er seriously admired Miss Bell, he instantly began
to admire her himself.

So that when Herr Frosch was requested to walk upstairs to Lady
Rockminster's apartments, and inform Miss Bell and Mr. Arthur Pendennis
that the Major would receive them, and Laura appeared blushing and happy
as she hung on Pen's arm, the Major gave a shaky hand to one and the
other, with unaffected emotion and cordiality, and then went through
another salutation to Laura, which caused her to blush still more. Happy
blushes! bright eyes beaming with the light of love! The story-teller
turns from this group to his young audience, and hopes that one day
their eyes may all shine so.

Pen having retreated in the most friendly manner, and the lovely Blanche
having bestowed her young affections upon a blushing bridegroom with
fifteen thousand a year, there was such an outbreak of happiness in Lady
Clavering's heart and family as the good Begum had not known for many
a year, and she and Blanche were on the most delightful terms of
cordiality and affection. The ardent Foker pressed onwards the happy
day, and was as anxious as might be expected to abridge the period of
mourning which had put him in possession of so many charms and amiable
qualities, of which he had been only, as it were, the heir-apparent, not
the actual owner, until then. The gentle Blanche, everything that her
affianced lord could desire, was not averse to gratify the wishes of
her fond Henry. Lady Clavering came up from Tunbridge. Milliners
and jewellers were set to work and engaged to prepare the delightful
paraphernalia of Hymen. Lady Clavering was in such a good humour, that
Sir Francis even benefited by it, and such a reconciliation was effected
between this pair, that Sir Francis came to London, sate at the head of
his own table once more, and appeared tolerably flush of money at his
billiard-rooms and gambling-houses again. One day, when Major
Pendennis and Arthur went to dine in Grosvenor Place, they found an old
acquaintance established in the quality of major-domo, and the gentleman
in black, who, with perfect politeness and gravity, offered them their
choice of sweet or dry champagne, was no other than Mr. James Morgan.
The Chevalier Strong was one of the party; he was in high spirits and
condition, and entertained the company with accounts of his amusements
abroad.

"It was my Lady who invited me," said Strong to Arthur, under his
voice--"that fellow Morgan looked as blac