemis chose to assume a very gloomy and frowning countenance and to watch miss bell dance her first quadril with mr. pin sent for a partner that gentleman was as solemn and severe as englishmen are upon such occasions and walked through the dance as he would have walked up to his pew in church without a smile upon his face or allowing any outward circumstance to interfere with his attention to the grave duty in which he was engaged but miss laura's face was beaming with pleasure and good nature the lights and the crowd and music excited her as she spread out her white robes and performed her part of the dance smiling and happy her brown ringlets flowing back over her fair shoulders from her honest rosy face more than one gentleman in the room admired and looked after her and lady fogey who had a house in london and gave herself no small heirs of fashion when in the country asked of lady rockminster who the young person was mentioned a reigning beauty in london whom in her lady ship's opinion laura was rather like and pronounced that she would do lady rockminster would have been very much surprised if any protege of hers would not do and wondered at lady fogey's impudence and judging upon the point at all she surveyed laura with majestic glances through her eye glass she was pleased with the girl's artless looks and gay innocent manner her manner is very good her lady ship thought her arms are rather red but that is a defect of her youth her tone is far better than that of the little pert miss amory who is dancing opposite to her miss blanche was indeed the vis-a-vis of miss laura and smile most killingly upon her dearest friend and nodded to her and talked to her when they met during the quadril evolutions and patronized her a great deal her shoulders were the whitest in the whole room and they were never easy in her flock for one single instant nor were her eyes which rolled about incessantly nor was her little figure it seemed to say to all the people come and look at me not at that pink healthy bouncing country last miss bell who scarcely knew how to dance till i taught her this is the true peresian manner this is the prettiest little foot in the room and the prettiest little chasseur to look at it mr. pincent look at it mr. pendennis you who are scowling behind the curtain i know you are longing to dance with me laura went on dancing to keeping an attentive eye upon mr. pend in the embrasure of the window he did not quit that retirement during the first quadril nor until the second when the good natured lady cladding back into him to come up to her to the dais or place of honor where the dowagers were and with her pen went blushing and exceedingly awkward as most conceited young fellows are he performed a haughty salutation to lady rockminster who hardly acknowledged his bow and then went and paid his respects to the widow of the late aimery who was splendid in diamonds velvet lace feathers and all sorts of millinery and goldsmith's wear young mr. froge then in the fifth form at eaton and ardently expecting his beard and his commission in a degrune regiment was the second partner who was honored with miss bell's hand he was wrapped in admiration of that young lady he thought he had never seen so charming a creature i like you much better than the french girl for this young gentleman had been dancing with miss aimery before he candidly said to her laura laughed and looked more good-humored than ever and in the midst of her laughter caught a sight of pen and continued to laugh as he on his side continued to look absurdly pompous and sulky the next dance was a waltz and young floge thought with a sigh that he did not know how to waltz and bout he would have a master the next holidays mr. pin sent again claimed miss bell's hand for this dance and pen beheld her in a fury purling round the room her waist encircled by the arm of that gentleman he never used to be angry before when on summer evenings the chairs and tables being removed and the governors called downstairs to play the piano ian the chivalier strong who was a splendid performer could dance a british hornpipe a german waltz or a spanish vandango if need were and the two young ladies blanche and laura improvised little balls at clavvering park laura enjoyed this dancing so much and was so animated that she even animated mr. pin sent blanche who could dance beautifully had an unlucky partner captain broadfoot of the dragoons then stationed at jatterists for captain broadfoot though devoting himself with great energy to the object in view could not get round in time and not having the least ear for music was unaware that his movements were too slow so in the waltz as in the quadril miss blanche saw that her dear friend laura had the honors of the dance and was by no means pleased with the latter's success after a couple of turns with the heavy dragoon she pleaded fatigue and requested to be led back to her place near her mama to whom penn was talking and she asked him why he had not asked her to waltz and had left her for the mercies of that great odious man in spurs and a red coat i thought spurs and scarlet were the most fascinating objects in the world to young ladies penn answered i never should have dared to put my black coat in competition with that spender red jacket you're very unkind and cruel and sulky and naughty said miss amry with another shrug of the shoulders you better go away your cousin is looking at us over mr. pincent's shoulder will you waltz with me said penn not this waltz i can't having just sent away that good captain broadfoot look at mr. pincent did you ever see such a creature but i will dance the next waltz with you and the quadril too i am promised but i will tell mr. pool that i have forgotten my engagement to you women forget very readily penn denis said but they always come back and are very repentant and sorry for what they've done blanche said see here comes the poker and dear lore leaning on him how pretty she looks laura came up and put out her hand to penn to whom pincent made a sort of bow appearing to be not much more graceful than that domestic instrument to which miss amory compared him but laura's face was full of kindness i'm so glad to have come dear penn said she i can speak to you now how is mama the three dancers are over and i'm engaged to you for the next penn i've just engaged myself to miss amory said penn and miss amory nodded her head and made her usual little curtsy i don't intend to give him up dearest laura she said well then your waltz with me dear blanche said the other won't you penn i promised the waltz with miss amory provoking