 Chapter 68 of the History of Pendenis. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The History of Pendenis by William Makepeace Thackery. Chapter 68 in which the major is bidden to stand and deliver. Any gentleman who has frequented the wheel of fortune public house where it may be remembered that Mr. James Morgan's club was held and where Sir Francis Clevering had an interview with Major Pendenis is aware that there are three rooms for guests upon the ground floor besides the bar where the landlady sits. One is a parlor frequented by the public at large to another room, gentlemen in livery, resort, and the third apartment on the door of which private is painted is that hired by the club of the confidentials of which Mr. Morgan and Lightfoot were members. The noiseless Morgan had listened to the conversation between strong and Major Pendenis at the latter's own lodgings and had carried away from it matter for much private speculation and a desire of knowledge had led him to follow his master when the major came to the wheel of fortune and to take his place quietly in the confidential room whilst Pendenis and Clevering had their discourse in the parlor. There was a particular corner in the confidential room from which you could hear almost all that passed in the next apartment and as the conversation between the two gentlemen there was rather angry and carried on in a high key Morgan had the benefit of overhearing almost the whole of it and what he heard strengthened the conclusions which his mind had previously formed. He knew Altamont at once did he when he saw him in Sydney Clevering ain't no more married to my lady than I am. Altamont's the man, Altamont's the convict young Harther comes into Parliament and the governor promises not to split by Jove what a sly old rogue it is that old governor no wonder he's anxious to make the match between Blanche and Harther while she'll have a hundred thousand if she's a penny and bring her man a seat in Parliament into the bargain nobody saw but a physiognomist would have liked to behold the expression of Mr. Morgan's countenance when this astounding intelligence was made clear to him before my age and the confounded prejudices of society he said serving himself in the glass dammy James Morgan you might marry her yourself but if he could not marry Miss Blanche and her fortune Morgan thought he could mend his own by the possession of this information and that it might be productive of benefit to him from very many sources of all the persons whom the secret affected the greater number would not like to have it known for instance Sir Francis Clevering whose fortune it involved would wish to keep it quiet Colonel Altamont whose neck it implicated would naturally be desirous to hush it and that young Hupp's start beast Mr. Harther who was forgetting into Parliament on the strength of it and was as proud as if he was a Duke with half a million a year such we grieve to say was Morgan's opinion of his employer's nephew would pay anything sooner than let the world know that he was married to a convict's daughter and had got his seat in Parliament by trafficking with the secret as for Lady C. Morgan thought if she's tired of Clevering and wants to get rid of him she'll pay if she's frightened about her son and fond of the little beggar she'll pay all the same and Miss Blanche will certainly come down handsome to the man who will put her into her rights which she was unjustly defrauded of them and no mistake Dammi concluded the valet reflecting upon this wonderful hand which luck had given him to play with such cards as these James Morgan you are a made man it may be a regular and witty to me every one of them must subscribe and with what I've made already I may cut business give my old Governor warning turn gentlemen and have a servant of my own began entertaining himself with calculations such as these that were not a little likely to perturb a man's spirit Mr. Morgan showed a very great degree of self command by appearing and being calm and by not allowing his future prospects in any way to interfere with his present duties one of the persons whom the story chiefly concerned Colonel Altamont was absent from London when Morgan was thus made acquainted with his history the valet knew of Sir Francis Claverings Shepherds in Haunt and walked another an hour or two after the Baronette and Pendennis had had their conversation together but that bird was flown Colonel Altamont had received his derby winnings and was gone to the continent the fact of his absence was exceedingly vexatious to Mr. Morgan he'll drop all that money at the gambling shops on the rind thought Morgan and I might have had a good bit of it it's confounded annoying to think he's gone and couldn't have waited a few days longer hope triumphant or deferred ambition or disappointment victory or patient ambush Morgan bore all alike with similar equitable countenance until the proper day came the major's boots were varnished and his hair was curled his early cup of tea was brought to his bedside his oaves, rebukes and senile satire born with silent obsequious fidelity who would think to see him waiting upon his master packing and shouldering his trunks and occasionally assisting at table at the country houses where he might be staying that Morgan was richer than his employer and knew his secrets and other peoples in the profession Mr. Morgan was greatly respected and admired in his reputation for wealth and wisdom got him much renown at most supper tables the younger gentleman voted him stupid a feller of no ideas and a phogy in a word but not one of them would not say amen to the heartfelt prayer which some of the most minded among the gentlemen uttered when I die may I cut up as well as Morgan Pendenis as became a man of fashion major Pendenis spent the autumn passing from house to house of such country friends as were at home to receive him and if the Duke happened to be abroad the mark was in Scotland condescending to sojourn with Sir John or the plain squire to say the truth the old gentleman's reputation was somewhat on the wane many of the men of his time had died out and the occupants of their halls and the present wearers of their titles knew not major Pendenis and little cared for his traditions of the wild prince and poins and of the heroes of fashion passed away he must have struck the good man with melancholy as he walked by many a London door to think how seldom it was now opened for him and how often he used to knock at it to what backwards and welcome he used to pass through it a score of years back he began to own that he was no longer of the present age and dimly to apprehend that the young men laughed at him such melancholy musings must come across many a pale male philosopher the men think he are not such as they used to be in his time the old grand manner and courtly grace of life are gone what is Castlewood House and the present Castlewood compared to the magnificence of the old mansion and owner the late Lord came to London with four post-jazes and sixteen horses all the north road hurried out to look at his cavalcade the people in London streets even stopped as his procession passed them the present Lord travels with five bagmen in a railway carriage and sneaks away from the station smoking a cigar in a broom the late Lord in autumn filled Castlewood with company who drank claret till midnight the present man buries himself in a hut on a Scotch mountain and passes November in two or three closets in an entrasal at Paris where his amusements are a dinner at a cafe and a box at a little theater what a contrast there is between his lady Lorraine the regents lady Lorraine and her little lady ship of the present era he figures to himself the first beautiful, gorgeous, magnificent in diamonds and delvits, daring and rouge the wits of the world, the old wits, the old polished gentlemen not the cognaya of today with their language of the cabs stand in their coats smelling of smoke, bowing at her feet and then thinks of today's lady Lorraine a little woman in a black silk gown like a governess who talks astronomy in laboring classes and the deuce knows what and lurks to church at eight o'clock in the morning Abbot Lorraine, that used to be the noblest house in the county is turned into a monastery, a regular, live trap they don't drink two glasses of wine after dinner and every other man at table is a country curate with a white neck cloth whose talk is about Polly Higston's progress at school or widow Watkins's Lumbago and the other young men, those lounging guardsmen with great lazy dandies sprawling over sofas and do your tables and stealing off to smoke pipes in each other's bedrooms, caring for nothing reverencing nothing, not even an old gentleman who has known their fathers and their betters not even a pretty woman, what a difference there is between these men who poison the very turnips and stubble feels with their tobacco and the gentlemen of our time, thanks to the major the breed is gone, there's no use for them they're replaced by a parcel of damned cotton spinners and utilitarians and young sprigs of Parsons with their hair combed down their barks I'm getting old, they're getting past me they laugh at us old boys, thought old Pandennis and he was not far wrong, the times and manners which he admired were pretty nearly gone the gay young men larked him irreverently whilst the serious youth had a great pity and wonder at him, which would have been even more painful to bear had the old gentleman been aware of its extent but he was rather simple his examination of moral questions had never been very deep it had never struck him perhaps until very lately that he was otherwise than a most respectable and rather fortunate man is there no old age but his without reverence did youthful Bolly never jeer at other ball-pates for the past two or three years he had begun to perceive that his day was well not over and that the men of the new time had begun to reign after a rather unsuccessful autumn season then during which he was faithfully followed by Mr. Morgan his nephew Arthur being engaged as we have seen at Clevering it happened that Major Pandennis came back for a while to London at the dismo end of October when the fogs and the lawyers come to town he was not looked with interest at those loaded cabs pile boxes and crowded children rattling through the streets on the done October evening stopping at the dark houses where they discharge nurse and infant girls matron and father whose holidays are over yesterday it was France and sunshine or broad stairs and liberty today comes work and a yellow fog and you guys what a heap of bills there lies in master's study and the clerk has brought the lawyers' papers from chambers and in half an hour the literate man knows that the printer's boy will be in the passage Mr. Smith with that little account that particular little account has called presentient of your arrival and has left word that he will call tomorrow morning at ten who amongst us has not said goodbye to his holiday returned to Dunn London and his fate surveyed his labors and liabilities laid out before him and been aware of that inevitable little account to settle Smith and his little account in the morning symbolized duty, difficulty, struggle which you will meet, let us hope friend without manly and honest heart and you think of him as the children are slumbering once more in their own beds and the watchful housewife tenderly pretends to sleep Open Dennis had no special labors or bills to encounter on the morrow as he had no affection at home to soothe him he had always money in his desk sufficient for his wants and being by nature inhabit tolerably indifferent to the wants of other people these