d not know:
it was that of Mr. Bows, indeed, saying that Mr. Arthur Pendennis had
had a tolerable night; and that as Dr. Goodenough had stated that the
Major desired to be informed of his nephew's health, he, R. B., had sent
him the news per rail.

The next day he was going out shooting, about noon, with some of the
gentlemen staying at Lord Steyne's house; and the company, waiting for
the carriages, were assembled on the terrace in front of the house, when
a fly drove up from the neighbouring station, and a grey-headed, rather
shabby old gentleman jumped out, and asked for Major Pendennis. It
was Mr. Bows. He took the Major aside and spoke to him; most of the
gentlemen round about saw that something serious had happened, from the
alarmed look of the Major's face.

Wagg said, "It's a bailiff come down to nab the Major," but nobody
laughed at the pleasantry.

"Hullo! What's the matter, Pendennis?" cried Lord Steyne, with his
strident voice;--"anything wrong?"

"It's--it's--my boy that's dead," said the Major, and burst into a
sob--the old man was quite overcome.

"Not dead, my Lord; but very ill when I left London," Mr. Bows said, in
a low voice.

A britzka came up at this moment as the three men were speaking.
The Peer looked at his watch. "You've twenty minutes to catch the
mail-train. Jump in, Pendennis; and drive like h---, sir, do you hear?"

The carriage drove off swiftly with Pendennis and his companions, and
let us trust that the oath will be pardoned to the Marquis of Steyne.

The Major drove rapidly from the station to the Temple, and found a
travelling carriage already before him, and blocking up the narrow
Temple Lane. Two ladies got out of it, and were asking their way of the
porters; the Major looked by chance at the panel of the carriage, and
saw the worn-out crest of the Eagle looking at the Sun, and the motto,
"Nec tenui penna," painted beneath. It was his brother's old carriage,
built many, many years ago. It was Helen and Laura that were asking
their way to Pen's room.

He ran up to them; hastily clasped his sister's arm and kissed her
hand; and the three entered into Lamb Court, and mounted the long gloomy
stair.

They knocked very gently at the door, on which Arthur's name was
written, and it was opened by Fanny Bolton.

CHAPTER LIII. A critical Chapter

As Fanny saw the two ladies and the anxious countenance of the eider,
who regarded her with a look of inscrutable alarm and