said laura making a curtsy in her turn she went and placed herself under the ample wing of lady rockminster penn was delighted with his mischief the two prettiest girls in the room were quarreling about him he flattered himself he had punished miss laura he leaned in a dandified air with his elbow over the wall and talked to blanche he quizzed unmercifully all the men in the room the heavy dragoons in their tight jackets the country dandies in their queer attire the strange toilets of the ladies one seemed to have a bird's nest in her head another had six pounds of grapes in her hair besides her false pearls it's a few of almonds and raisins said penn and might be served up for a dessert in a word he was exceedingly satirical and amusing during the quadril he carried on this kind of conversation with unflinching bitterness and vivacity and kept blanche continually laughing both at his wickedness and jokes which were good and also because laura was again their vis-a-vis and could see and hear how merry and confidential they were arthur's charming tonight she whispered to laura across cornet perches shell jacket as penn was performing cavillier sorrel before them drawing through that figure with the thumb in the pocket of each waistcoat who said laura arthur answered blanche in french oh it's such a pretty name and now the young ladies went over to penn's side and cornet perched performed a pa sorrel in his turn he had no waistcoat pocket to put his hands into and they looked large and swollen as they hung before him depending from the tight arms in the jacket during the interval between the quadril and the succeeding walls penn did not take any notice of laura except to ask her whether her partner cornet perch was an amusing youth and whether she liked him so well as her other partner mr penn sent having planted which two daggers in laura's dental bosom mr penn dentists proceeded to rattle on with blanche aimery and to make jokes good or bad but which were always loud laura was at a loss to account for her cousin's sulky behavior and ignorant in what she had offended him however she was not angry in her turn at penn's sponetic mood for she was the most good-natured and forgiving of women and besides an exhibition of jealousy on a man's part is not always disagreeable to a lady as penn would not dance with her she was glad to take up with the act of chevalier strong who was a still better performer than penn and being very fond of dancing as every brisk and innocent young girl should be when the walls musy began she set off and chose to enjoy herself with all her heart captain broadfoot on this occasion occupied the floor in conjunction with a lady of proportion scarcely inferior to his own miss roundle a large young woman in a strawberry ice colored crepe dress the daughter of the lady with the grapes in her head whose bunches penn had admired and now taking his time and with his fair partner blanche hanging lovingly on the arm which encircled her mr. arthur pendennis set out upon his waltzing career and felt as he whirled round to the music that he and blanche were performing very brilliantly indeed very likely he looked to see if miss bell fought so too but she did not or would not see him and was always engaged with her partner captain strong but penn's triumph was not destined to last long and it was doomed that poor blanche was to have yet another discomforture on that unfortunate night while she and penn were whirling round as light and brisk as a couple of opera dancers on his captain broadfoot and the lady round whose large waist he was clinging were twisting round very leisurely according to their natures and indeed were in everybody's way but they were more in pendennis's way than in anybody's else for he and blanche whilst executing their rapid gyrations came both up against the heavy dragoon and his lady and was such force that the center of gravity was lost by all four of the circumvolving bodies captain broadfoot and miss rounder were fairly upset as was penn himself who was less lucky than his partner miss aimer who was only thrown upon a bench against a wall the pendennis came fairly down upon the floor sprawling in the general ruin with broadfoot and miss rounder the captain though heavy was good natured and was the first to burst out into a loud laugh at his own misfortune which nobody therefore heeded but miss aimer was savage at her mishap miss rounder placed on her seat and looking pitifully round presented an object which very few people could see without laughing and penn was furious when he heard the people giggling about him he was one of those sarcastic young fellas that did not bear a laugh at his own expense and of all things in the world feared ridicule most as he got up laura and strong were laughing at him everybody was laughing penn sent and his partner were laughing and penn boiled with wrath against the pair and could have stabbed them both on the spot he turned away in a fury from them and began blundering out apologies to miss aimer he was the other couple's fault the woman in pink had done it penn hoped miss aimer was not hurt would she not have the courage to take another turn miss aimer in that pet said she was very much hurt indeed and she would not take another turn and she accepted with great thanks a glass of water with your cavalier who wore a blue ribbon and a three-pointed star rushed to fetch for her when he had seen the deplorable accident she drank the water smiled upon the bringer gracefully and turning her white shoulder at mr penn in the most marked and haughty manner besought the gentleman with the star to conduct her to her mama and she held out her hand in order to take his arm the man with the star trembled with delight at this mark of her favor he bowed over her hand pressed it to his coat fervently and looked round him with triumph it was no other than the happy moro bella whom blanche had selected as an escort but the truth is that the young lady had never fairly looked in the artist's face since he had been employed in her mother's family and had no idea but it was a foreign nobleman on whose arm she was leaning as she went off penn forgot his humiliation in his surprise and cried out by jove it's the cook the instant he had uttered the words he was sorry for having spoken them for it was blanche who had herself invited moro bella to escort her nor could the artist do otherwise than comply with the lady's command blanche and her flutter did not hear what arthur said but moro bella heard him and cast a furious glance at him over his shoulder which rather amused mr penn he was in a mischievous