letter were not likely to disturb him but a gentleman may be out of temper though he does not owe a shilling and though he may be ever so selfish he must occasionally feel dispirited and lonely he had had two or three twinges of gout in the country house where he had been staying the birds were wild and shy and the walking over the cloud fields had contigued him ducidly the young man had laughed at him and he had been peevish at table once or twice he had not been able to get his wrist of an evening and in fine was glad to come away in all his dealings with Morgan his valet he had been exceedingly sulky and discontented he had sworn at him and abused him for many days past he had scalded his mouth with bad soup at Swindon he had left his umbrella in the railroad carriage at which peace of forgetfulness he was in such a rage that he cursed Morgan more freely than ever both the chimney smoked furiously in his lodgings and when he caused the windows to be flung open he swore so acrimoniously that Morgan was inclined to fling him out of window 2 through that open casement the valet swore after his master's bendinus went down the street on his way to the club bayses was not at all pleasant the house had been new painted and smelt of varnish and turpentine and a large streak of white paint inflicted itself on the back of the old boy's fur colored ser-2 the dinner was not good in the three most odious men in all London old Hout Shaw who's cough and accompaniments are fit to make any man uncomfortable old Colonel Ripley who seizes on all the newspapers and that irreclaimable old board Jockins who would come and dine at the next table to Pendennis and describe to him every in-bill which he had paid in his foreign tour each and all of these disagreeable personages and incidents that contributed to make major Pendennis miserable and the club waiter tried on his toe as he brought him his coffee never alone appear the immortals the furies always hunting company they pursued Pendennis from home to the club and from the club home whilst the major was absent from his lodgings Morgan had been seated in the landlady's parlor drinking freely of hot brandy and water and pouring out on Mrs. Brickson some of the abuse which he had received from his master upstairs Mrs. Brickson was Mr. Morgan Slade he was his landlady's landlord he had bought the lease of the house which he rented he had got her name and her sons to acceptances and a bill of sale which made him master of the luckless widow's furniture the young Brickson was a clerk in an insurance office and Morgan could put him into what he called QuoD any day Mrs. Brickson was a clergyman's widow and Mr. Morgan after performing his duties on the first floor had a pleasure in making the old lady fetch him his boot Jack and his slippers she was his slave the little black profiles of her son and daughter the very picture of Tittlecott church where she was married and her poor dear Brickson lived and died was now Morgan's property as it hung there over the mantlepiece of his back parlor Morgan sat in the widow's back room in the ex-curit's old horse hair study chair making Mrs. Brickson bring supper for him and fill his glass again and again the liquor was bought with the poor woman's own coin and hence Morgan indulged in it only the more free and he'd eaten his supper and was drinking a third tumbler went open Dennis returned from the club and went upstairs to his rooms Mr. Morgan swore very savagely at him and his bell when he heard the letter and finished his tumbler of brandy before he went up to answer the summons he received the abuse consequent on this delay in silence nor did the major condescend to read in the flushed face and glaring eyes of a man the anger under which he was laboring the old gentleman's foot bath was at the fire his gown and slippers awaiting him there Morgan knelt down to take his boots off with due subordination and as the major abused him from above kept up a growl of melodictions below at his feet thus when pan Dennis was crying confound you sir mind that strap curse you don't wrench my foot off Morgan so to vote she below was expressing a wish to strangle him drown him and punch his head off the boots removed it became necessary to divest Mr. Pendenis of his coat and for this purpose the valet had necessarily to approach very near to his employer so near that Pendenis could not have perceived what Mr. Morgan's late occupation had been to which he adverted in that simple and forcible phrase theology which manner sometimes in the habit of using to their domestics informing Morgan that he was a drunken beast and that he smelt of brandy at this the man broke out losing patience and flinging up all subordination I'm drunk am I I'm a beast am I I'm darned am I you infernal old miscreant shall I ring your old head off and ground deer in that pail of water do you think I'm going to bear your confounded old arrogance you old wigsby chatter your old ivories at me do you grinning old baboon come on if you are a man and can stand to a man ha you coward knives knives if you advance the step out send it into you said the major seizing up a knife that was on the table near him go downstairs you drunken brute and leave the house send for your book and your wages in the morning and never let me see your insolent face again this darned impertence of yours has been growing for some months past you've been growing too rich you are not fit for service get out of it and out of the house and where would you wish me to go pray out of the house ask the man and won't it be equal convenient tomorrow morning 2d fae main shows survey play moon seer silence you beast and go cried out the major morgan began to laugh with a rather sinister laugh look here pendenis he said seating himself since I've been in this room you've called me beast brute dog and darn me haven't you how do you suppose one man likes that sort of talk from another how many years have I waited on you and how many dams and cusses have you given me along with my wages do you think a man's a dog that you can talk to him in this way if I choose to drink a little why shouldn't I I've seen many a gentleman drunk formally and perhaps have a bit from them I ain't a going to leave this house old fella and shall I tell you why the house is my house every stick of furniture in it is mine except your old traps in your shower bath in your wig box I've bought the place I tell you with my own industry and perseverance I can show 100 pound where you can show a 50 or your damned super cellius nephew either I've served you honorable done everything for you these dozen years and I'm a dog am I I'm a beast am I that's the language for gentlemen not for our rank but I'll bear it no more I throw up your service I'm tired on it I've combed your old wig I've buckled your old girth and race bands long enough I tell you don't look savage at me I'm sitting in my own chair in my own room I'm telling the truth to you I'll be your beast and your brute and your dog no more major pendentist I'll pay the fury of the old gentleman met by the servants abrupt revolt had been shocked and cooled by the concussion as much as if a sudden shower bath or a pail of cold water had been flung upon him that effect produced in his anger calm Morgan's speech had interested him and he rather respected his adversary and his courage in facing him as of old days in the fencing room he would have admired the opponent who hit him you are no longer my servant the major said and the house may be yours but the lodgings are mine and you will have the goodness to leave them tomorrow morning when we have settled our accounts I shall remove and have not the slightest wish for your further company we'll have a settlement don't you be afraid Morgan said getting up from his chair I ain't done with you yet no with your family nor with the clattering family major pendentist and that you shall know have the goodness to leave the room sir I'm tired said the major ah you'll be more tired of me before you've done answer the man with a sneer and walked out of the room leaving the major to compose himself as best he might after the agitation of this extraordinary man he sat amused by his fireside over the past events and the confounded impudence and in gratitude of servants and thought how he should give a new man how devilish and pleasant it was for a man of his age and with his habits to part with a fellow to whom he had been accustomed and Morgan had a receipt for boot varnish which was incomparably better and more comfortable to the feet than any he had ever tried how very well he made mutton broth intended him when he was unwell gas it is a hard thing to lose a fellow of that sort but he must go thought the major he's grown rich and impudence since he's grown rich he was horribly tipsy and abusive tonight we must part and I must go out of the lodgings down me I like the lodgings I'm used to them it's very unpleasant at my time of life to change my quarters and so on use the old gentleman the shower bath had done him good the testiness was gone the loss of the umbrella the smell of paint at the club were forgotten under the superior excitement confound the incident villain thought the old gentleman he understood not once to a nice city he was the best servant in England he thought about a servant as a man thinks of a horse that is carrying him long and well and that has come down with him and his safe no longer how the deuce to replace him where can he get such another animal in these melancholy cogitations the major who had done to his own dressing gown and replaced his head of hair a little gray have been introduced into the coiffure of late by Mr. true fit which had given the majors had the most artless and respectable appearance in these cogitations we say the major who had taken off his wig and put on his night anchor ship set absorbed by the fire said when a feeble knot came at his door which was presently opened by the landlady of the lodgings God bless my soul Mrs. brickson cried out the major startled that a lady should be holding in the simple apparel of his night toilet it it's very late Mrs. brickson I wish I might speak to you sir said the landlady very piteously about Morgan I suppose he has cooled himself at the pump can't take him back Mrs. brickson impossible I determined apart with him before when I heard of his dealings in the discount business I suppose you've heard of him Mrs. brickson my servants are capitalists yeah oh sir said Mrs. brickson I know it to my cost I borrowed from him a little money five years ago and though I've paid him many times over I'm entirely in his power I'm ruined by him sir everything I had this is he's a dreadful man a mrs. brickson to pee devilish sorry for you and bet I must quit your house after lodging here so long there's no help for it I must go he says we must all go sir sobbed out the luckless widow he came downstairs from you just now he had been drinking and it always makes him very wicked and he said that you had insulted him sir and treated him like a dog and spoken to him unkindly and he swore he would be revenge then and I owe him a hundred and twenty pounds sir and he has a bill of sale of all my furniture and says he will turn me out of my house and send my poor George to prison he has been the ruin of my family that man devilish sorry mrs. brickson pray take a chair what can I do could you not intercede with him for us George will give half his allowance my daughter can send something if you will but stay on sir and pay our quarters in advance my good madam I would have soon give you a quarter in advance as not if I were going to stay in the lodgings but I can't and I can't afford to fling away 20 pounds my good madam I'm a poor