ho retreated towards'
their side of the churchyard, walked back again through the Doctor's
wicket, and was interrogated by that gentleman. The young fellow was
so agitated he could scarcely speak. His voice broke into a sob as he
answered. "The ------ coward insulted me, sir," he said; and the Doctor
passed over the oath, and respected the emotion of the honest suffering
young heart.

Pendennis the elder, who like a real man of the world had a proper and
constant dread of the opinion of his neighbour, was prodigiously annoyed
by the absurd little tempest which was blowing in Chatteris, and tossing
about Master Pen's reputation. Doctor Portman and Captain Glanders had
to support the charges of the whole Chatteris society against the young
reprobate, who was looked upon as a monster of crime. Pen did not
say anything about the churchyard scuffle at home; but went over to
Baymouth, and took counsel with his friend Harry Foker, Esq., who drove
over his drag presently to the Clavering Arms, whence he sent Stoopid
with a note to Thomas Hobnell, Esq., at the Rev. J. Wapshot's, and a
civil message to ask when he should wait upon that gentleman.

Stoopid brought back word that the note had been opened by Mr. Hobnell,
and read to half a dozen of the big boys, on whom it seemed to make a
great impression; and that after consulting together, and laughing, Mr.
Hobnell said he would send an answer "arter arternoon school, which the
bell was a-ringing: and Mr. Wapshot he came out in his Master's gownd."
Stoopid was learned in academical costume, having attended Mr. Foker at
St. Boniface.

Mr. Foker went out to see the curiosities of Clavering meanwhile; but
not having a taste for architecture, Doctor Portman's fine church did
not engage his attention much and he pronounced the tower to be as
mouldy as an old Stilton cheese. He walked down the street and looked
at the few shops there; he saw Captain Glanders at the window of the
Reading-room, and having taken a good stare at that gentleman, he wagged
his head at him in token of satisfaction; he inquired the price of meat
at the butcher's with an air of the greatest interest, and asked "when
was next killing day?" he flattened his little nose against Madame
Fribsby's window to see if haply there was a pretty workwoman in her
premises; but there was no face more comely than the doll's or dummy's
wearing the French cap in the window, only that of Madame Fribsby
herself, dimly visible i