and sulky humor wanting perhaps to pick a quarrel with somebody but the idea of having insulted a cook or that such an individual should have any feeling of honor at all did not much enter into the mind of this lofty young aristocrat the apothecary son it had never entered the poor artist's head that he as a man was not equal to any other mortal or that there was anything in his position so degrading as to prevent him from giving his arm to a lady who asked for it he had seen in the that's in his own country fine ladies not certainly demoiselle but the demoiselle anglaise he knew was a great deal more free than the spinster in france joining the dance with blase or pierre and he would have taken blanche up to lady clevering and possibly have asked her to dance too but he heard penn's exclamation which struck him as if it had shot him and cruelly humiliated and angered him she did not know what caused him to start and to grind a gas can oath between his teeth but strongly was acquainted with the poor fellow state of mind having had the interesting information from our friend madame fritz v was luckily in the way when wanted and saying something rapidly in spanish which the other understood the chevalier begged miss amory to come and take an ice before she went back to lady cladding upon which the unhappy marabalon relinquished the arm which he had held for a minute and with the most profound ampides bow fell back don't you know who it is strong asked of miss amory as he let her away it is the chef marabalon how should i know as blanche he has a claw he is very disdain he has beautiful eyes the poor fellow is mad for your bow's ear i'd leave strong said he is a very good cook but he is not quite right in the head what did you say to him in the unknown tongue asked miss blanche he is a gas can and comes from the borders of spain strong answered i told him he would lose his place if he walked with you poor miss your marabalon said blanche did you see the look he gave penn denis strong asked enjoying the idea of the mischief i think he would like to run a little pen through with one of his spits he is an odious conceded clumsy creature that mr penn said blanche broadfoot looked as if he would like to kill him too so did penn sent strong said what ice will you have water ice or cream ice water ice who is that odd man stirring at me he is decor too that is my friend colonel altamont a very queer character in the service of the naiwap of luck now hello what's that noise i'll be back in an instant said the chevalier and sprang out of the room to the ballroom where a scuffle and a noise of high voices was heard the refreshment room in which miss amary now found herself was a room set apart for the purposes of supper which mr rancer the landlord had provided for those who chose to partake at the rate of five shillings per head also refreshments of a superior class were here ready for the ladies and gentlemen of the county families who came to the ball but the commoner sort of persons were kept out of the room by a waiter who stood at the portal and who said that was a select room for lady clavaring and lady rockman's to his parties and not to be open to the public till supper time which was not to be until past midnight penn sent who danced with his constituents daughters took them and their mamas in for their refreshment there strong who was manager master of the rebels wherever he went had of course the entree and the only person who was now occupying the room was the gentleman with the black wig and the orders in his button hole the officer in the service of his highness the maywab of luck now this gentleman had established himself very early in the evening in this apartment we're saying he was confoundedly thirsty he called for a bottle of champagne at this order the waiter instantly supposed that he had to do with the grandee and the colonel sat down and began to eat his supper and absorb his drink and enter affably into conversation with anybody who entered the room sir francis clavaring and mr wag found him there when they left the ballroom which they did pretty early sir francis to go and smoke a cigar look at the people gathered outside the ballroom on the shore which he declared was much better fun than to remain within mr wag to hang on to bernett's arm as he was always pleased to do on the arm of the greatest man in the company colonel altamont had stared at these gentlemen in so out of manner as they passed through the select room that clavaring made inquiries of the landlord who he was and hinted a strong opinion that the officer of the maywab service was drunk mr pincent too had had the honor of a conversation with the servant of the indian potentate it was pincense cue to speak to everybody which he did to do him justice in the most ungracious manner and he took the gentleman in the black wig for some constituent some merchant captain or other outlandish man of the place mr pincent then coming into the refreshment room with a lady the wife of a constituent on his arm the colonel asked him if he would try a glass of sham pincent took it with great gravity bowed tasted the wine and pronounced it excellent and with the utmost politeness retreated before colonel altamont this gravity and decorum routed and surprised the colonel more than any other kind of behavior probably would he stared after pincent stupidly and pronounced to the landlord over the counter that he was a run one mr rinser blushed and hardly knew what to say mr pincent was a county earl's grandson going to set up as a parliament man colonel altamont on the other hand wore orders and diamonds jingle sovereigns constantly in his pocket and paid his way like a man so not knowing what to say mr rinser said yes colonel yes man did you say tea cup a tea for mr jones mrs zhar and so got off that discussion regarding mr pincent's qualities into which the nizam's officer appeared inclined to enter in fact if the truth must be told mr altamont having remained at the buffet almost all night and employed himself very actively whilst there had considerably flushed his brain by drinking and he was still going on drinking and mr strong and the same re-entered the room when the chivalier ran out of the apartment attracted by the noise in the dancing room the colonel rose from his chair with his little red eyes glowing like coals and with rather an unsteady gate advanced towards blanche who was sipping her eyes she was absorbed in absorbing it for it was very fresh and good or she was not curious to know what was going on in the adjourning room although the waiters were who ran after chivalier