half-paid officer and want every shilling I have began as far as a few pounds goes say five pounds I don't say and shall be most happy in that sort of thing and I'll give it you in the morning with pleasure but but it's getting late and I have made a railroad journey God's will be done sir so the poor woman drying her tears I must bear my fate and the devilish hard one it is and most sincerely I pity you mrs. brickson I I'll say 10 pounds if you will permit me good night mr. Morgan sir when he came downstairs and when when I was sought him to have pity on me and told him he had been the ruin of my family said something which I did not well understand that he would ruin every family in the house that he knew something would bring you down to and that you should pay him for your your insolence to him I must own to you that I went down on my knees to him sir and he said with a dreadful oath against you that he would have you on your knees me by God that is too pleasant where is the confounded fellow he went away sir he said he should see you in the morning oh pray try and pass it by him and save me at my poor boy and the widow went away with this prayer to pastor not as she might and look for the dreadful moral the last words about himself excited major pendant is so much that his compassion for mrs. brickson's misfortunes was quite forgotten in the consideration of his own case me on my knees thought he as he got into bed confound his impudence whoever saw me on my knees what the devil does the fellow now get I've not had an affair these 20 years I defy him and the old campaigner turned round and slept pretty sound being rather excited I'm used by the events of the day the last day in Barry Street he was determined it should be for it's impossible to stay on with a ballet over me and a bankrupt landlady what good can I do this poor devil of a woman I'll give her 20 pounds there's warrington's 20 pound which he has just paid but what's the use you want more and more and more and that Cormorant Morgan will swallow all no damn he I can't afford to know poor people and tomorrow I'll say goodbye to mrs. brickson and mr. Morgan end of chapter 68 chapter 69 of the history of pandanas this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the history of pandanas by William Makepeace Thackeray chapter 69 in which the major neither yields his money nor his life early next morning pandanas as shutters were opened by Morgan who appeared as usual with a face perfectly grave and respectful bearing with him the old gentleman's clothes cans of water and elaborate toilet requisites it's you is it said the old fella from his bed I shan't take you back again you understand I have not the least wish to be took back again major pandanas mr. Morgan said with grave dignity nor to serve you nor handyman but as I wish you to be comfortable as long as you stay in my house I came up to do what's necessary and once more and for the last time mr. James Morgan laid out the silver dressing case and strapped the shining razor these offices concluded he addressed himself to the major with an indescribable solemnity and said thinking that you would most likely be in want of a respectable person until you suited yourself I spoke to a young man last night who is here indeed said the warrior in the tent bed he have in the first families and I can vouch for his respectability you are monstrous polite when the old major and the truth is that after the occurrences of the previous evening Morgan had gone out to his own club at the wheel of fortune and they're finding Frosh a courier and ballet just returned from a foreign tour with young Lord Covely and for the present disposable had represented to Mr. Frosh that he Morgan had a devil of a blow-up with his own governor and was going to retire from the business hall together and that if Frosh wanted a temporary job he might probably have it by applying in Berry Street you're very polite said the major and your recommendation I'm sure will have every weight Morgan blushed he felt his master was a chaplain of him the man have awaited on you before sir he said with great dignity Lord Delopouls sir gave him to his nephew young Lord Covely and he had been with him on his foreign tour and not wishing to go to Fitzers castle which Frosh is just as delicate and he cannot bear the cold in Scotland he is free to serve you or not as you choose I repeat sir that you are exceedingly polite said the major come in Frosh you will do very well Mr. Morgan will you have the kindness to I shall show him what is necessary sir and what is customary for you to wish to have done will you please to take breakfast air or at the club major pendentists with your kind permission I will breakfast here and afterwards we will make our little arrangements if you please sir will you now oblige me by leaving the room Morgan withdrew the excessive politeness of his ex-employer made him almost as angry as the major's bitterest words and whilst the old gentleman is making his mysterious toilet we will also modestly retire after breakfast major pendentists and his new aid to camp occupied themselves in preparing for their departure the establishment of the old bachelor was not very complicated he encumbered himself with no useless wardrobe a Bible his mother's a roadbook pens novel calf elegant and the Duke of Wellington's dispatches with a few prints maps and portraits of that illustrious general and a various sovereigns and consorts of this country and of the general under whom major pendentists had served in India formed his literary and artistical collection he was always ready to march at a few hours notice and the cases in which he had brought his property into his lodging some 15 years before were still in the lofts and police sufficient to receive all his goods these the young woman who did the work of the house and who was known by the name of Betty to her mistress and of slavery to mr. Morgan brought down from their resting place and obediently dusted and cleaned under the eyes of the terrible Morgan his demeanor was guarded and solid he had spoken no word as yet to Mrs. Brickson respecting his threats of the past night but he looked as if he would execute them and the poor widow tremblingly awaited her fate open Dennis armed with his cane super intended the package of his goods and chattels under the hands of mr. Frosch and a slave he burns such of his papers as he did not care to keep long open doors and closets until they were all empty and now all boxes and chests were closed except his desk which was ready to receive the final accounts of mr. Morgan that individual now made his appearance and brought his books as I wish to speak to you in private perhaps you will have the kindness to request Frosch to step downstairs he said on entering bring a couple of cabs Frosch if you please and wait downstairs until I ring for you said the major Morgan saw Frosch downstairs watched him go along the street upon his errand and produced his books and accounts which were simple and very easily settled and now sir said he having pocketed the check which is ex-employer gave him and signed his name to his book with a flourish and now that accounts is closed between us sir he said I purpose to speak to you as one man to another Morgan like the sound of his own voice and as an individual indulged in public speaking whenever he could get an opportunity at the club or the house keepers room and I must tell you that I'm in possession of certain information and may I inquire of what nature pray asked the major is valuable information major pendentist as you know very well I know of a marriage as is no marriage of a honorable baronette as is no more married than I am and which his wife is married to somebody else as you know too sir then Dennis at once understood all ha this accounts for your behavior you have been listening at the door sir I suppose said the major looking very hardy I forgot to look at the keyhole when I went to that public house I might have suspected what sort of a person was behind it I may have my schemes as you may have yours I suppose answered Morgan I may get my information and I may act on that information and I may find that information valuable as anybody else may a poor servant may have a bit of luck as well as a gentleman man tea don't you be putting on your Audi look sir and come in the aristocrat over me that's all gammon with me I'm an Englishman I am and as good as you to what the devil does this tensor and how does the secret which you have surprised concerned me I should like to know as major pendenis with great majesty how does it concern me indeed how grand we are how does it concern my nephew I wonder how does it concern my nephew see them parliament and to sober nourishment of bigamy how does it concern that what are you to be the only man to have a secret and to trade on it why shouldn't I go haves major pendenis I found it out to look here I ain't going to be unreasonable with you make it worth my while and I'll keep the thing close let up mr. Arthur take his seat and his rich wife if you like I don't want to marry her but I will have my share as sure as my name's James Morgan and if I don't and if you don't serve what pendenis asked if I don't I split and tell all I smash clovering and have him and his wife up for bigamy so help me I will I smash young hopefuls marriage and I show up you and him as making use of this secret in order to squeeze a seat in parliament out of Sir Francis and a fortune out of his wife mr. pendenis knows no more of this business and the babe unborn sir cried the major aghast no more than lady clovering than miss aimery does tell that to the Marines major replied the valet that cock won't fight with me you doubt my word you villain no bad language I don't care one top and sub any whether your words true or not I tell you I intend this to be a nice little annuity to me major five every one of you and I ain't such a fool as to let you go I should say that you might make it 500 a year to me among you easy pay me down the first quarter now and I'm as mom as a mouse just give a note for 125 there's your checkbook on your desk and there's this to you villain cried the old gentleman in the desk to which the valet pointing was a little double-barrel pistol which had belonged to Ben Dennis's old patron the Indian commander-in-chief and rich had accompanied him in many a campaign one more word you scoundrel and I'll shoot you like a mad dog stop by joke I'll do it now you assault me will you you'll strike at an old man will you you lying coward kneel down and say your prayers sir for by the Lord you shall die the major's face glad with rage at his adversary who looked terrified before him for a moment and at the next with a shriek of murder sprang towards the open window under which a policeman happened to be on his beat murder police bellard Mr Morgan to his surprise major pendentist wheeled away the table and walked to the other window which was also open he beckoned the policeman come up here police and he said and then went and placed himself against the door miserable sneak he said to Morgan the pistol hasn't been loaded these 15 years as you would have known very well if you had not been such a coward that policeman is coming and I will have him up and have your trunk searched I have reason to believe that you are a thief sir I know you are elsewhere to the things you gave him to me you gave him to me cried Morgan the major laughed we'll see he said and the guilty valet remembered some fine long frontage shirts and an opera glass which he had forgotten to bring down and of which he had assumed the use along with certain articles of his master's clothes which the old dandy neither war nor asked