ce.

And at the end of the waltz,--the last waltz they had on that
night,--Blanche asked him about Drummington, and whether it was a fine
house. His cousins, she had heard, were very accomplished: Lord Erith
she had met, and which of his cousins was his favourite? Was it not Lady
Ann? Yes, she was sure it was she; sure by his looks and his blushes.
She was tired of dancing; it was getting very late; she must go to
mamma;--and, without another word, she sprang away from Harry Foker's
arm, and seized upon Pen's, who was swaggering about the dancing-room,
and again said, "Mamma, mamma!--take me to mamma, dear, Mr. Pendennis!"
transfixing Harry with a Parthian shot, as she fled from him.

My Lord Steyne, with garter and ribbon, with a bald head and shining
eyes, and a collar of red whiskers round his face, always looked grand
upon an occasion of state; and made a great effect upon Lady Clavering,
when he introduced himself to her at the request of the obsequious Major
Pendennis. With his own white and royal hand, he handed to her ladyship
a glass of wine, said he had heard of her charming daughter, and begged
to be presented to her; and, at this very juncture, Mr. Arthur Pendennis
came up with the young lady on his arm.

The peer made a profound bow, and Blanche the deepest curtesy that ever
was seen. His lordship gave Mr. Arthur Pendennis his hand to shake;
said he had read his book, which was very wicked and clever; asked
Miss Blanche if she had read it,--at which Pen blushed and winced. Why,
Blanche was one of the heroines of the novel. Blanche, in black ringlets
and a little altered, was the Neaera of 'Walter Lorraine.'

Blanche had read it: the language of the eyes expressed her admiration
and rapture at the performance. This little play being achieved, the
Marquis of Steyne made other two profound bows to Lady Clavering and
her daughter, and passed on to some other of his guests at the splendid
entertainment.

Mamma and daughter were loud in their expressions of admiration of the
noble Marquis so soon as his broad back was turned upon them. "He
said they make a very nice couple," whispered major Pendennis to Lady
Clavering. Did he now, really? Mamma thought they would; Mamma was so
flustered with the honour which had just been shown to her, and with
other intoxicating events of the evening, that her good-humour knew no
bounds. She laughed, she winked, and nodded knowingly at Pen; she
tapped him on the arm with he