strong so that when she looked up from her glass she beheld the strange man staring at her out of his little red eyes who was he it was quite exciting and so your betsy amery said he after gazing at her betsy amery by joe who who speaks to me said betsy alias blanche but the noise in the ballroom is really becoming so loud that we must rush back vivid and see what is the cause of the disturbance end of chapter 27 chapter 28 of the history of pendenis this is a liberal box recording all liberal box recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liberalbox.org the history of pendenis but will you make peace that gary chapter 28 which is both quarrelson and sentimental civil war was raging high words passing people pushing and squeezing together in an unseemly manner round a window in the corner of the ballroom closed by the door through which the chivalier strong shouldered his way through the opened window the crowd in the street below was sending up sarcastic remarks such as pitch into him where's the police and the like and a ring of individuals amongst whom madame frisbee was conspicuous was gathered around monsieur al-sid mirobalon on the one side while several gentlemen and ladies surrounded our friend arthur pendenis on the other strong penetrated into this assembly al-bowing by madame frisbee who was charmed at the chivalier's appearance and cried save him save him in frantic and pathetic accents the cause of the disturbance that appeared was the angry little chef of sir francis clevering's culinary establishment shortly after strong had quitted the room and whilst mr penn greatly irate at his downfall in the walls which had made him look ridiculous in the eyes of the nation and by miss aimery's behavior to him which had still further insulted his dignity was endeavoring to get some coolness of body and temper by looking out of window towards the sea which was sparkling in the distance and murmuring in a wonderful calm whilst he was really trying to compose himself and owning to himself perhaps that he had acted in a very absurd and peevish manner during the night he felt a hand upon his shoulder and on looking round beheld to his utter surprise and horror that the handing question belonged to monsieur marabalon whose eyes were glaring out of his pale face and ringlets at mr penn to be tapped on the shoulder by a french cook was a piece of familiarity which made the blood of the pendentis's to boil up in the veins of their descendant and he was astounded almost more than enraged at such an indignity you speak french marabalon said in his own language to pen what is that do you pray said pen in english at any rate you understand it continue the other with a bow yes sir said pen with a stamp of his foot i understand it pretty well you me comprendrait alors monsieur pendentis replied the other rolling out his r with gascon force quand je vous dis que vous êtes en lâche monsieur pendentis en lâche entendez vous what said pen starting round on him you understand the meaning of the word and its consequences among men of honor the artist said putting his hand on his hip and staring at pen the consequences are that i will fling you out of window you impudence scoundrel balled out mr penn in darting upon the frenchman he would very likely have put his threat into execution for the window was at hand and the artist by no means a match for the young gentleman had not captain broadfoot and another heavy officer flung themselves between the combatants had not the ladies begun to screen had not the fiddle stopped had not the crowd of people come running in that direction had not laura with the face of great alarm looked over their heads and asked for heaven's sake what was wrong had not the opportune strong made his appearance from the refreshment room and found out sediz grinding his teeth and jabbering oaths in his galleon french and pen looking uncommonly wicked although trying to appear as calm as possible when the ladies and the crowd came up what has happened strong asked of the chef in spanish i am chivalier du juillet said the other slapping his breast and he has insulted me what has he said to you as strong ill ma apel cuisine his doubt the little frenchman strong could hardly help laughing come away with me poor chivalier he said we must not quarrel before ladies come away i will carry your message to mr pendentis the poor fellow is not right in his head he whispered to one or two people about him and others and anxious lores face visible amongst these gathered round pen and asked the cause of the disturbance pen did not know the man was going to give his arm to a young lady on which i said that he was a cook and the man called me a coward and challenged me to fight i own i was so surprised and indignant that if you gentlemen had not stopped me i should have thrown him out of window pen said dirnd him serve him right to the impudent foreign scoundrel the gentlemen said i am very sorry if i heard his feelings though pen added and law it was glad to hear him say that although some of the young buck said no hang the fellow hang those impudent foreigners the little thrashing would do them good you will go and shake hands with him before you go to sleep won't you pen said law coming up to him foreigners may be more susceptible than we are and of different manners if you hurt a poor man's feelings i'm sure you would be the first to ask his pardon wouldn't you dear pen she looked all forgiveness and gentleness like an angel as she spoke and pen took both her hands and looked into her kind face and said indeed he would how found that girl is of me he thought as she stood gazing at him shall i speak to her now no not now i must have this absurd business with the Frenchman over Laura asked wouldn't he stop and dance with her she was as anxious to keep him in the room as he to quit it won't you stop and waltz with me pen i'm not afraid to waltz with you this was an affectionate but an unlucky speech pen saw himself prostrate on the ground having tumbled over miss roundel and the dragoon and flung blanche up against the wall saw himself on the ground and all the people laughing at him Laura and pin sent amongst them i shall never dance again he replied with a dark and determined face never i'm surprised you should ask me is it because you can't get blanche for a partner asked Laura with a wicked unlucky consciousness because i don't wish to make a fool of myself for other people to laugh at me pen answered for you to laugh at me Laura i saw you in pin sent by jove no man shall laugh at me pen pen don't be so wicked cried out the poor girl heard at the