utes more.

"We will go to-morrow morning, then. I will come and fetch you with Martha."

"An earl's coronet," said Pen, who, no doubt, was pleased himself, "will have a great effect in Lamb Court and Smithfield. Stay-Lady Rockminster, will you join us in a little conspiracy?"

"How do you mean conspiracy, young man?"

"Will you please to be a little ill tomorrow; and when old Mr. Huxter arrives, will you let me call him in? If he is put into a goodhumour at the notion of attending a baronet in the country, what influence won't a countess have on him? When he is softenedwhen he is quite ripe, we will break the secret upon him; bring in the young people, extort the paternal benediction, and finish the comedy."

"A parcel of stuff," said the old lady. "Take your hat, sir. Come away, miss. There-my head is turned another way. Good night, young people." And who knows but the old lady thought of her own early days as she went away on Laura's arm, nodding her head and humming to herself?

With the early morning came Laura

and Martha according to appointment; and the desired sensation was, let us hope, effected in Lamb Court, whence the three proceeded to wait upon Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Huxter, at their residence in Charterhouse Lane.

The two ladies looked at each other with great interest, and not a little emotion on Fanny's part. She had not seen her "guardian," as she was pleased to call Pen in consequence of his bequest, since the event had occurred which had united her to Mr. Huxter.

"Samuel told me how kind you had been," she said. "You were always very kind, Mr. Pendennis. And-and I hope your friend is better, who was took ill in Shepherd's Inn, ma'am.'

""

66

My name is Laura," said the other, with a blush. "I am that is, I wasthat is, I am Arthur's sister: and we shall always love you for being so good to him when he was ill. And when we live in the country, I hope we shall see each other. And I shall be always happy to hear of your happiness, Fanny."

"We are going to do what you and Huxter have done, Fanny.-Where is Huxter? What nice snug lodgings you've got! What a pretty cat!"

While Fanny is answering these questions in reply to Pen, Laura says to herself "Well, now really! is this the creature about whom we were all so frightened? What could he see in her? She's a homely little thing, but such manners! Well, she was very kind to him-bless her for that."

"If

Mr. Samuel had gone out to meet his
Pa. Mrs. Huxter said that the old gen-
tleman was to arrive that day at the
Somerset Coffee House, in the Strand;
and Fanny confessed that she was in a
sad tremour about the meeting.
his parents cast him off, what are we to
do?" she said. "I shall never pardon
myself for bringing ruing on my 'usband's
'ead. You must intercede for us, Mr.
Arthur. If mortal man can, you can
band and influence Mr. Uxter senior."
Fanny still regarded Pen in the light of
a superior being, that was evident. No
doubt Arthur thought of the past, as he
marked the solemn little tragedy-airs
and looks, the little ways, the little tre-
pidations, vanities, of the little bride.

As soon as the interview was over, entered Messrs. Linton and Blades, who came, of course, to visit Huxter, and brought with them a fine fragrance of tobacco. They had watched the carriage at the baker's door, and remarked the coronet with awe. They asked of Fanny who was that uncommonly heavy swell who had just driven off? and pronounced the countess was of the right sort. And when they heard that it was Mr. Pendennis and his sister, they remarked that Pen's father was only a sawbones; and that he gave himself confounded airs; they had been in Huxter's company on the night of his little altercation with Pen in the Back Kitchen.

Returning homewards through Fleet Street, and as Laura was just stating to Pen's infinite amusement that Fanny was very well, but that really there was no beauty in her, there might be, but she could not see it, as they were locked near Temple Bar, they saw young Huxter returning to his bride. "The governor had arrived; was at the Somerset Coffee House-was in tolerable good humour-something about the railway: but he had been afraid to speak aboutabout that business. Would Mr. Pen

"It was my father's, too," said Pen. "I sometimes wish I had followed it."

66

You, sir, have taken a more lofty career," said the old gentleman. "You aspire to the senate : and to literary honours. You wield the poet's pen, sir, and move in the circles of fashion. We keep an eye upon you at Clavering. We read your name in the lists of the select parties of the nobility. Why, it was only the other day that my wife was remarking how odd it was that at a party at the Earl of Kidderminster's your name was not mentioned. To what member of the aristocracy may I ask does that equipage belong from which I saw you descend? The Countess Dowager of Rockminster? How is her ladyship?"

"Her ladyship is not very well; and when I heard that you were coming to town, I strongly urged her to see you, Mr. Huxter," Pen said. Old Huxter felt, if he had a hundred votes for Clavering, he would give them all to Pen.

"There is an old friend of yours in the carriage-a Clavering lady, too-will you come out and speak to her?" asked Pen. The old surgeon was delighted to speak to a coronetted carriage in the midst of the full Strand: he ran out bowing and smiling. Huxter junior, dodging about the district, beheld the meeting between his father and Laura, saw the latter put out her hand, and presently, after a little colloquy with Pen, beheld his father actually jump into the carriage, and drive away with Miss Bell.

