ay, ma'am, was very natural on his part,
for after a generous and manly conduct--let me say who know the
circumstances well--most generous and manly and self-denying (which is
rare with him),--he has met from some friends of his with a most unkind
suspicion, and has had to complain of the unfair treatment of another
innocent person, towards whom he and you all are under much obligation."

The widow was going to get up here, and Warrington, seeing her attempt
to rise, said, "Do I tire you, ma'am?"

"Oh no--go on--go on," said Helen, delighted, and he continued.

"I liked him, you see, because of that early history of his, which had
come to my ears in college gossip, and because I like a man, if you will
pardon me for saying so, Miss Laura, who shows that he can have a great
unreasonable attachment for a woman. That was why we became friends--and
are all friends here--for always, aren't we?" he added, in a lower
voice, leaning over to her, "and Pen has been a great comfort and
companion to a lonely and unfortunate man.

"I am not complaining of my lot, you see; for no man's is what he would
have it; and up in my garret, where you left the flowers, and with
my old books and my pipe for a wife, I am pretty contented, and only
occasionally envy other men, whose careers in life are more brilliant,
or who can solace their ill fortune by what Fate and my own fault has
deprived me of--the affection of a woman or a child." Here there came a
sigh from somewhere near Warrington in the dark, and a hand was held
out in his direction, which, however, was instantly, withdrawn, for the
prudery of our females is such, that before all expression of feeling,
or natural kindness and regard, a woman is 'taught to think of herself
and the proprieties, and to be ready to blush at the very slightest
notice;' and checking, as, of course, it ought, this spontaneous motion,
modesty drew up again, kindly friendship shrank back ashamed of itself,
and Warrington resumed his history. "My fate is such as I made it, and
not lucky for me or for others involved in it.

"I, too, had an adventure before I went to college; and there was no
one to save me as Major Pendennis saved Pen. Pardon me, Miss Laura, if
I tell this story before you. It is as well that you all of you should
hear my confession. Before I went to college, as a boy of eighteen, I
was at a private tutor's, and there, like Arthur, I became attached, or
fancied I was attached, to a woman o