morbid perverseness and savage vanity of pen he was glaring round in the direction of mr pin sent as if he would have liked to engage that gentleman as he had done the cook who thinks the worst of you for stumbling in a wall the floor does we don't why are you so sensitive and ready to think evil here again by your luck mr pin sent came up to laura and said i have it in command from lady rock minster to ask whether i may take you into supper i i was going with my cousin laura said oh pray no said pen you are in such good hands that i can't do better than leave you and i'm going home good night mr pen denis pin sent said dryly to which speech which in fact meant go to the deuce for an insolent jealous impertinent jack and apes whose ears i should like to box mr pen denis did not about say any reply except a bow in his spite of laura's imploring looks he left the room how beautifully calm and bright the night outside is said mr pin sent and what a murmur the sea is making it would be pleasanter to be walking on the beach than in this hot room very said laura what a strange congregation of people continued pin sent i've had to go up and perform the agreeable to most of them the attorney's daughters the apothecary's wife i scarcely know whom there was a man in the refreshment room who insisted upon treating me to champagne a seafaring looking man extraordinarily dressed and seeming half tipsy as a public man one is bound to conciliate all these people but it is a hard task especially when one would so very much like to be elsewhere and he blushed rather as he spoke i beg your pardon said laura i i was not listening indeed i was frightened about that quarrel between my cousin and that that french person your cousin has been rather unlucky tonight pin sent said there are three or four persons whom he has not succeeded in pleasing captain broadwood what is his name the officer and the young lady in red with whom he danced and miss blanche and the poor chef and i don't think he seemed to be particularly pleased with me didn't he leave me in charge to you laura said looking up into mr pin sent's face and dropping her eyes instantly like a guilty little storytelling co-cat indeed i can forgive him a good deal for that pin sent eagerly cried out and she took his arm and he let off his little prize in the direction of the supper room she had no great desire for that repast though it was served in rencer's well-known style as the county paper said giving an account of the entertainment afterwards indeed she was very distraught and exceedingly pained and unhappy about pen captures and quarrel some jealous and selfish fickle and violent and unjust when his anger let him astray how could her mother as indeed helen had by a thousand words and hints asked her to give her heart to such a man and suppose she were to do so would it make him happy but she got some relief at length when at the end of half an hour a long half hour it seemed to her a waiter brought her a little note in pencil from pen who said i met cookie below ready to fight me and i asked his pardon i'm glad i did it i wanted to speak to you tonight but will keep what i had to say to you come home god bless you dance away all night with pin sent and be very happy pen laura was very thankful for this letter and to think that there was goodness and forgiveness still in her mother's boy pen went downstairs his heart reproaching him for his absurd behavior to laura whose gentle and imploring looks followed and rebuked him and he was scarce the out of the ballroom door but he longed to turn back and ask her pardon but he remembered that he had left her with that confounded pin sent he could not apologize before him he would compromise and forget his wrath and make his peace with the frenchman the chivalier was pacing down below in the hall of the inn when pen descended from the ballroom and he came up to pen with all sorts of fun and mischief lighting up his jolly face i've got him in the coffee room he said with a brace of pistols and a candle or would you like swords on the beach marabellan is a dead hand with the foils and killed for a guard du corps with his own point in the barricades of july confounded said pen in a fury i can't fight a cook he is a chivalier of july i've applied the other they present arms to him in his own country and do you ask me captain strong to go out with a servant pen asked fiercely i'll call a policeman him but but you'll invite me to hair triggers cried strong with a laugh thank you for nothing i was but joking i came to settle quarrels not to fight them i've been soothing down the robel off i've told him that you did not apply the word cook to him in an offensive sense that it was contrary to all the customs of the country that a hired officer of a household as i called it should give his arm to the daughter of the house and then he told pen the grand secret which he had had from madame fritz v of the violent passion under which the poor artist was laboring when Arthur heard this tale he broke out into a hearty lap in which strong joint and his rage against the poor cook vanished at once he'd been absurdly jealous himself all the evening and had longed for a pretext to insult and sent he remembered how jealous he had been of oaks in his first affair he was ready to pardon anything to a man under a passion like that and he went into the coffee room where maro bello was waiting with an outstretched hand and made him a speech in french in which he declared that he was sincerely angry to have used an expression that had blessed maro bello and that he would give it to him as a gentleman that he never heard of it said pen who made a shot at a french word for intended and was secretly much pleased with his own fluency and correctness in speaking that language bravo bravo cried strong is much amused with pen's speech as pleased by his kind manner and the chivalier maro bello of course withdraws and sincerely regrets the expression of which he made use this european dentist has disproved my words himself said i'll see with great politeness he has shown that he is a galantum and so they shook hands imparted Arthur in the first place dispatching his note to laur before he and strong committed themselves to the butcher boy as they drove along strong complemented pen upon his behavior as well as upon his skill in french you're a good fellow pendentis and you speak french like chateau plion by joe i've been accustomed to it from my youth upwards said pen and strong had the grace not to laugh for five minutes when he exploded into fits of hilarity which pendentis has never perhaps