There was no room for Arthur, who

came back, laughing, to the young surgeon, and told him whither his parent was bound. During the whole of the journey, that artful Laura coaxed, and wheedled, and cajoled him so adroitly, that the old gentleman would have granted her anything; and Lady Rockminster achieved the victory over him by complimenting him on his skill, and professing her anxiety to consult him. What were her ladyship's symptoms? Should he meet her ladyship's usual medical attendant? Mr. Jones was called out of town? He should be delighted to devote his very best ener gies and experience to her ladyship's service.

He was so charmed with his patient, that he wrote home about her to his wife and family; he talked of nothing but Lady Rockminster to Samuel, when that youth came to partake of beef-steak and oyster-sauce and accompany his parent to the play. There was a simple grandeur, a polite urbanity, a high-bred grace about her ladyship, which he had never witnessed in any woman. symptoms did not seem alarming: he had prescribed-spir: Ammon: Aromat: with a little Spir: Minth: Pip: and orange-flower, which would be all that was necessary.

Her

in waiting to receive him. Lady Rockminster had had a most comfortable night, and was getting on as well as possible. How had Mr. Huxter amused himself? at the theatre? with his son? What a capital piece it was, and how charmingly Mrs. O'Leary looked and sang it! and what a good fellow young Huxter was! liked by everybody, an honour to his profession. He has not his father's manners, I grant you, or that old-world tone which is passing away from us, but a more excellent, sterling fellow never lived. "He ought to practice in the country whatever you do, sir," said Arthur-" he ought to marry-other people are" going to do so-and settle.

"The very words that her ladyship used yesterday, Mr. Pendennis. ought to marry. Sam should marry, sir."

He

The town is full of temptation, sir," continued Pen. The old gentleman thought of that houri, Mrs. O'Leary.

"There is no better safeguard for a young man than an early marriage with an honest affectionate creature." "No better, sir, no better."

"And love is better than money, isn't it?"

"Indeed it is," said Miss Bell. "I agree with so fair an authority," said the old gentleman, with a bow.

"And-and suppose, sir," Pen said, "that I had a piece of news to communicate to you.'

29

"God bless my soul, Mr. Pendennis! what do you mean?" asked the old gentleman.

"Miss Bell seemed to be on the most confidential and affectionate footing with her ladyship. She was about to form a matrimonial connexion. All young people ought to marry. Such were her ladyship's words; and the Countess condescended to ask respecting my own family, and I mentioned you by name to her ladyship, Sam, my boy. I shall look in to-morrow, when, if the remedies which I have prescribed for her ladyship have had the effect which I anticipate, I shall probably follow them up by a little Spir: Lavend: Comp-and so set my noble patient up. What is the theatre which is most frequented by the-by the higher classes in town, hey, Sam? and to what amusement will you take an old country doc. tor to-night, hey, sir?"

On the next day, when Mr. Huxter called in Jermyn Street at twelve o'clock, Lady Rockminster had not yet left her room, but Miss Bell and Mr. Pendennis were

"Suppose I had to tell you that a young man carried away by an irresistible passion for an admirable and most virtuous young creature-whom everybody falls in love with-had consulted the dictates of reason and his heart, and had married. Suppose I were to tell you that that man is my friend; that our excellent, our truly noble friend, the Countess Dowager of Rockminster, is truly interested about him (and you may fancy what a young man can do in life when THAT family is interested for him; suppose I were to tell you that you know him-that he is here-that he

"

IS

"Sam married! God bless my soul, sir, you don't mean that !"

EXEUNT OMNES.

OUR characters are all a month older than they were when the last-described adventures and conversations occurred, and a great number of the personages of our story have chanced to re-assemble at the little country town where we were first introduced to them. Frederic Lightfoot, formerly maitre d' hotel in the service of Sir Francis Clavering, of Clavering Park, Bart., has begged leave to inform the nobility and gentry ofshire that he has taken that well-known and comfortahle hotel, the Clavering Arms, in Clavering, where he hopes for the continued patronage of the gentlemen and families of the county. This ancient and well-established house,' Mr. Lightfoot's manifesto states, been repaired and decorated in a style of the greatest comfort. Gentlemen hunting with the Dumplingbeare hounds

""

"has

will find excellent stabling and loose boxes for horses at the Clavering Arms. A commodious billiard-room has been attached to the hotel, and the cellars have been furnished with the choicest wines and spirits, selected, without regard to expense, by C. L. Commercial Gentlemen will find the Clavering Arms a most comfortable place of resort; and the scale of charges has been regulated for all, so as to meet the economical spirit of the present times."

