nvelope before he attacked the inner epistle.

"Is it a letter from another Jook," growled Mr. Glowry, inwardly,
"Pendennis would not be leaving that to the last, I'm thinking."

"My dear Major Pendennis," the letter ran, "I beg and implore you to
come to me immediately "--very likely, thought Pendennis, and Steyne's
dinner to-day--"I am in the very greatest grief and perplexity. My
dearest boy, who has been hitherto everything the fondest mother could
wish, is grieving me dreadfully. He has formed--I can hardly write it--a
passion, an infatuation,"--the Major grinned--"for an actress who
has been performing here. She is at least twelve years older than
Arthur--who will not be eighteen till next February--and the wretched
boy insists upon marrying her."

"Hay! What's making Pendennis swear now?"--Mr. Glowry asked of himself,
for rage and wonder were concentrated in the Major's open mouth, as he
read this astounding announcement.

"Do, my dear friend," the grief-stricken lady went on, "come to me
instantly on the receipt of this; and, as Arthur's guardian, entreat,
command, the wretched child to give up this most deplorable resolution."
And, after more entreaties to the above effect, the writer concluded
by signing herself the Major's 'unhappy affectionate sister, Helen
Pendennis.'

"Fairoaks, Tuesday"--the Major concluded, reading the last words of the
letter--"A d---d pretty business at Fairoaks, Tuesday; now let us
see what the boy has to say;" and he took the other letter, which was
written in a great floundering boy's hand, and sealed with the large
signet of the Pendennises, even larger than the Major's own, and with
supplementary wax sputtered all round the seal, in token of the writer's
tremulousness and agitation.

The epistle ran thus:

"Fairoaks, Monday, Midnight.

"My Dear Uncle,--In informing you of my engagement with Miss Costigan,
daughter of J. Chesterfield Costigan, Esq., of Costiganstown, but,
perhaps, better known to you under her professional name of Miss
Fotheringay, of the Theatres Royal Drury Lane and Crow Street, and of
the Norwich and Welsh Circuit, I am aware that I make an announcement
which cannot, according to the present prejudices of society at least,
be welcome to my family. My dearest mother, on whom, God knows, I would
wish to inflict no needless pain, is deeply moved and grieved, I am
sorry to say, by the intelligence which I have this night conveyed to
her. I beseech you, my