understood up to this day it was daybreak when they got to the brawl where they separated by that time the ball at beymouth was over to madame frisbee and maro bello were on their way home in the clavoring fly laura was in bed with an easy heart and asleep at lady rock minsters and the clavoring's at rest at the end at beymouth where they had quarters for the night a short time after the disturbance between pen and the chef blanche had come out of the refreshment room looking as pale as a lemon ice she told her maid having no other confidant at hand that she had met with the most romantic adventure the most singular man one who had known the author of her being her persecuted her unhappy her heroic her murdered father and she began a sonnet to his monies before she went to sleep so pen returned to ferrokes in company with his friend the chevalier without having uttered a word of the message which he had been so anxious to deliver to laura of beymouth he could wait however until her return home which was to take place on the succeeding day he was not seriously jealous of the progress made by mr penn sent in her favor and he felt pretty certain that in this as in any other family arrangement he had but to ask and have and laura like his mother could refuse him nothing when helens anxious looks inquired of him what had happened at beymouth and whether her darling project was fulfilled pen in a gay tone told of the calamity which had befallen laughingly said that no man could think about declarations under such a mishap and made light of the matter there will be plenty of time for a sentiment dear mother when laura comes back he said and he looked in the glass with a killing air and his mother put his hair off his forehead and kissed him and of course thought for her part that no woman could resist him and was exceedingly happy that day when he was not with her mr penn occupied himself in packing books and portmanteaus burning and arranging papers cleaning his gun and putting it into its case in fact in making dispositions for departure for though he was ready to marry this gentleman was eager to go to london too rightly considering that at three and twenty it was quite time for him to begin upon the serious business of life and to set about making a fortune as quickly as possible the means to this end he had already shaped out for himself i shall take chambers he said and enter myself at an end of court with a couple of hundred pounds i shall be able to carry through the first year very well after that i have little doubt my pen will support me as it is doing with several oxbridge men now in town i have a tragedy a comedy and a novel all nearly finished and for which i can't fail to get a price and so i shall be able to live pretty well without drawing upon my poor mother until i have made my way at the bar then someday i will come back and make her dear so happy by marrying laura she is as good and as sweet tempered a girl as ever lived besides being really very good looking and the engagement will serve to steady me won't it panto thus smoking his pipe and talking to his dog as he sauntered through the gardens and orchards of the little domain of fair oaks this young daydreamer built castles in the air for himself yes she'll steady me won't she and you'll miss me when i've gone won't you oh boy he asked for panta who quivered his tail and thrust his brown nose into his master's fist panto licked his hand and shoe as they all did in that house and mr penn received their homage as other folks do the flattery which they get laura came home rather late in the evening of the second day and mr penn sent as ill luck would have it drove her from clavoring the poor girl could not refuse his offer but his appearance brought a dark cloud upon the brow of arthur pendennis laura saw this and was pained by the eager widow however it was aware of nothing and being anxious doubtless that the delicate question should be asked at once was for going to bed very soon after laura's arrival and rose for that purpose to leave the sofa where she now generally lay and where laura would come and sit and work or read by her but when helen rose laura said with a blush and rather an alarmed voice that she was also very tired and wanted to go to bed so that the widow was disappointed in her scheme for that night at least and mr penn was left another day in suspense regarding his fate his dignity was offended at being thus obliged to remain in the antechamber when he wanted an audience such a sultan as he could not afford to be kept waiting however he went to bed and slept upon his disappointment pretty comfortably and did not wake until the early morning when he looked up and saw his mother standing in his room dear pen rose up said this lady do not be lazy it is the most beautiful morning in the world i've not been able to sleep since daybreak and laura has been out for an hour she is in the garden everybody ought to be in the garden and out on such a morning as this pen laughed he saw what thoughts were uppermost in the simple woman's heart his good nature laughter cheered the widow oh you profound assembler he said kissing his mother oh you artful creature can nobody escape from your wicked tricks and will you make your only son your victim helen too laughed she blushed she flooded and was agitated she was as happy as she could be a good tender matchmaking woman the dearest project of whose heart was about to be accomplished so after exchanging some knowing looks and hasty words helen left arthur and this young hero rising from his bed proceeded to decorate his beautiful person and shave his ambrosial chin and in half an hour he issued out from his apartment into the garden in quest of laura his reflections as he made his toilet were rather dismal i'm going to tie myself for life he thought to please my mother laura is the best of women and and she has given me her money i wish to heaven i had not received it i wish i had not this duty to perform just yet but as both the women have set their hearts on the match why i suppose i must satisfy them and now for it a man may do worse than make happy two of the best creatures in the world so pen now he was actually come to the point felt very grave and by no means elated and indeed thought it was a great sacrifice he was going to perform it was miss laura's custom upon her garden excursions to wear a sort of uniform which though homely was thought by many people to be not unbecoming she had a large straw hat with a streamer of broad ribbon which was useless probably but the hat sufficiently protected the owner's pretty face from the sun