and lean on me. Don't stumble, you heedless little thing; this is
the way, and there is your mamma at the door."

And there, indeed, Mrs. Bolton was, unquiet in spirit, and grasping her
umbrella. She seized Fanny with maternal fierceness and eagerness, and
uttered some rapid abuse to the girl in an undertone. The expression
in Captain Costigan's eye--standing behind the matron and winking
at Pendennis from under his hat--was, I am bound to say, indefinably
humorous.

It was so much so, that Pen could not refrain from bursting into a
laugh. "You should have taken my arm, Mrs. Bolton," he said, offering
it. "I am very glad to bring Miss Fanny back quite safe to you. We
thought you would have followed us up into the gallery. We enjoyed the
fireworks, didn't we?"

"Oh yes!" said Miss Fanny, with rather a demure look.

"And the bouquet was magnificent," said Pen. "And it is ten hours since
I had anything to eat, ladies; and I wish you would permit me to invite
you to supper."

"Dad," said Costigan, "I'd loike a snack to; only I forgawt me purse, or
I should have invoited these leedies to a collection."

Mrs. Bolton with considerable asperity said, She ad an eadache, and
would much rather go ome.

"A lobster salad is the best thing in the world for a headache," Pen
said gallantly, "and a glass of wine I'm sure will do you good. Come,
Mrs. Bolton, be kind to me and oblige me. I shan't have the heart to sup
without you, and upon my word I have had no dinner. Give me your arm:
give me the umbrella. Costigan, I'm sure you'll take care of Miss Fanny;
and I shall think Mrs. Bolton angry with me, unless she will favour
me with her society. And we will all sup quietly, and go back in a cab
together."

The cab, the lobster salad, the frank and good-humoured look of
Pendennis, as he smilingly invited the worthy matron, subdued her
suspicions and her anger. Since he would be so obliging, she thought she
could take a little bit of lobster, and so they all marched away to a
box; and Costigan called for a waither with such a loud and belligerent
voice, as caused one of those officials instantly to run to him.

The carte was examined on the wall, and Fanny was asked to choose her
favourite dish; upon which the young creature said she was fond of
lobster, too, but also owned to a partiality for raspberry tart. This
delicacy was provided by Pen, and a bottle of the most frisky champagne
was moreover ordered for the delight of the l