for policeman X entered followed by the seared mrs. Brickson and her maid of all work who had been at the door and found some difficulty in closing it against the street amateurs who wish to see the row the major began instantly to speak I have had charged this drunken scoundrel he said both last night and this morning he insulted and assaulted me I'm an old man and took up a pistol you see it is not loaded and this coward cried out before he was hurt I'm glad you were come I was charging him with taking my property and desired to examine his trunks and his room the velvet cloak you ain't worn these three years nor the baskets and I thought I might take the shirts and I take my hope I intended to put back the hopper glass Morgan arriving with rage and terror the man acknowledges that he is a thief the major said calmly he has been in my service for years and I have treated him with every kindness and confidence we will go upstairs and examine his trunks in those trunks Mr. Morgan had things which he would faint keep from public eyes Mr. Morgan the bill this counter gave goods as well as money to his customers he provided young spin thrifts and pens and jewels and pictures and cigars and have a very doubtful quality those cigars and jewels and pictures were their display at a police office the discovery of his old cult profession and the exposure of the major's property which he had appropriated indeed rather than stolen would not have added to the reputation of Mr. Morgan he looked a piteous image of terror and discomfort chair he'll smash me will he thought the major I'll crush him now and finish with him but he paused he looked at poor Mrs. Brickson's scared face and he thought for a moment to himself that the man brought to bay and in prison might make disclosures which had best be kept secret and that it was best not to deal too fiercely with a desperate man stop he said policeman I'll speak with this man by himself do you give Mr. Morgan in charge said the policeman partner charges yet the major said with a significant look at his man thank you sir whisper Morgan very low go outside the door and wait there policeman if you please now Morgan you have played one game with me and you have not had the best of it my good man no big ad you've not had the best of it though you had the best hand and you've got to pay too now you scoundrel yes sir said the man I've only found out within the last week the game which you have been driving you villain young debuts of the blues recognize you as the man who came to barracks and did business one third in money one third in odor cologne and one third in french prince you confounded demure old sinner I didn't miss anything or care a straw what you've taken you booby but I took this shot and it hit hit the bullseye begat dammy six I'm an old painter what do you want with me sir I'll tell you your bills I suppose you keep about you in that damn great leather pocketbook don't you you'll burn mrs. brickson's bill sir I ain't going to part with my property growl the man you lent her 60 pounds five years ago she and that poor devil of an insurance clerk her son have paid you 50 pounds a year ever since and you've got a bill of sale or furniture and a note of hand for 150 pounds she told me so last night by Joe sir you've bled that poor woman enough I won't give it up said Morgan if I do I'm policeman cried the major you shall have the bill said Morgan you're not going to take money of me and you are gentlemen I shall want you directly said the major to X who here entered and who again withdrew know my good sir the old gentleman continued I've not any desire to have further pecuniary transactions with you but we will draw out a little paper which you will have the kindness to sign no stop you shall write it you have improved immensely in writing of late and have now a very good hand you shall sit down and write if you please there at that table so let me see we may as well have the date right Berry street st. James's October 21 18 blank and mr. Morgan wrote a he was instructed and as the pitiless old major continued I James Morgan having come in extreme poverty into the service of Arthur Penn Dennis that square of Berry Street st. James's a major in her Majesty's service acknowledged that I received liberal wages and board wages from my employer during 15 years you can't object to that I'm sure said the major during 15 years wrote Morgan in which time by my own care and prudence the dictator resumed I've managed to mass sufficient money to purchase the house in which my master resides and besides to affect other savings amongst other persons from whom I have had money I may mention my present tenant mrs. Brickson who in consideration of 60 pounds advanced by me five years since has paid back to me the sum of 250 pounds sterling besides giving me a note of hand for 120 pounds which I restore to her at the desire of my late master major Arthur Penn Dennis and there with free her furniture of which I had a bill of sale have you written I think if this pistol was loaded I blow your brains out said Morgan know you wouldn't you have to greater respect for your valuable life my good man the major answered let us go on and begin a new sentence and having in return for my master's kindness stolen his property from him which I acknowledge to be now upstairs in my trunks and having uttered falses regarding his and other honorable families I do hereby in consideration of his clemency to me express my regret for uttering these falsehoods and for stealing his property and declare that I am not worthy of belief and that I hope yes began that I hope to amend for the future signed James Morgan I'm during if I sign it said my good man it will happen to you whether you sign or no began said the old fellow at his own wit there I shall not use this you understand unless unless I'm compelled to do so Mrs. Brickson and our friend the policeman will witness that I dare say without reading it and I will give the old lady back her note of hand and say which you will confirm that she and you are quits I see there is frost come back with the cab for my trunks I shall you may come in now policeman Mr. Morgan and I have arranged our little dispute and Mrs. Brickson will sign this paper and you policeman will do so I shall be very much obliged to you both Mrs. Brickson you and your worthy landlord Mr. Morgan are quits I wish you joy of him let frost come and pack the rest of the things cross aided by the slavey under the calm superintendents of Mr. Morgan carried major pendentist's boxes to the calves and waiting and Mrs. Brickson winner prosecutor was not by came and asked the heavens blessing upon the major her preserver and the best and quietest and kindest of lodges and having giving her a finger to shake which the humble lady received with her curtsy and over which she was ready to make a speech full of tears the major cut short that ballot decree oration and walked out of the house to the hotel and German Street which was not many steps from Morgan's door that individual looking forth from that door anything but blessings at his parting guest but the stout old boy could afford not to be frightened at Mr. Morgan and flung him a look of great contempt and humor as he strutted away with his cane major pendentist had not quitted his house a very street many hours and Mr. Morgan was enjoying his podium in a dignified manner surveying the evening fog and smoking a cigar on the door steps when Arthur Pendence Esquire the hero of this history made his appearance at the well-known door my uncle out I suppose Morgan he said to the functionary knowing full well that to smoke was treason in the presence of the major major pendentist's house sir said Morgan with gravity bowing but not touching the elegant cap which he wore major pendentist have left this house today sir and I have no longer the honor of being in his service sir indeed and where is he I believe he have taken temporary lodging like so tell in Jumman street said Mr. Morgan and had it after a pause are you in town for some time praise sir are you in chambers I should like to have the honor of waiting on you there and would be thankful if you would favor me with a quarter of an hour you want my uncle to take you back as to Arthur insolent and good nature I want no such thing I'd see him the man glared to him for a minute but he stopped no sir thank you he said in a softer voice it's only with you wish to speak on some business which concerns you and perhaps you would favor me by walking into my house if it is but for a minute or two I will listen to you Morgan said Arthur and thought to himself I suppose the fellow wants me to patronize him and he entered the house card was already in the front windows proclaiming that apartments were to be led and having introduced Mr. Pandenas into the dining room and offered him a chair Mr. Morgan took one himself and proceeded to convey some information to him of which the reader has already had cognizance in the chapter 69 chapter 70 of the history of pandenas this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the history of pandenas by William Maypeace Thackeray chapter 70 in which Pandenas counts his eggs our friend had arrived in London on that day only but for a brief visit and having left some fellow travelers at a hotel to which he had convoyed them from the west he hastened to the chambers and lamb court which were basking in as much sun as chose to visit that dreary but not altogether comfortless building freedom stands in lieu of sunshine in chambers and Templars grumble but take their ease in their inn Penn's domestic announced to him that Warrington was in chambers too and of course Arthur ran up to his friend's room straightway and found it as it all perfumed with the pipe and George once more at work with his newspapers and reviews the pair greeted each other with the rough cordiality which young Englishmen use one to another in which carries a great deal of warmth and kindness under its rude exterior Warrington smiled and took his pipe out of his mouth and said well young one penned advanced and held out his hand and said how are you old boy and so this greeting passed between two friends who had not seen each other for years Alphonse and Frederick would have rushed into each other's arms and shrieked so bon coeur so share Alphonse over each other's shoulders Max and Wilhelm would have bestowed half a dozen kisses centered with Havana upon each other's moustache years well young one how are you old boy is what two Britons say after saving each other's lives possibly the day before they evolve shaking hands and only wag their heads at one another as they come to breakfast each has for the other the very warmest confidence and regard each would share his purse with the other and hearing him attacked would break out in the loudest and most enthusiastic praise of his friend but they part with a mere goodbye they meet with a mere how do you do and they don't write to each other in the interval curious modesty strange stoical decorum of English friendship yes we are not demonstrative like those confounded foreigners says Hardman who not only chose no friendship but never felt unique all his life long been in Switzerland says Penn yes says Warrington couldn't find a bit of tobacco fit to smoke till we came to Strasbourg where I got some capital the man's mind is full very likely of the great sights which he has seen of the great emotions with which the vast works of nature have inspired it but his enthusiasm is too coy to show itself even to his closest friend and he veils it with the cloud of tobacco he will speak more fully of confidential evenings however and write ardently and frankly about that which he is