over her accustomed gown she wore a blouse or pinafore which being fast and round her little waist by a smart belt looked extremely well and her hands were guaranteed from the thorns of her favorite rose bushes by a pair of gauntlets which gave this young lady a military and resolute air somehow she had the very same smile with which she had laughed at him on the night previous and the recollection of his disaster again offended pen the law though she saw him coming down the walk looking so gloomy and full of care accorded to him a smile of the most perfect and provoking good humor and went to meet him holding one of the gauntlets to him so that he might shake it if you liked and mr pen condescended to do so his face however did not lose its tragic expression in consequence of this favor and he continued to regard her with a dismal and solemn air excuse my glove said laura with a laugh pressing pen's hand kindly with it we are not angry again are we pen why do you laugh at me said pen you did the other night and made a fool of me to the people at bayman my dear arthur i meant you know wrong the girl answered you and miss roundo look so droll as you as you met with your little accident though i could not make a tragedy of it dear pen it wasn't a serious fall and besides it was miss roundo who was the most unfortunate conbound miss roundo swallowed out pen i'm sure she looks so said laura archley you were up in an instant but that poor lady sitting on the ground in her red crepe dress and looking about it with that pittiest face can i ever forget it and laura began to make her face an imitation of miss roundos under the disaster but she checked herself repentently saying well we must not laugh at her but i'm sure we ought to laugh at you pen if you were angry about such a trifle you should not laugh at me laura said pen with some bitterness not you of all people and why not are you such a great man asked laura oh no laura i'm such a poor one pen answered haven't you bated me enough already my dear pen and how cried laura indeed indeed i didn't think to vex you by such a trifle i thought such a clever man as you could bear a harmless little joke from his sister she said holding her hand out again dear arthur if i've hurt you i beg your pardon it is your kindness that humiliates me more even than your laughter laura pen said you were always my superior what superior to the great arthur pen denis how can it be possible said miss laura who may have had a little wickedness as well as a great deal of kindness in her composition you can't mean that any woman is your equal those who confer benefits should not sneer said pen i don't like my benefactor to laugh at me laura it makes the obligation very hard to bear you scored me because i've taken your money and i'm worthy to be scorned but the blow is hard coming from you money obligation for shame pen this is ungenerous laura said flushing red may not our mother claim everything that belongs to us don't i owe her all my happiness in this world arthur what matters about a few paltry guineas if we can set her tender heart at rest and ease her mind regarding you i would dig in the fields i would go out and be a servant i would die for her you know i would said miss laura kindling up and you call this paltry money an obligation oh pen it's cruel it's unworthy of you to take it so if my brother may not share with me my superfluity who may mine i tell you it was not mine it was all my mom's to do with as she chose and so is everything i have said laura my life is hers and the enthusiastic girl looked towards the windows of the widow's room and blessed in her heart the kind creature within helen was looking unseen out of that window towards which laura's eyes and heart were turned as she spoke and was watching her two children with the deepest interest and emotion longing and hoping that the prayer of her life might be fulfilled and if laura had spoken as helen hoped who knows what temptations arthur pandanus might have been spared or what different trials he would have had to undergo he might have remained at fair oaks all his days and died a country gentleman but would he have escaped then temptation is an obsequious servant that has no objection to the country and we know that it takes up its lodging in hermitages as well as in cities and that in the most remote and inaccessible desert it keeps company with the fugitive solitary is your life my mother's said pen beginning to tremble and speak in a very agitated manner you know laura what the great object of hers is and he took her hand once more what arthur she said dropping it and looking at him at the window again and then dropping her eyes to the ground so that they avoided pen's gaze she too trembled for she felt that the crisis for which he had been secretly preparing was calm our mother has one wish above all others in the world laura pen said and i think you know it i own to you that she has spoken to me of it and if you will fulfill it dear sister i am ready i am but very young as yet but i have had so many pains and disappointments that i'm old and weary i think i've hardly got a heart to offer before i have almost begun the race in life i'm a tired man my career has been a failure i've been protected by those whom i by right should have protected i own that your nobleness and generosity dear laura shame me whilst they rendered me grateful when i heard from our mother what you had done for me that it was you who armed me and bad me go out for one struggle more i long to go and throw myself at your feet and say laura will you come and share the contest with me your sympathy will cheer me while it lasts i shall have one of the tenders the most generous creatures under heaven to aid and bear me company will you take me dear laura and make our mother happy do you think mama would be happy if you were otherwise farther laura said in a low sad voice and why should i not be as pen eagerly was so dear a creature as you by my side i'm not my first love to give you i am a broken man but indeed i would love you fondly and truly i've lost many an illusion and ambition but i'm not without hope still talents i know i had reptility as i have misapplied them they may serve me yet they would had i emoted for action let me go away and think that i am pledged to return to you let me go and work and hope that you will share my success if i gain it you have given me so much laura dear will you take from me nothing what have you got to give arthur laura said with a grave sadness of tone which made pen start and see that his words had committed him indeed his declaration had