een the
boy's point of honour was, he worked kindly upon that kindly feeling
with great skill, discoursing him over their wine after dinner, and
pointing out to Pen the necessity of a perfect uprightness and openness
in all his dealings, and entreating that his communications with his
interesting young friend (as the Major politely called Miss Fotheringay)
should be carried on with the knowledge, if not approbation, of Mrs.
Pendennis. "After all, Pen," the Major said, with a convenient frankness
that did not displease the boy, whilst it advanced the interests of the
negotiator, "you must bear in mind that you are throwing yourself away.
Your mother may submit to your marriage as she would to anything else
you desired, if you did but cry long enough for it: but be sure of this,
that it can never please her. You take a young woman off the boards of
a country theatre and prefer her, for such is the case, to one of the
finest ladies in England. And your mother will submit to your choice,
but you can't suppose that she will be happy under it. I have often
fancied, entre nous, that my sister had it in her eye to make a marriage
between you and that little ward of hers--Flora, Laura--what's her name?
And I always determined to do my small endeavour to prevent any such
match. The child has but two thousand pounds, I am given to understand.
It is only with the utmost economy and care that my sister can provide
for the decent maintenance of her house, and for your appearance and
education as a gentleman; and I don't care to own to you that I had
other and much higher views for you. With your name and birth, sir--with
your talents, which I suppose are respectable, with the friends whom
I have the honour to possess, I could have placed you in an excellent
position--a remarkable position for a young man of such exceeding small
means, and had hoped to see you, at least, try to restore the honours of
our name. Your mother's softness stopped one prospect, or you might have
been a general, like our gallant ancestor who fought at Ramillies and
Malplaquet. I had another plan in view: my excellent and kind friend,
Lord Bagwig, who is very well disposed towards me, would, I have little
doubt, have attached you to his mission at Pumpernickel, and you might
have advanced in the diplomatic service. But, pardon me for recurring
to the subject; how is a man to serve a young gentleman of eighteen, who
proposes to marry a lady of thirty, whom he has