shy of saying the thoughts and experience of his travel will come forth in his writings as the learning which he never displays in talk enriches his style with pregnant allusion and brilliant illustration colors his generous eloquence and points his wit the elder gives a rapid account of the places which he has visited in his tour he has seen Switzerland north Italy and the Tyrol Vienna and Dresden and the Rhine he speaks about these places in a shy sulky voice as if he had rather not mentioned them at all and as if the sight of them had rendered him very unhappy the outline of the elder man's tour thus gloomily sketched out the young one begins to speak he has been in the country very much bored canvassing uncommonly slow he is here for a day or two and going on to the foot of Tunbridge Wells to some friends that will be uncommonly slow too how hard it is to make an Englishman acknowledge that he is happy in the seat in Parliament Penn have you made it all right ask Warrington all right as soon as Parliament meets and a new writ can be issued clevering retires and I step into his shoes says Penn and under which King does I ask Warrington do we come out as liberal conservative or as government man or on our own hook there are no politics now every man's politics at least are pretty much the same I've not got acres enough to make me a protectionist nor could I be one I think if I had all the land in the county I shall go pretty much with government and in advance of them upon some questions which I've been getting up during the vacation don't grin you old cynic I've been getting up the blue books and intend to come out rather strong on the sanitary and columnization questions we reserve to ourselves the liberty of voting against government though we are generally friendly we are however friends of the people avant-tout we give lectures at the Clevering Institute and shake hands with the Catholics we think the franchise ought to be very considerably enlarged at the same time we are free to accept offers someday when the house says listen to a few crack speeches from us and the administration perceives our merit I'm not Moses a pen with as usual somewhat of melancholy in his voice I have no laws from heaven to bring down to the people from the mountain I don't belong to the mountain at all or set up to be a leader and reformer of mankind my faith is not strong enough for that nor my vanity nor my hypocrisy great enough I will tell no lies George that I promise you and do no more than coincide in those which are necessary and past current and can't be got in without recalling the whole circulation give a man at least the advantage of his skeptical turn if I find a good thing to say in the house I will say it a good measure I will support it a fair place I will take it and be glad of my luck but I would know more flatter a great man than a mob and now you know as much about politics as I do what call have I to be a we give them is not a divine institution why not vote with the liberal conservatives they have done for the nation what the weeks could never have done without them who converted the radicals and the country outside I think the morning post is often right and punches often wrong I don't profess the call but take advantage of a chance for a long daughter shows the next thing at your heart after ambition is love I suppose Warrington said how have our young loves prospered are we going to change our condition and give up our chambers are you going to divorce me Arthur and take unto yourself a wife I suppose so she is very good nature than lively she sings and she don't mind smoking she'll have a fair fortune I don't know how much but my uncle augurs everything from the Begum's generosity and says that she will come down very handsomely and I think Blanche is debilish bond of me said Arthur with a sigh that means that we accept her caresses and her money haven't we said before that life was a transaction pendant is said I don't pretend to break my heart about her I've told her pretty fairly what my feelings are and and have engaged myself to her and since I saw her last and for the last two months especially whilst I've been in the country I think she has been growing founder and founder of me and her letters to me and especially to Laura seem to show it mine have been simple enough no raptures no vows you understand but looking upon the thing as an affair that and not desirous to hasten or defer the completion and Laura how is she Warrington asked frankly Laura George said pen looking his friend hard in the face by heaven Laura is the best and noblest and dearest girl the son ever shown upon his own voice fell as he spoke it seemed as if he could hardly utter the words he stretched out his hand to his comrade who took it and nodded his head have you only found out that now young in Warrington said after a pause who has not learned things too late George cried Arthur in his impetuous way gathering words in emotion as he went on whose life is not a disappointment who carries his heart and tire to the grave without a mutilation I never knew anybody who was happy quite or who has not had to ransom himself out of the hands of fate with the payment of some dearest treasure or other lucky if we are left alone afterwards when we have paid our fine and if the tyrant visits us no more suppose I have found out that I have lost the greatest prize in the world now that it can't be mine that for years I had an angel under my tent and let her go am I the only one oh dear old boy am I the only one and do you think my lot is easier to bear because I own that I deserve it she's gone from us God's blessing be with her she might have stayed and I lost her it's like Undine isn't it George she was in this room once said George he saw her there he heard the sweet low voice he saw the sweet smile in eyes shining so kindly the face remembered so fondly thought of in what night watches blessed and loved always gone now a glass that had held a nose gay a bible with Helen's handwriting for all that were left him of that brief flower of his life say it is a dream say it passes better the recollection of a dream than an aimless form of blank stupor the two friends sat in silence a while each occupied with his own thoughts and aware of the others pen broke it presently by saying that he must go and seek for his uncle and report progress to the old gentleman the major had written in a very bad humor the major was getting old I should like to see you in parliament and snuggly settled with a comfortable house and an heir to the name before I make my bow show me the major wrote and then let old Arthur pendentus make room for the younger fellows he has walked the palmel pay long enough there's a kindness about the old heathen said warrington he cares for somebody besides himself at least for some other part of himself besides that which is buttoned into his own coat for you and your race he would like to see the progeny of the pendentus is multiplying and increasing in hopes that they will inherit the land the old patriarch blesses you from the club window of bases and is carried off and buried under the flags of st. james's church in sight of big a dilly and the cab stand and the carriage is going to the levy it is an edifying ending the new blood I bring into the family muse pen is rather tainted if I have chosen I think my father-in-law amary would not have been the progenitor I should have desired for my race nor my grandfather-in-law snell nor our oriental ancestors by the way who was amary amary was lieutenant of an indian man blanche wrote some verses about him about the storm the mountain wave the seamen's grave the gallant father and that sort of thing amary was drowned commanding a country ship between cow cutter and sydney amary and the bigam weren't happy together she has been unlucky in her selection of husbands the good lady for between ourselves a more despicable creature than sir francis clevering of clevering park baronet never legislated for his country broken warrington at which pen blushed rather by the way at bodin said warrington I found our friend the chevalier strong in great state and wearing his orders he told me that he had quarreled with clevering of whom he seemed to have almost as bad an opinion as you have and in fact I think though I will not be certain confided to me his opinion that clevering was an utter scoundrel that fellow bloundel who taught you card playing at oxbridge was with strong and time I think has brought out is valuable qualities and rendered him a more accomplished rascal than he was during your under graduate ship but the king of the place was the famous colonel altamont who is carrying all before him giving flies to the whole society and breaking the bank it was said my uncle knows something about that fellow clevering knows something about him there is something louge regarding him but come I must go to berry street like a dutiful nephew and taking his hat pen prepared to go I will walk to sir warrington and they descended the stairs stopping however appends chambers which as the reader has been informed were now on the lower story here pen began sprinkling himself without the colonia uncarefully sending his hair and whiskers with that odoriferous water what is the matter you've not been smoking is it my pipe that is poisoned you growl warrington I'm going to call upon some women said pen I'm I'm going to dine with them they are passing through town and are at a hotel and German street warrington looked with good natured interest at the young fellow who was lying himself up to a pitch of completeness and appearing at length and a gorgeous shirt front and that cloth fresh gloves and glistening boots george had appeared thick high lows and his old shirt was drawn about the breast and ragged at the collar whereas blue beard had worn it well young and city simply I like you to be a buck somehow when I walk about with you it is as if I had a rose in my buttonhole and you're still affable I don't think there is a color in the temple turns out like you and I don't believe you were ever ashamed of walking with me yet don't laugh at me george said pen I say pen continued the other said that if you write if you write to laura I wish you would say God bless her from me pen blushed and then looked at warrington and then and then burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughing I'm going to dine with her he said I brought her and lady rock minister up from the country today so that slept last night at bath I say george come and dine to I may ask anyone I please and the old lady is constantly talking about you george refused george had an article to write george hesitated and oh strange to say at last he agreed to go it was agreed that they should go and call upon the ladies and they marched away in high spirits to the hotel in german street once more the deer face shown upon him once more the sweet voice spoke to him and the tender hand pressed a welcome they're still wanted half an hour to dinner you will go and see your uncle now mr. pendennis old lady rock minister said you will not bring him to dinner to know his old stories are intolerable and I want to talk to mr. warrington I dare say he will amuse us I think we have heard all your stories we've been together for two whole days I think we are getting tired of each other so obeying her lady ship's orders Arthur went downstairs and walked to his uncle's lodgings end of chapter 70 chapter 71 of the history of pendennis this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the history of pendennis by William Makepeace Thackeray chapter 71 Fiat Justicia the dinner was served when Arthur returned and lady rock minister began to scold him for arriving