not been such as he would have made it two days earlier when full of hope and gratitude he had run over to laura his liberatrice to thank her for his recovered freedom had he been permitted to speak then he had spoken and she perhaps had listened differently he would have been a grateful heart asking for hers not a weary one offered to her to take or to leave laura was offended with the terms in which pen offered himself to her he had in fact said that he had no love and yet would take no denial i give myself to you to please my mother he had said take me as she wishes that i should make this sacrifice the girl's spirit would brook a husband under no such conditions she was not minded to run forward because pen chose to hold out the handkerchief and her tone in reply to arthur showed her determination to be independent no arthur she said our marriage would not make mama happy as she fancies for it would not content you very long i too have known what her wishes were for she is too open to conceal anything she has at heart and once perhaps i thought but that is over now that i could have made you that it might have been as she wished you've seen somebody else said pen angry at her tone and recalling the incidents of the past days that illusion might have been spared laura replied flinging up her head a heart which has worn out love at three and twenty as yours has you say should have survived jealousy too i do not condescend to say whether i have seen or encouraged any other person i shall neither admit the charge nor deny it and beg you also to allude to it no more i ask your pardon lord if i have offended you but if i am jealous does it not prove that i have a heart not for me arthur perhaps you think you love me now but it is only for an instant and because you are foiled were there no obstacle you would feel no ardor to overcome it no arthur you don't love me you would weary of me in three months as as you do of most things and mama seeing you tired of me would be more unhappy than at my refusal to be yours let us be brother and sister arthur as here to four but no more you will get over this little disappointment i will try said arthur in a great indignation have you not tried before laura said with some anger for she had been angry with arthur for a very long time and was now determined i suppose to speak her mind and the next time arthur when you offer yourself to a woman do not say as you've done to me i have no heart i do not love you but i'm ready to marry you because my mother wishes for the match we require more than this in return for our love that is i think so i've had no experience hitherto and have not had the the practice which you suppose me to have had when you spoke but now of my having seen somebody else did you tell your first love that you had no heart arthur or your second that you did not love her but that she might have you if she liked what what do you mean asked arthur blushing and still in great wrath i mean blanche amry arthur pandanus laura said proudly it is but two months since you were sighing at her feet making poems to her placing them in hollow trees by the river side i knew all i've watched you that is she showed them to me neither one nor the other were in earnest perhaps but it is too soon now arthur to begin a new attachment go through the time of your your widowhood at least and do not think of marrying until you are out of mourning here the girl's eyes filled with tears and she passed her hand across them i am angry and hurt and i have no right to be so and i ask your pardon in my turn now dear arthur you had a right to love blanche she was a thousand times prettier and more accomplished than any girl near us here and you not could know that she had no heart and so you were right to leave her too i ought not to rebuke you about blanche amry and because she deceived you pardon me pen and she held the kind hand out to pen once more we were both jealous said pen dear laura let us both forgive and he seized her hand and would have drawn her towards him he thought that she was relenting and already assumed the errors of a victor but she shrank back and her tears passed away and she fixed on him a look so melancholy and severe that the young man in his turn shrank before it do not mistake me arthur she said it cannot be you do not know what you ask and do not be too angry with me for saying that i think you do not deserve it what do you offer in exchange to a woman for her love honor and obedience if ever i say these words dear pen i hope to say them in earnest and by the blessing of god to keep my vow but you what tithe binds you you do not care about many things which we poor women hold sacred i do not like to think or ask how far your incredulity leads you you offer to mary to please our mother and own that you have no heart to give away oh arthur what is it you offer me what a rash compact would you enter into so lightly a month ago and you would have given yourself to another i pray you do not trifle with your own or others hearts so recklessly go and work go and mend dear arthur for i see your faults and dare speak of them now go and get fame as you say that you can and i will pray for my brother and watch our dearest mother at home is that your final decision lau arthur cried yes said laura bowing her head and once more giving him her hand she went away he saw her pass under the creepers of the little porch and disappeared into the house the curtains of his mother's window fell at the same minute but he did not mark that or suspect that helen had been witnessing the scene was he pleased or was he angry at its termination he had asked her and a secret triumph filled his heart to think that he was still free she had refused him but did she not love him that a vow of jealousy made him still think that her heart was his own whatever her lips might utter and now we ought perhaps to describe another scene which took place at bare oaks between the widow and laura when the latter had to tell helen that she had refused arthur pandenas perhaps it was the hardest task of all which laura had to go through in this matter and the one which gave her the most pain but as we do not like to see a good woman unjust we shall not say a word more of the quarrel which now befell between helen and her adopted daughter or of the bitter tears which the poor girl was made to shed it was the only difference which she and the widow had ever had as yet and the more cruel from this cause ben left home whilst it was as yet pending and helen who could pardon almost everything could not pardon an act of justice in laura end of chapter 28