Indeed, there is a considerable air of liveliness about the old inn. The Clavering arms have been splendidly_repainted over the gate-way. The coffeeroom windows are bright and fresh, and decorated with Christmas holly; the magistrates have met in petty sessions in the card-room of the old Assembly. The farmer's ordinary is held as of old, and frequented by increased numbers, who are pleased with Mrs. Lightfoot's cuisine. Her Indian curries and Mulligatawny soup are especially popular; Major Stokes, the respected tenant of Fairoaks Cottage, Captain Glanders, H. P., and other resident gentry, have pronounced in their favour, and have partaken of them more than once both in private and at the dinner of the Clavering Institute, attendant on the incorporation of the reading-room, and when the chief inhabitants of that flourishing little town met together and did justice to the hostess's excellent cheer. The chair was taken by Sir Francis Clavering, Bart., supported by the esteemed rector, Doctor Portman; the vice-chair being ably filled by Barker, Esq., (supported by the Rev. J. Simcoe and the Rev. S. Jowls,) the enterprising head of the ribbon factory in Clavering, and chief director of the Clavering and Chatteris Branch of the Great Western. Railway, which will be opened in another year, and upon the works of which the engineers and workmen are now busily engaged.

66

An interesting event, which is likely to take place in the life of our talented townsman, Arthur Pendennis, Esq., has, we understand, caused him to relinquish the intentions which he had of offering himself as a candidate for our borough: and rumour whispers (says the Chatteris

you know anything whatever about it, or have any business to think at all on the subject, I shall speak to George Pynsent, who is now chief secretary of the Tape and Sealing Wax Office, and have Mr. Pendennis made something, And, Beck, in the morning you will carry down my compliments to Major Pendennis, and say that I shall pay him a visit at one o'clock. Yes," muttered the old lady, "the Major must be reconciled, and he must leave his fortune to Laura's children."

Champion, Clavering Agriculturist, and Baymouth Fisherman,-that independent county paper, so distinguished for its unswerving principles and loyalty to the British oak, and so eligible a medium for advertisements)-rumour_states, says the C. C., C. A. and B. F., that should Sir Francis Clavering's failing health oblige him to relinquish his seat in Parliament, he will vacate it in favour of a young gentleman of colossal fortune,

an

related to the highest aristocracy of the empire, who is about to contract a matrimonial alliance with an accomplished and lovely lady, connected by the nearest ties with the respected family at Clavering Park. Lady Clavering and Miss Amory have arrived at the Park for the Christmas holidays; and we understand that a large number of the aristocracy are expected, and that festivities of a peculiarly interesting nature will take place there at the commencement of the new year."

ry.

The ingenious reader will be enabled, by the help of the above announcement, to understand what has taken place during the little break which has occurred in our narrative. Although Lady Rockminster grumbled a little at Laura's preference for Pendennis over Bluebeard, those who are aware of the latter's secret will understand that the young girl could make no other choice, and the kind old lady who had constituted herself Miss Bell's guardian, was not illpleased that she was to fulfill the great purpose in life of young ladies and marShe informed her maid of the interesting event that very night, and of course Mrs. Beck, who was perfectly aware of every single circumstance, and kept by Martha, of Fairoaks, in the fullest knowledge of what was passing, was immensely surprised and delighted. "Mr. Pendennis's income is so much; the railroad will give him so much more, he states: Miss Bell has so much, and may probably have a little more one day. For persons in their degree, they will be able to manage very well. And I shall speak to my nephew Pynsent, who I suspect was once rather attached to her, but of course that was out of the question" ("Oh! of course, my lady; I should think so indeed!")-"not that

Accordingly, at one o'clock, the Dowager Lady Rockminster appeared at Major Pendennis's, who was delighted, as may be imagined, to receive so noble a visitor. The Major had been prepared, if not for the news which her ladyship was about to give him, at least with the intelligence that Pen's marriage with Miss Amory was broken off. The young gentleman bethinking him of his uncle, for the first time that day it must be owned, and meeting his new servant in the hall of the hotel, asked after the Major's health from Mr. Frosch; and then went into the coffee-room of the hotel, where he wrote a half-dozen lines to acquaint his guardian with what had occurred. "Dear uncle," he said, "if there has been any question between us, it is over now. I went to Tunbridge Wells yesterday, and found that somebody else had carried off the prize about which we were hesitating. Miss A., without any compunction for me, has bestowed herself upon Harry Foker, with his fifteen thousand a-year. came in suddenly upon their loves, and found and left him in possession.

"And you'll be glad to hear, Tatham writes me, that he has sold three of my fields at Fairoaks to the Railroad Company, at a great figure. I will tell you this, and more when we meet; and am always your affectionate,-A. P."

"I think I am aware of what you were about to tell me," the Major said, with a most courtly smile and bow to Pen's ambassadress. "It was a very great kindness of your ladyship to think of bringing me the news. How well you look! How very good you are! How very kind you have always been to that young man !"