late but Laura looking at her cousin saw that his face was so pale and scared that she interrupted her imperious patroness and asked with tender alarm what had happened was Arthur ill Arthur drank a large bumper of sherry I've heard the most extraordinary news I will tell you afterwards he said looking at the servants he was very nervous and agitated during the dinner don't tramp and beat so with your feet under the table lady rock minister said you have trodden on Fido and upset his saucer you see Mr.Warrington keeps his quiet at the dessert it seemed as if the unlucky dinner would never be over lady rock minister said this dinner has been exceedingly stupid I suppose something has happened and that you want to speak to Laura I will go and have my nap I'm not sure that I shall have any tea no good night Mr.Warrington you must come again and when there is no business to talk about and the old lady tossing up her head walked away from the room with great energy George and the others had risen with her and Warrington was about to go away and was saying good night to Laura who of course was looking much alarmed about her cousin when Arthur said pray stay George you should hear my news too and give me your counsel in this case I hardly know how to act in it it's something about Blanche Arthur said Laura her heart beating and her cheek blushing as she thought it had never yes and the most extraordinary story said Penn when I left you to go to my uncle's lodgings I found his servant Morgan who has been with him so long at the door and he said that he and his master had parted that morning that my uncle had quitted the house and had gone to a hotel this hotel I asked for him when I came in but he was gone out to dinner Morgan then said that he had something of nature to communicate to me and begged me to step into the house his house it is now it appears the scoundrel has saved a great deal of money whilst in my uncle's service and is now a capitalist and a millionaire for what I know well I went into the house and what do you think he told me this must be a secret between us all at least if we can keep it now that it is in possession of that villain Blanche's father is not dead he has come to life again the marriage between Clevering and the Begum is no marriage and Blanche I suppose is her grandfather's heir said Warrington perhaps but the child of what a father Amory is an escaped convict Clevering knows it, my uncle knows it and it was with this piece of information held over Clevering in Peroram that the wretched old man got him to give up his borough to me Blanche doesn't know it, said Laura nor poor Lady Clevering no, said Penn Blanche does not even know the history of her father she knew that he and her mother had separated and it heard as a child from Bonner her nurse that Mr. Amory was drowned in New South Wales he was there as a convict not as a ship's captain as the poor girl thought Lady Clevering has told me that they were not happy and that her husband and her character she would tell me all she said someday and I remember her saying to me with tears in her eyes that it was hard for a woman to be forced to own that she was glad to hear her husband was dead and that twice in her life she should have chosen so badly what is to be done now the man can't show and claim his wife death is probably over him if he discovers himself returned to transportation certainly but the rascal has held a thread of discovery over Clevering for some time passed and has extorted money from him time after time it is our friend Colonel Altamont of course at Wellington I see all now if the rascal comes back continue Arthur Morgan who knows his secret will use it over him and having it in his possession proposes to extort money from us all the dastard rascal supposed I was cognizant of it said pen white with anger asked me if I would give him an annuity to keep it quiet threatened me as if I was trafficking with this wretched old Begum's misfortune and would extort a seed in Parliament out of that miserable Clevering good heavens was my uncle mad to tamper in such a conspiracy fancy our mother's son Laura trading on such a treason I can't fancy it dear Arthur said Laura seizing Arthur's hand and kissing it no broke out Warrington's deep voice with a tremor he surveyed the two generous and loving young people without paying I've been describable love and pain no our boy can't meddle with such a wretched intrigue as that Arthur pendentist can't marry our convict's daughter and sits in Parliament as member or the Hulks you must wash your hands of the whole affair pen you must break off you must give no explanations of why and where for but state that family reasons render a match impossible it is better that those poor women should fancy you false to your word than that they should know the truth besides you can get from that dog Clevering I can fetch that for you easily enough an acknowledgement that the reasons which you have given to him as the head of the family are amply sufficient for breaking off the union don't you think with me Laura he's scarcely dared to look her in the face as he spoke any lingering hope that he might have any feeble hold that he might feel upon the last spar of his wrecked fortune he knew he was casting away and he let the wave of his calamity close over him he started up whilst he was speaking looking eagerly at him he turned his head away he saw Laura rise up also and go to pen and once more take his hand and kiss it she thinks so too God bless her said George her father's shame is not Blanche's fault dear Arthur is it Laura said very pale and speaking very quickly suppose you had been married because she had done no wrong are you not pledged to her would you leave her because she is in misfortune and if she is unhappy wouldn't you console her our mother would had she been here and as she spoke the kind girl folded her arms round him and buried her face upon his heart our mother is an angel with God pen sobbed out and you are the dearest and best of women the dearest the dearest the best teach me my duty pray for me that I may do it pure heart God bless you God bless you my sister amen grown out Warrington with his head in his hands she is right he murmured to himself she can't do any wrong I think that girl indeed she looked and smiled like an angel many a day after he saw that smile saw her radiant face her putting back her curls blushing and smiling and still looking fondly towards him she leaned for a moment her little fair hand on the table playing on it and now and now she said looking at the two gentlemen and what now asked George and now we will have some tea said Miss Laura with her smile but before this unromantic conclusion to a rather sentimental scene could be suffered to take place a servant brought word that Major Pendennis had returned to the hotel and was waiting to see his nephew upon this announcement Laura not without some alarm and an appealing look to pen which said behave yourself well hold to the right and do your duty be gentle but firm with your uncle Laura we say with these warnings written in her face took leave of the two gentlemen and retreated to her to the dormitory Warrington who was not generally fond of tea yet grudged that expected cup very much why could not old Pendennis have come in an hour later well an hour sooner or later what matter the hour strikes at last the inevitable moment comes to say farewell the hand is shaken the door closed and the friend gone and the brief joy over you are alone in which of those many windows of the hotel does her light beam perhaps he asks himself as he passes down the street he strides away to the smoking room of a neighboring club and there applies himself to his usual solace of a cigar men are brawling and talking loud about politics opera girls horse racing the atrocious tyranny of the committee bearing this sacred secret about him he enters into this brawl talk away each louder than the other rattle and crack jokes laugh until your wild stories it is strange to take one's place and part in the midst of the smoke and den and think every man here has his secret ego most likely which is sitting lonely and apart away in the private chamber from the loud game in which the rest of us is joining Arthur as he traversed the passages of the hotel felt his anger rousing up within him he was indignant to think that yonder old gentleman whom he was about to meet should have made him such a tool and puppet and so compromised his honor and good name the old fellow's hand was very cold and shaky when Arthur took it he was coughing he was grumbling over the fire Froze could not bring his dressing gown or arrange his papers as that darned confounded impudence scoundrel of a morgan the old gentleman bemoaned himself and cursed morgan's ingratitude with peevish pathos the confounded impudence scoundrel he was drunk last night and challenged me to fight him pen and begat it one time I was so excited that I thought I should have driven a knife into him and the infernal rascal has made ten thousand pound I believe and deserves to be hanged and will be but curse him I wish he could have lasted out my time he knew all my ways and dammy when I rang the bell the confounded thief brought the thing I wanted not like that stupid german lout and what sort of time have you had in the country been a good deal with lady rock minster you can't do better she is one of the old school the aya achole von achole a, dammy gentleman and ladies now and in fifty years you'll hardly know one man from another but they'll last my time I ain't long for this business I'm getting a very old pen my boy and gad I was thinking today as I was packing up my little library there's a bible amongst the books that belong to my poor mother I would like you to keep that pen I was thinking sir that you would most likely open the box when it was your property and the old fellow was late under the sod sir and the major coughed and wagged his old head over the fire his age his kindness disarmed pens anger somewhat and made Arthur feel no little compunction for the deed which he was about to do he knew that the announcement which he was about to make would destroy the darling hope of the old gentleman's life and create in his breast a woeful anger and commotion hey hey I'm off sir not of the elder but I'd like to read a speech of yours in the times before I go Mr. Pendin has said unaccustomed as I am to public speaking hey sir hey Arthur bigad you look devilish well and healthy sir I always said my brother Jack would bring the family right you must go down into the west and by the old estate sir neck tenue penna hey we'll rise again sir rise again on the wing and bigad I shouldn't be surprised that you will be a baronette before you die his words smote pen and it is I he thought that I'm going to fling down the poor old fellow's air castle well it must be here goes I I went into your lodgings at Berry Street though I did not find you pen slowly began and I talked with Morgan uncle indeed the old gentleman's cheek began to flush involuntarily and he muttered the cats out of the bag now and he told me a story sir which gave me the deepest surprise and pain said pen the major tried to look unconcerned what that story about about what do you call him hey about Miss Amy's father about Lady Cleveron's first husband and who he is and what him a devilish awkward affair said the old man rubbing his nose I I've been aware of that a confounded circumstance for some time wish I'd known it sooner or not at all said Arthur gloomily is all safe thought the senior greatly relieved God I should have liked to keep it from you all together and from those two poor women who are as innocent as unborn babes in the