om Costigan of the illness under which Arthur was
suffering.

It chanced on that very evening after Costigan had visited Pen, that
Arthur's uncle the excellent Major arrived in town from Buxton, where
his health had been mended, and sent his valet Morgan to make inquiries
for Arthur, and to request that gentleman to breakfast with the Major
the next morning. The Major was merely passing through London on his way
to the Marquis of Steyne's house of Stillbrook, where he was engaged to
shoot partridges.

Morgan came back to his master with a very long face. He had seen Mr.
Arthur; Mr. Arthur was very bad indeed; Mr. Arthur was in bed with a
fever. A doctor ought to be sent to him; and Morgan thought his case
most alarming.

Gracious goodness! this was sad news indeed. He had hoped that Arthur
could come down to Stillbrook: he had arranged that he should go, and
procured an invitation for his nephew from Lord Steyne. He must
go himself; he couldn't throw Lord Steyne over: the fever might be
catching: it might be measles: he had never himself had the measles;
they were dangerous when contracted at his age. Was anybody with Mr.
Arthur?

Morgan said there was somebody a-nussing of Mr. Arthur.

The Major then asked, had his nephew taken any advice? Morgan said he
had asked that question, and had been told that Mr. Pendennis had had no
doctor.

Morgan's master was sincerely vexed at hearing of Arthur's calamity. He
would have gone to him, but what good could it do Arthur that he, the
Major, should catch a fever? His own ailments rendered it absolutely
impossible that he should attend to anybody but himself. But the young
man must have advice--the best advice; and Morgan was straightway
despatched with a note from Major Pendennis to his friend Doctor
Goodenough, who by good luck happened to be in London and at home, and
who quitted his dinner instantly, and whose carriage was in half an hour
in Upper Temple Lane, near Pen's chambers.

The Major had asked the kind-hearted physician to bring him news of his
nephew at the Club where he himself was dining, and in the course of the
night the Doctor made his appearance. The affair was very serious: the
patient was in a high fever: he had had Pen bled instantly: and would
see him the first thing in the morning. The Major went disconsolate
to bed with this unfortunate news. When Goodenough came to see him
according to his promise the next day, the Doctor had to listen for a
qua