transaction you are right there is no reason why the two women should hear it and I shall never tell them though that villain Morgan perhaps may Arthur said gloomily he seems disposed to trade upon his secret and has already proposed terms of ransom to me I wish I'd known of the matter earlier sir it is not a very pleasant thought to me that I am engaged to a convict's daughter the very reason why I kept it from you my dear boy but Miss Amory is not a convict's daughter don't you see Miss Amory is the daughter of Lady Cleveron with 50 or 60 thousand pounds for a fortune and her father-in-law a baronet sentiment of high reputation approves of the match and gives up his seat in parliament to a son-in-law what can be more simple is it true sir the God yes it is true of course it's true Amory is dead I tell you he is dead the first sign of life he shows he is dead he can't appear we have him at a deadlock like the fellow in the play the critic a devilish amusing play that critic monstrous witty man Sheridan and so was his son by God sir when I was at the Cape I remember the old gentleman's garrulity and wished to conduct Arthur to the Cape perhaps arose from a desire to avoid the subject which was nearest his nephew's heart but Arthur broke out interrupting him if you had told me this tale sooner I believe you would have spared me and yourself a great deal of pain and disappointment and I should not have found myself tied to an engagement from which I can't in honor receive no beget we've fixed you and a man who's fixed to a seat in parliament and a pretty girl with a couple of thousand a year is fixed to no bad thing let me tell you said the old man great heavens sir said Arthur are you blind can't you see see what young gentleman asked the other see that rather than trade upon the secret of aimaries Arthur cried out I would go and join my father-in-law at the hulks see that rather than take a seat in parliament as a bride from clustering for a silence I would take the spoons off the table see that you have given me a felons daughter for a wife doomed me to poverty and shame curse my career when it might have been when it might so different but for you don't you see that we have been playing a guilty game and have been overreached that in offering to marry this poor girl for the sake of her money and the advancement she would bring I was degrading myself and prostituting my honor what in heaven's name do you mean sir cried the old man I mean to say that there is a measure of baseness which I can't pass Arthur said I've I'm sorry if they hurt you I've felt for months past that my conduct in this affair has been wicked sordid and worldly I am rightly punished by the event and having sold myself for money and a seat in parliament by losing both how do you mean that you lose either shriek the old gentleman who the devil's to take your fortune or your seat away from you by God clevering shall give him every shilling of 80,000 pounds I'll keep my promise to Miss Amrie sir said Arthur and begat her parents shall keep theirs to you not so please God Arthur answered I have sinned but heaven help me I will sin no more I will let clevering off from that bargain which was made without my knowledge I will take no money with Blanche but that which was originally settled upon her and I will try to make her happy you have done it you have brought this on me sir but you knew no better and I forgive Arthur in God's name and your fathers who by heavens was the proudest man alive and had the honor of the family always at heart in mind for the sake of a poor broken down old fellow who has always been devilish fond of you don't fling this chance away I pray you I beg you I implore you my dear dear boy don't fling this chance away it's the making of you you're sure to get on you'll be a baronette it's three thousand a year dammy on my knees there I beg you view don't do this and the old man actually sank down on his knees and seizing one of Arthur's hands looked up piteously at him it was cruel to remark the shaking hands the wrinkled and quivering face the old eyes the weeping and winking the broken voice ah sir said Arthur with a grunt you have brought pain enough on me spare me this you have wished me to marry Blanche I marry her for God's sake sir rise I can't bear it you you mean to say that you will take her as a beggar and be one yourself said the old gentleman rising up and coughing violently I look at her as a person to whom a great calamity will fall in and to whom I am promised she cannot help the misfortune and as she had my word when she was prosperous I shall not withdraw it now she is poor I will not take clevering seat unless afterwards it should be given of his free will I will not have a shilling more than her original fortune have the kindness to ring the bell said the old gentleman I've done my best and said my say and I'm a devilish old fellow and it don't matter and Shakespeare was right and Cardinal Woolsey began and had I but served my God as I've served you yes all my knees by Joe to my own nephew I mightn't have been good night sir you needn't trouble yourself to call again Arthur took his hand which the old man left to him it was quite passive and clammy he looked very much olden and it seemed as if the contest and defeat had quite broken him on the next day he kept his bed and refused to see his nephew end of chapter 71 chapter 72 of the history of Pendennis this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the history of Pendennis but where you make peace Thackeray chapter 72 in which the decks begin to clear when a raid in his dressing gown Penn walked up according to custom to Warrington's chambers next morning to inform his friend of the issue of the last nice interview with his uncle and to ask as usual for George's advice and opinion Mrs. Flanagan the longest was the only person whom Arthur found in the dear old chambers George had taken a carpet bag and was gone his address was to his brother's house and suffered packages addressed to the newspaper and review for which he wrote lay on the table awaiting delivery I found him at the table when I came the dear gentleman Mrs. Flanagan said writing at his papers and one of the candles was burned out and hard as his bed is he wasn't in it all night sir indeed having sat at the club until the brawl there became intolerable to him George had walked home and had passed the night finishing some work on which he was employed and to the completion of which he bent himself with all his might the labor was done and the night was worn away somehow and the tardy November dawn came and looked in on the young man as he sat over his desk in the next day's paper or quarters review many of us very likely admired the work of his genius the variety of his illustration the fierce vigor of his satire the depth of his reason there was no hint in his writing of the other thoughts which occupied him and always accompanied him in his work a tone more melancholy than was customary a satire more bitter and impatient than that which he afterwards showed may have marked the writings of this period of his life to the very few persons who knew his style or his name we've said before we know the man's feelings as well as the author's thoughts how interesting most books would be more interesting than Mary I suppose Harlequin's face behind his mask is always graved if not melancholy certainly each man who lives by the pen and happens to read this must remember if you will his own experiences and recall many solemn hours of solitude and labor what a constant care sat at the side of the desk and accompanied him fever or sickness were lying possibly in the next room a sick child might be there with a wife watching over it terrified and in prayer or grief might be bearing him down and the cruel mist before the eyes rendering the paper as scarce visible as he wrote on it and the inexorable necessity drove on the pen one man among us has not had nights and hours like these but to the manly heart severe as these pangs are they are indurable long as the night seems the dawn comes at last and the wounds heal your abates and rest comes and you can afford to look back on the past misery with feelings that are anything but bitter two or three books for reference fragments of torn up manuscript drawers open pens and ink stand lines half visible on the blotting paper a bit of sealing wax twisted and bitten and broken into sundry pieces such relics as these were about the table and pen flung himself down in George's empty chair noting things according to his want or in spite of himself there was a gap in the bookcase next to the old college play with Boniface arms where Helen's Bible used to be he has taken that with him thought pen he knew why his friend was gone dear dear old George then rubbed his hand over his eyes oh how much wiser how much better how much nobler he is than I he thought where was such a friend or such a brave heart where shall I ever hear such a frank voice and kind laughter where shall I ever see such a true gentleman no wonder she loved him God bless him what was I compared to him what could she do else but love him to the end of our days we will be her brothers as fate wills that we can be no more we'll be her knights and wait on her and when we're old we will say how we loved her dear dear old George when pen descended to his own chambers as I fell on the letter box of his outer door which he had previously overlooked and there was a little note to A.P. Esquire in George's well-known and writing George had put into pen's box probably as he was going away dear pen I shall be halfway home when you breakfast and intend to stay over Christmas and Norfolk or elsewhere I have my own opinion of the issue of matters about which we talked in Jay Street yesterday and think my presence to throw Mualé GW give my very best regards and a due to your cousin and so George was gone and Mrs. Flanagan the laundress ruled over his empty chambers pen of course had to go and see his uncle on the day after their colloquy of not being admitted he naturally went to Lady Rockminster's apartments where the old lady instantly asked for Bluebeard and insisted that he should come to dinner Bluebeard is gone pen said and he took out poor George's scrap of paper and handed it to Laura who looked at it did not look at pen and returned it past the paper back to him and walked away Ben rushed into an eloquently Rockminster who was astonished at his enthusiasm she had never heard him so warm in praise of anybody and told him with her usual frankness that she didn't think it had been in his nature to care so much about any other person as Mr. Pandanus was passing in Waterloo Place and one of his many walks to the hotel where Laura lived and with her duty to his uncle carried Arthur every day Arthur saw issuing from his years Jim Cracks celebrated shop and old friend who was followed to his broom by an obsequious shopman bearing parcels the gentleman was in the deepest morning the broom the driver and the horse were in mourning grief and easy circumstances and supported by the comfort of ballast springs and cushions was typified in the equippage and the little gentleman its proprietor what Foker Hale Foker cried out pen the reader no doubt has likewise recognized Arthur's old school fellow and held at his hand to the air of the late lamented John Henry Foker Esquire the master of logwood and other houses the principal partner in the great brewery of Foker and company the greater portion of Foker's entire a little hand covered with a glove of the deepest ebony and set off by three inches of a snowy wristband was put forth to meet Arthur's salutation the other little hand held a little Morocco case containing no doubt something precious of which Mr. Foker had just become proprietor and messiers Jim cracks shop pens keen eyes and satiric turn showed him at once upon what Aaron Mr. Foker had been employed and he thought of the air in Horace pouring forth the gathered wine of his father's vats and that human nature is pretty much the same in Regent Street as in the we are Sackler Laura and more Viva Laura said Arthur ah said the other yes thank you very much obliged how do you do pen very busy goodbye and he jumped into the black broom and sat like the little black care behind the black coachman he'd blushed on seeing pen and shown other signs of guilt and perturbation which pen attributed to the novelty of his situation now which he began to speculate in his usual sardonic manner yes so bags the world thought pen the stone closes over harry the fourth and harry the fifth reigns and instead the old ministers at the brewery come and kneel before him with their books that Raymond his subjects fling up their red caps and shout for him what a grave deference and sympathy the bankers and the lawyers show there was too great a stake at issue between those two that they should ever love each other very cordially as long as man keeps another out of twenty thousand a year the younger must be always hankering after the crown and the wish must be the father to thought of possession thank heaven there was no thought of money between me and our dear mother Laura there never could have been you would have spurned it cried Laura why make yourself more selfish than you are pen and allow your mind to own for an instant that it would have entertained such such dreadful meanness you make me blush for you Arthur you make me her eyes finished this sentence and she passed on to make a chiff across them there's some truths which women will never acknowledge Penn said and from which your modesty always turns away I do not say that I ever knew the feeling only that I'm glad I have not the temptation is there any harm in that confession of weakness we are all taught to ask to be delivered from evil Arthur said Laura in a low voice I'm glad if you were spared from that great crime and only sorry to think that you could by any possibility have been led into it but you never could and you don't think you could your acts are generous and kind you disdain mean actions you take blanche without money and without it bride yes thanks be to heaven dear brother you could not have sold yourself away I knew you could not when it came to the day and you did not praise be be where praises do why does this horde skepticism pursue you my Arthur why doubt and sneer at your own heart at everyone's oh if you knew the pain you give me how I lie awake and think of those hard promises dear brother and wish them unspoken unthought do I cause you many thoughts and many tears Laura asked Arthur the fullness of innocent love being from her in reply a smile heavenly pure a glance of unutterable tenderness sympathy pity shown in her face all which indications of love and purity Arthur beheld and worshipped in her as you would watch them in a child as one fancies one might regard them in an angel I don't know what I've done he said simply to have merited such regard to such women it is like undeserved praise Laura or too much good fortune which frightens one or a great post when a man feels that he is not fit for it asses to how weak and wicked we are how spotless and full of love and truth heaven made you I think for some of you there has been no fall he said looking at the charming girl with an almost paternal glance of admiration you can't help having sweet thoughts and doing good actions dear creature they are the flowers which you bear and what else sir asked Laura I see a sneer coming over your face what is it why does it come to drive all the good thoughts away a sneer is there I was thinking my dear that nature in making you so good and loving did very well but but what what is that wicked but and why are you always calling it up it will come in spite of us but is reflection but is the skeptics familiar with whom he has made a compact and if he forgets it and indulges in happy daydreams or building of air castles since the sweet music let us say or to the bells ringing to church but taps at the door and says master I'm here you are my master but I'm yours go where you will you can't travel without me I will whisper to you when you are on your knees at church I will be at your marriage fellow I will sit down at your table with your children I will be behind your deathbed curtain that is what but is pen said penny frightened me quite Laura do you know what but came and said to me just now when I was looking at you but said if that girl had reason as well as love she would love you no more if she knew you as you are the solid selfish being which you know she must part from you and could give you no love and no sympathy didn't I say he had it finally that some of you seem exempt from the fall love you know but the knowledge of evil is kept from you what is this you young folks are talking about ask Lady Rockminster who at this moment made her appearance in the room having performed in the mystic retirement of her own apartments and under the hands of her attendant those elaborate toilet rights without which the worthy old lady never presented herself to public view Mr. Pendenis you are always coming here it is very pleasant to be here Arthur said and we were talking when you came in about my friend Foker whom I met just now and do as your ladieship knows has succeeded to his father's kingdom he has a very fine property has 15,000 a year he is my cousin he is a very worthy young man he must come and see me said Lady Rockminster with a look at Laura he has been engaged for many years past to his cousin Lady something Lady Anne is a foolish little chip Lady Rockminster said with much dignity and I have no patience with her she's outraged every feeling of society she has broken her father's heart and thrown away 15,000 a year thrown away what has happened ask him it will be the talk of the town in a day or two and there is no need why I should keep the secret any longer said Lady Rockminster we had written and received a dozen letters on the subject I had a letter yesterday from my daughter who was staying at Drummington until all the world was obliged to go away and encounter the frightful catastrophe which happened there when Mr. Foker came home from Nice and after the funeral Lady Anne went down on her knees to her father said that she never could marry her cousin that she had contracted another attachment and that she must die rather than fulfill her contract poor Lord Roshnerville who is dreadfully embarrassed showed his daughter what the state of his affairs was and that it was necessary that the arrangement should take place and then find we all suppose that she had listened to reason and intended to comply with the desires of her family but what has happened last Thursday she went out after breakfast with her maid and was married in the very church in Drummington Park to Mr. Hobson her father's own chaplain and her brother's tutor a red-haired widower with two children poor dear Roshnerville is in a dreadful way he wishes Henry Foker should marry Alice or Barbara but Alice is marked with a smallpox and Barbara's 10 years older than he is and of course now the young man is his own master he will think of choosing for himself to blow on Lady Agnes is very cruel she's inconsolable she has the house and grows on earth street for a life and earth settlement which was very handsome have you not met her yes she dined one day at Lady Cleverings the first day I saw you in a very disagreeable young man I thought you were but I formed you we have formed him haven't we Laura Bluebeard let him come that Horde Grindley the dentist will keep me in town another week to the latter part of her ladies ship's speech Arthur gave no ear he was thinking for whom could Foker be purchasing those drinkers which he was carrying away from the jewelers why did Harry seem anxious to avoid him could he be still faithful to the attachment which had agitated him so much and sent him abroad 18 months back but shall the bracelets and presents were for some of Harry's old friends of the opera or the French from Naples and Paris rumors such as are born to clubs smoking rooms had announced that the young man had found distractions are precluded from his virtuous attachment the poor fellow had flung himself back upon his old companions and amusements not the only man or woman whom society forces into evil or debars from good not the only victim of the world's selfish and wicked laws as a good thing when it is to be done cannot be done too quickly Laura was anxious that Penn's marriage intention should be a solution as speedily as possible impressed on his arrangements with rather a feverish anxiety why could she not wait Penn could afford to do so with perfect equanimity but Laura would hear of no delay she wrote to Penn she implored Penn she used every means to urge expedition it seemed as if she could have no rest until Arthur's happiness was complete she offered herself to do his plans to come and stay at Tumbridge with her when Lady Rockminster should go on her intended Rockminster and although the old Dowager scolded and ordered and commanded Laura was deaf and disobedient she must go to Tumbridge she would go to Tumbridge she who ordinarily had no will of her own and complied smilingly with anybody's women caprices showed the most selfish and obstinate determination in this instance the Dowager Lady must nurse herself in her rheumatism she must read herself to sleep if she would not hear her maid whose voice croaked and who made sad work of the sentimental news in the novels Laura must go and be with her new sister in another week she proposed with many loves in regards to dear Lady Cleverin to pass some time with dearest Blanche dearest Blanche wrote instantly replied to dearest Laura's number one to say with what extreme delight she should welcome her sister how charming would be to practice their old duets together to wander or the grassy sword and amidst the yellowing woods of Penn Hurston Southboro Blanche counted the hours till she embraced her dearest friend Laura number two expressed her delight at dearest Blanche's affectionate reply she hoped that their friendship would never diminish that the confidence between them would grow in after years that they should have no secrets from each other that the aim of the life of each would be to make one person happy Blanche number two followed in two days how provoking their house was very small the two spare bedrooms were occupied by that horrid Mrs. Planter and her daughter who had thought proper she always fell ill in country houses and she could not or would not be moved for some days Laura number three it was indeed very provoking Belle had hoped to hear one of dearest B's dear songs on Friday but she was the more consoled away because Lady R was not very well and liked to be nursed by her poor major pendentist was very unwell to in the same hotel to unwell even to see Arthur who was constant in his calls on his uncle Arthur's heart was full of tenderness and affection she had known Arthur all her life she would answer yes even in Italian she would answer for his kindness his goodness and his gentleness Blanche number three what is this most surprising most extraordinary letter from AP what does there's Laura know about it what has happened what what mystery is enveloped under his frightful reserve Blanche number three requires an explanation and it cannot be better given than in the surprising and mysterious letter of Arthur a pendentist end of chapter seventy two